Well, I don't really think that the end can be assessed as of itself as being the end because what does the end feel like? It's like saying when you try to extrapolate the end of the universe, you say, if the universe is indeed infinite, then how - what does that mean? How far is all the way, and then if it stops, what's stopping it, and what's behind what's stopping it? So, what's the end, you know, is my question to you.

—David St. Hubbins named for the patron saint of quality footwear

The All-Star "Final Vote", the major-league equivalent of a "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" lifeline, is now available at the MLB site. Fans get to pick their 32nd favorite player in each league. As always, the selections vary from the sublime to the ridiculous (though are a bit better in the AL).

I just cast my vote for the two players who are clearly the best candidates this season and throughout their careers, Frank Thomas and Bobby Abreu. Both lead their league's field in OPS. Additionally, Thomas has had either a Hall of Fame or near HOF career, depending on who you talk to and Abreu is probably the most underrated player in the game right now. Both should have been picked before Final Jeopardy. They deserved better, but with the numbers game that is the All-Star game holding sway the likes of Barry Larkin and Ted Lilly book their flights to Houston.

So, I'll make my plug now:

Vote for Frank Thomas and Bobby Abreu! Do it today!

By the way, why do they jettison the DH when the game is in an NL park? Just let the fans vote for a DH in the AL, and then let the manager select the DH in the NL (I would have said NL prez, but thanks to Err Bud we don't have one anymore). Why do we need pitchers to bat in an exhibition?

If you vote, you'll get an odd page back upon a successfully completed vote (no dangling Chad Kreuters). It has one button on it, "Vote Again". So I tested it and sure enough, I was able to vote again. What's the point of taking all of the voter's data (email, zip, dob) and then requiring them to re-entire the verification number that the system spits out, if he can easily vote again? They could at least make it a little inconvenient for someone to stuff the ballot.

By the way, Carlos Beltran was named to the All-Star game by the AL Players before he was traded to the NL, and therefore can attend the game but can't play. So, what, is he the baseball equivalent of Philip Nolan, or what? At least he won't have to fly in order not to play: His new team happens to play in Houston.