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Terry use him for the three innings max and mess up the rest of his year helping you win the division

well maybe they can hit him hard and the rest of the Tampa Bay team won't be a factor the rest of the season. They are already on an 8 game slide coming into the break.. OH i have no doubt that the AL will be able to win again and home field.....

So why the hell is he going to the All-star game? Kick him out and replace him with somebody who wants to play in this showcase game.

I agree Pompey......if guys don't want to play, let someone go who does want to pitch.

This is pathetic. At this rate, next year's all-star game will only be 7 innings becuase these dainty baseball players don't want to get hurt. Boo hoo. Pete Rose is long since retired, so players don't need to worry about sustaining injuries in the all-star game. If Pete Rose were able to play, he'd likely charge straight for Kazmir and plow him over. Then Kazmir would have a right to complain.

It's players like Kazmir that have caused this game to lose almost all meaning over the last few years. If the players don't want to participate, then neither will the fans. The all-star game has become flat out boring. Even the tie in 2002 wasn't THAT exciting after the second inning.

Field Marshall: Forget that your joke had poor taste. It just wasn't funny. Period.

I don't blame the Rays. Let Kazmir be announced in NY, but replace him with someone who will pitch in the game.

I guess home field advantage doesn't mean much to Joe Maddon....he must have something other than baseball planned for this October....

Tito, if you need Kazmir send him to the hill and air out his arm big time to win. I know you are planning to play baseball this October so do what you gotta do and go get home field advantage. **** on the DRays, Maddon and Kazmir.

Besides, no one in Red Sox Nation cares whether or not Kazmir blows out an elbow in the All Star game and I'll bet if you asked the Yankee Peanut Gallery they wouldn't care either....

It used to be a privilege to play in the All-Star game, and if chosen, a team made sure a player was available. Webb and Lincecum were both moved up a day so they could pitch Sunday and so not be used in the ASG. And now the Rays are basically refusing to allow Kazmir to play. The ASG means pretty much nothing to anybody anymore. I give it ten years 'til they do away with it altogether.

A better option may to be to play the game after the season is over, like the NFL, in a neutral site where people normally don't get to see major league games in their city.

"Webb and Lincecum were both moved up a day so they could pitch Sunday and so not be used in the ASG"

That's exactly what I was thinking. Is anyone gonna knock Webb or Lincecum? Over the past few starts Kazzy hasn't been on par with what he's supposed to be. So hopefully extra rest will help, as this team needs all the pitching it can get with the bats being as cold as possible.

why does one manager protect another manager's 'ace' while using someone else's? this kind of collusion is ****. if they don't want Kazmir pitching, take him off the roster and let a guy who really wants to play get the honor ... where's the Commish when he's needed?

Stay home then and let someone else go who wants to participate. It is an honor to be on any All-Star team and it iritates me when players or coaches waste time and space by choosing not to take part.

so what if every team told him not to use their pitchers? then what?

if you go to the game you play otherwise, don't go. Mussina wants to go and pitch...give him your spot kazmir you delicate flower you.

I hope francona pitches him 3 innings just to further inflame the bad blood between the 2 teams.

A better option may to be to play the game after the season is over, like the NFL, in a neutral site where people normally don't get to see major league games in their city.

Just my 2 cents | 07/14/08, 11:16 AM

The problem with that is, in case you havn't noticed, no one cares about the Pro-Bowl at all. No one watches it because the season has already ended. Putting the game at a neutral site would be foolish. In order for the ASG to be important and exciting again, the players need to show interest in it. Kazmir, Webb, and Lincecum are essentially boycotting the game becuase they care more about their multi-million dollar salaries than the fans. The very reason why they have an all-star game is fan appreciation, and these guys are doing a terrible disservice to the fans and the game.

So no one should pitch/play. This is absurd. Why is this one guy getting special treatment.

bonzo

"Don't forget that Dusty called Hurdle and asked him not to use Volquez for anything more than 1 innning of middle relief.