“They disrespected me, so I’m just not going to participate in that thing,” Wheeler said yesterday. “They” disrespected him by not choosing him in the first place, see. Wheeler has a 10-1 won-lost record and an ERA of 2.14 in 15 starts this season, his seventh with the Phillies, as well as 108 strikeouts in 93 innings pitched. There’s no doubt about it: those stats would have automatically punched his metaphorical ticket to the game in most years past (and Wheeler has been on the team three times in his 12-year career), but this year there are an unusual number of outstanding pitching candidates in his league. Moreover, his team, the Philadelphia Phillies, are hosting the game next week, and the Phils have six member on the All-Star team already.

No team has more than six, and 9 teams have only a single representative. Zack can do the math (well, maybe): there are 32 spots on the roster, and 15 cities whose fans want to have someone to cheer for in the game. The Dodgers (as usual, being the most mercenary team since the Yankees were “the Evil Empire” ) also have six players on the squad; even with the usual effort to lean a bit toward the host city when picking an All-Star team, there were good reasons for the league to try to hold the line at six Phillies.

The NL’s pitchers kept falling like wheat under a thresher, though, so Wheeler was needed. By refusing out of spite, he disrespected baseball fans, his home town fans, his team, his city, the National League, the other players on the NL squad, and the National Pastime itself.

It can use a great All-Star Game. The national sports palate needs to be cleansed after all that soccer.

The All-Star game was devised in 1933 as a “dream game” for baseball fans as well as promotion for baseball itself. It still gets strong TV ratings (comparatively), and it is an exhibition game, meaning that it exists for the audience. Sure, being named is an honor: it’s one of those career markers that players (and Hall of Fame voters) case about as indicia of excellence. Nonetheless, once baseball’s stars started gatting long term guaranteed contracts paying them a gazillion dollars (Wheeler has earned $212,279,875.00 so far in his career), some have tended to act as if they were making a big sacrifice by participating in the All-Star Game at all.

In short, Zack Wheeler is behaving like a selfish jerk…and an inarticulate one. “Maybe I didn’t earn it from the get-go, but maybe just second choice,” Wheeler said as he explained his pique. “Once I feel like they kind of messed that up, I’m out…Guys do take a lot of pride to having the All-Star next to your name. During your career and after your career — and people who build them stuff after your career might look at that, too. For somebody to kind of take that away from me, it doesn’t sit the best.”

Shut up and pitch, Zack.