Before I get into my actual opinion about the All-Star game, I wanted to first present the views of the two camps of thinking where one camp is for fan voting, one camp is not. The idea for fan voting connects with the idea that the All-Star game is the “fan's game” that the lineup doesn't necessarily need reflect the best current players in the majors but should replicate the lineup made up of players that the fans want to see play with each other. In that school of thought, the popular players “need” to play because that would create a popular team.
The other side is that the fans should not vote, because they are not going to select the best players. We do see this actually happening. The popular players win out, large market teams that play well “enough” are represented the most on the starting lineup. The ripples from this mean that its not really an All-Star game because not all these players are All-Stars. The bench ends up carrying the actual All-Stars, but this also means that actual All-Star slots are taken away so players that deserve the honor do not get it.
The challenge (thus the opinion part here) is reconciling these two camps of thought. One idea that has become increasingly popular in bar room conversations might be the solution. MLB (whether its managers, GM's, players, whatever) pick the All-Star team. After that happens (meaning, hopefully, the team actually has All-Stars on it) the fans then get to vote from that team who gets to start. This won't make everyone happy, but it seems to be a good balance. As good of an idea as this is it probably won't happen due to money. There's a lot money in it for major league baseball to have the most popular players possible out on that diamond, because that means ratings.
Even if the system doesn't get fixed (and I really don't expect that it ever will) baseball still has the best All-Star game out of every other professional sport.
