MLB All-Star Game: Why R.A. Dickey Should Start for the NL

According to the Twitter account of John Harper of The New York Daily News, Matt Cain has been chosen over R.A. Dickey to start Tuesday night's All-Star game. 

First off, my friends, that is a travesty. 

With all due respect to Cain, who has thrown a perfect game this year, Dickey has been the best story and the best pitcher in baseball this season. 

I think it's safe to say that Tony La Russa shouldn't be expecting any Christmas cards from people in the New York Metropolitan area come December. 

If La Russa truly believes deep down that Matt Cain should start the Mid-Summer Classic, so be it. 

With that being said, however, if this decision has been made amid concerns over his knuckleball, well then, that's just crazy. 

Sure, there may be no other pitcher that throws one on a regular basis, but having to catch one is just part of being a catcher. 

If anything, giving Dickey the nod to start would give Buster Posey and Carlos Ruiz more chances to work with the knuckleball and get acclimated to it. 

I'm sorry, but the last time I checked, the All-Star game is meant to show off the best of the best.

Shouldn't that mean that Dickey should be the starter for the National League on Tuesday night?

The numbers speak for themselves: he is 12-1 with a 2.40 ERA, to go along with 123 strikeouts in 120 innings pitched.

If you ask me, those are some pretty impressive numbers. 

Numbers that in most years would mean a shoo-in to start the All-Star game. 

Again, we don't know yet what exactly caused La Russa to make this decision, but you start to get the feeling that it is being made for all the wrong reasons. 

I'm sure we will see a report coming soon about what led to the decision, but for now, I rest my case as to why Robert Allen Dickey should be getting the start for the National League on Tuesday Night. 

Hit me up on Twitter, @JoeFitz1014. Let me know your thoughts and ideas!