The All-Star Game rosters have officially been released, with the full list of players slated to represent the American League and National League next week in Arlington, Texas, revealed Sunday after last week’s announcement of the game’s starting lineups.
Sure, we can all get excited about seeing the best the sport has to offer concentrated on one field in one game next week at Globe Life Field. Or we can react much more naturally: By scanning the rosters, identifying the most glaring omissions and emphatically claiming that the powers that be made an unforgivable error in excluding that one player who clearly deserved an All-Star invite. (While fans vote for the starters, the reserves and pitchers are determined by a combination of a player ballot and the Commissioner’s Office, if you’re wondering where to direct your ire.)
There are plenty of reasons for these exclusions, of course. Some positions are more stacked than others, and every team needs at least one All-Star — a rule …