The Dodgers Are Ruining Baseball! Stop Them! But First Let Me Vote For All Their Players

If fans each astir nan awesome leagues are sick and tired of nan Dodgers, they person a funny measurement of showing it.

The Dodgers triumph excessively overmuch and walk excessively much, truthful violative to truthful galore extracurricular Los Angeles that nan convention shutting down adjacent play has someway go an acceptable result if nan Dodgers cannot beryllium stripped of their payroll advantage.

So, a pox connected each their honors, right?

Apparently not. When Major League Baseball unveiled its first batch of All-Star voting results Monday, 4 players from nan squad that truthful bothers nan remainder of America were successful position to make nan National League starting lineup.

Shohei Ohtani leads astatine designated hitter, Freddie Freeman astatine first base, Max Muncy astatine 3rd base, and Andy Pages successful nan outfield.

“You look crossed nan league, crossed baseball, and we person a batch of recognizable names,” Muncy said. “We person really talented players who person been playing really good this year.

“For a batch of us, nan crippled has been speaking for us.”

Maybe not each 4 clasp their leads successful voting. Or possibly nan Dodgers get more, arsenic they look to do successful everything: Mookie Betts ranks 2nd astatine shortstop, and Will Smith ranks 2nd astatine catcher. Never has immoderate squad had six players commencement an All-Star Game.

In each nan years Andrew Friedman has assembled ace teams here, ne'er person nan Dodgers had 4 players commencement an All-star Game. That has happened erstwhile successful franchise history, successful 1980: infielders Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes and Bill Russell and outfielder Reggie Smith.

Love nan Dodgers, aliases emotion to dislike them, fans are voting for them.

“We’ve played good nan past mates of years,” Freeman said. “We’re playing good again.

“A batch of eyes are connected us. A batch of fans cognize each of us. And we’re playing bully baseball.”

Mookie Betts, throwing to first guidelines aft forcing retired Tampa Bay’s Austin Slater astatine 2nd connected Monday, is 2nd successful NL voting astatine shortstop.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

In olden times, voting was conducted mostly connected insubstantial ballots distributed astatine nan stadium. With integer ballots, you tin ballot from anywhere, to nan delight of a squad that has extended its instrumentality guidelines to Japan.

“There’s nary mobility we person a very, very beardown instrumentality base, domestically and internationally,” Dodgers president Stan Kasten said. “There’s nary mobility that’s an advantage.

“But, successful each lawsuit this year, nan players that are up location this twelvemonth surely merit it. It conscionable speaks to nan value of nan players we have.”

But, sir, your squad is ruining baseball. Haven’t you heard?

“Who ever said that?” Kasten said. “I’ve ever said nan opposite. I deliberation we person been bully for baseball, and I deliberation everyone successful shot would agree.”

Said Freeman: “I deliberation that’s conscionable noise. We’re bully for baseball. You conscionable saw it successful Chicago.”

The Chicago White Sox mean 22,000. The Dodgers showed up complete nan weekend, and nan White Sox sold retired — each 3 games, astatine 38,000 per game.

“To opportunity we’re bad for baseball,” Freeman said, “I deliberation that’s what Doc would opportunity is simply a lazy statement.”

Doc is Dave Roberts, nan Dodgers’ manager. He laughed. He already branded celebrated critiques of nan Dodgers arsenic “lazy” erstwhile this season. He didn’t want to opportunity it again.

But, if nan Dodgers springiness group what they want to see, really tin they beryllium ruining nan game?

“That’s a awesome point,” Roberts said. “I deliberation group still emotion talent. They emotion nan measurement our guys play. And they should beryllium showcased successful nan midsummer classic.”

This year’s All-Star Game is successful Philadelphia, location to nan astir passionate of instrumentality bases. The Dodgers and Phillies each correspond nan National League, but tin you ideate what nan Phillies fans mightiness person to opportunity astir 4 — aliases much — Dodgers introduced successful the, er, location squad lineup?

People emotion to dislike nan Dodgers. Philly fans emotion to hate, period.

“It would astir apt beryllium a batch of fun,” Muncy said. “At nan All-Star Game, you’re conscionable location to observe nan champion players successful baseball.

“Obviously, location will beryllium boos and cheers for everybody. You’re conscionable location to observe nan talent, and not needfully what squad they’re playing for.”

If they’re playing for nan Dodgers? Philly fans booed Santa Claus. Shohei Ohtani, you person been warned.