MLB All-Star Game snubs: Five players who deserve a trip to Denver

With 64 players now automatically honored from the get-go, the concept of a major league player getting snubbed from the All-Star Game can spark discussions nearly as odious as those regarding the last teams into a 68-squad NCAA Tournament.

Alas, it’s just too much fun to ignore.

In this, the year of sticky stuff, of incessant injuries, of perilous pitching depth, the total number of players honored — even if not physically present at Denver’s Coors Field — may number close to 100 by the time roster replacements are made for the infirm and those pitching on the final weekend of the first half.

So, many of the forthcoming players may yet line up on a baseline and doff their poorly-conceived collector’s hat to the crowd on the evening of July 13. Until they’re there, though, here’s a look at five players who deserved but didn’t receive a roster spot when full All-Star Game rosters were announced Sunday evening:

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