I, as well as others, have mixed emotions about Chicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede being named to the American League All-Star team.

For Crede, it's recognition by his peers after years of being stuck in the shadow of A-Rod and Eric Chavez.  It's also bargaining capital for agent Scott Boras who will represent Crede in his upcoming free agent year.  one can only imagine Boras working the phones, encouraging his client players to vote for Crede, like a 15 year-old during a student council election.

It would be great if Crede was having the year Jermaine Dye was having.  But he's not.  And for all of the buzz about Crede's defense, which at times borders on the spectacular and at others boarders on the "My head is somewhere up my ass", Crede leads the American League with 17 errors.  Truly, it should be Crede, not Tampa Bay Devil Ray Evan Longoria who should be on the outside looking in.

When the Sox were crappy, the All-Star game was the only national event you had to look forward to.  And then your one Sox representative, maybe Bobby Thigpen or Goose Gossage or Dick Allen would get in the game and that was your big moment.  Now, with the Sox being a perennial playoff team, I could care less.  In fact, I don't think I've watched an All-Star game since the debacle in Milwaukee.

It would be nice if Crede, who has had some back issues lately, would take the week off and go hunting with Mark Buehrle.  But instead, he'll be at Yankee Stadium playing third base for Jim Leyland.

In regards to the other deserving Sox players, Carlos Quentin deserves it for his early season heroics and no Sox player deserves it more than Jermaine Dye.  As far as the Sox pitchers are concerned, I just assume both Danks and Floyd rest their arms for four days because no one is sure what pitching a full season is going to do to these guys and they need to pitching the way they have if the Sox are going to hold off the Twinkies.

I hope Jermaine does make it, but it is doubtful seeing as how the election comes with the Sox on the road.