How to fix what has become a boring All-Star Game

The American League and National League All-Star teams will be announced Tuesday, and of course, there's a steady stream of second-guessing about how the rosters are selected for an exhibition that determines World Series home field advantage.

Here's what needs to be done: Cut rosters from 34 to 26 players, meaning each team can select an extra pitcher beyond the regular season 25-man roster, which is what teams do for split doubleheaders.

Then, play an actual game.

It would be a throwback. It would be unique. It would have legitimate drama - or maybe not.

But at least it'd be real.

Pitchers can throw more than one inning in the All-Star Game, a la 1986 in Houston when Roger Clemens and Teddy Higuera pitched the first six innings for the AL, and Dwight Gooden and Fernando Valenzuela did the same for the NL.

There should be bullpen matchups late. With 15 pitchers on each roster, there are more than enough pitchers to cover nine innings.

And not everyone has to play. There's too much concern about slighting a player and it's turning the game into youth league where every one gets a trophy.

A 26-man roster - maybe 27 - is better than having a manager with a spreadsheet that maps out which pitcher throws to one batter in the eighth inning.

That's the reason the All-Star Game is boring. Starters are showered by the fourth inning and the competition is lame.

There are debates within the balloting, which is done on the Internet. Fans could use the same email address to vote 35 times, but only five times a day.

Last season, the Royals loaded the ballot box. This year, it's the Cubs that are taking a swipe at baseball democracy. The Cubs' entire infield looks to be a lock to start the game, and that is not right.

The Nationals' Daniel Murphy deserves to start over Ben Zobrist at second base, given that Murphy has the NL's highest average (.348) and more home runs (14 to 11) than Zobrist. And Murphy's .388 on-base percentage is close to Zobrist, who is at .404.

In time, Cubs shortstop Addison Russell, 22 and hitting .230, will be an All-Star, but he shouldn't be on the roster ahead of the Giants' Brandon Crawford (.272-8) and the Dodgers' Corey Seager (.307-17).

And, while Nationals shortstop Danny Espinosa is surging with power, his .199 average through May 25 cost him. Still, he hit his 18th home run Sunday and had five in the Cincinnati series.

With the fans' choice of Russell, Crawford and Seager, and the possibility of Zack Cozart (.264-11) being the Reds' only choice, Espinosa looks blocked.

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos went into Sunday with the NL's second-best batting average (.343) while leading the league's catchers in home runs (13) and RBIs (46), but he's behind in votes to San Francisco's Buster Posey (.278-8-35) and St. Louis' Yadier Molina (.254-1-25).

The flip side is true for the Nationals' Bryce Harper, hitting .257. The 2015 NL MVP is going to be voted in by the fans, but he's not having an All-Star season. Does he deserve to be in San Diego on his star power alone?

In the American League, there's no question that Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo will be a reserve on the team, but with a .281 average and 24 home runs, shouldn't be a starter?

And who will join the Orioles' Manny Machado (.328-18-50) at third base, given that there's Toronto's Josh Donaldson (.298-20-56), Seattle's Kyle Seager (.303-17-40) and Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria (.278-18-45)? And, Minnesota's Eduardo Nunez (.319-11-34) will likely make the team as the Twins representative.

The voting system has flaws, but with a 34-man roster, those flaws are easily corrected. By the time injuries - and pitchers who start on the Sunday before the game - are eliminated from going to San Diego, there can't be any All-Star snubs.

That means an expanded roster for a meaningless game that has significant ramifications.

It's time for changes.