The team's offensive woes have been discussed ad nauseum, but what I think we haven't really touched on in detail is just what these deficiencies do for the teams we face. Obviously it's easier to beat a team when it's only scoring 2-3 runs/game, but the lack of offensive production turns basically any pitcher into a "quality starter" when facing the Cards. Consider the following table:

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So I agree that TLR's decision was a disappointing one (to say the least), but what's really to blame here? The MLB All-Star game is incredibly flawed: 1- Now "it counts." There's some sort of incentive to win the game. 2- However, the fans ( and really, we're talking about the fans who have the most internet access) set the starting lineups. Now, these starters are not necessarily the best players like, you know, "starters" in the traditional sense of the word. Rather, these starters are the most popular players. Following the naming of the starters by the fans, the manager and players select some guys, then the fans vote AGAIN on the final guy. 3- With most All-Star games, there are some unwritten rules. First, you only pitch your starters 1-2 innings. Second, basically no player will receive more than 2 ABs. Third, the manager will try his best to juggle everything and get everyone into the game at some point. 4- However, if the objective was to win the game because it counts, there shouldn't be this pressure to make sure that everyone gets some playing time. Rather, you would determine the 8 best position players to field a team, plus your best starting pitcher and roll with it for the majority of the game, guided by the logic that the best guys give you the best chance to win, so these guys should be given the most chances to make something happen. Sure, you'd make some timely substitutions for pinch-hitting situations or defensive replacements late into the game, but there would be less of a juggling act.

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