Opinion

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig's rapid ascent to superstardom in just one month has raised several questions about what kind of talent we are looking at for the future. But the one thing that should not be up for debate is his spot on the National League All-Star team. 

With two days to go in the All-Star Game voting process, it's time to go ahead and say it—the fan vote is flawed.

The most recent vote counts have been released by NBC Sports, and I'm troubled by some of the totals. And it most noticeably has to do with certain San Francisco Giants players.

Mark Appel will make his professional debut Friday for the Houston Astros Class-A short-season affiliate the Tri-City ValleyCats, according to Ken Schott of The Daily Gazette.

If the Boston Red Sox have the opportunity to upgrade at third base with Michael Young, general manager Ben Cherington needs to make that happen.

In recent days, much has been ballyhooed about the Philadelphia Phillies standing in the National League East division. At five games below .500 and nine-and-a-half games from the division leading Atlanta Braves, fans are clamoring for the Phillies to sell their most esteemed pieces in order to gain in the future with highly regarded prospects.

Major League Baseball already has in-season tests for players, ones implemented to ensure that they're not getting ahead of the curve by doing things they shouldn't be doing.

But what about the other guys on the field? Should umpires be subjected to different sorts of tests? Perhaps tests implemented to ensure that they're not drifting behind the curve?

According to Hardball Talk's Craig Calcaterra, citing a report from The New York Times, the New York Yankees are

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