Should Derek Jeter Attend The All-Star Game?

Derek Jeter won’t be attending the All-Star game in Phoenix tonight. Not because he’s injured – but because he’s tired.

According to sources, the Yankees captain isn’t going to the Mid-Summer Classic because of "emotional and physical exhaustion" from his pursuit of 3,000 hits.

He’s too tired and exhausted? Cry me a river! He wasn’t too tired to shoot an HBO documentary. He wasn’t too tired to play every single game after coming off the DL.  He’s had two days off. I don’t feel bad for him. He’s got the rest of his life to rest!

Jeter should still go to the All-Star game. He doesn’t need to play but he needs to go.

If he doesn’t want to risk injury, I have no problem with him skipping out and not playing.  However, Jeter was voted in by the fans. The fans want to see him. They just want to watch him in the player introductions. Remember, this game is for the fans. Fans didn’t want to see Asdrubal Cabrera start the game. If they did, they would have voted for him.

MLB wanted to celebrate Jeter's accomplishment and isn't happy he's not there.  This could have been a celebration of his 3,000th hit.

To me, this sends a really bad message. Every player wants to play because it’s an honor to go to the All-Star game.To say you’re exhausted is a lame excuse. I’m sure other All-Stars are tired and exhausted as well. But you know what, they are all playing.

In this day and age, a guy that’s making $40,000 and has to bust his butt at his job sees Derek Jeter – a baseball player – skipping an All-Star game because he’s tired.  Athletes these days are getting a bad image because of moves like this!

It's hard for me to sympathize with a multi-millionaire because he lives out of a suitcase and needs a rest. Remember, Jeter "choose" that really horrendous lifestyle of an MLB player. As a professional athlete, you have to take the pros and the cons. The pros are you are a millionaire, you are idolized by nearly everyone you meet and get perks beyond our wildest dreams. The cons are - um, you might lose a bit of privacy and have to travel all over the country in a chartered plane and stay in the nicest hotels in the world. I hardly feel sorry for him because he’s exhausted.

I didn’t realize an All-Star game was such a burden. Perhaps I’ll remember that the next time I’m voting.