The Brewers and FS Wisconsin have partnered on a campaign promoting C Jonathan Lucroy for the MLB All-Star Game, and it includes a "mudslinging video worthy of a political campaign," according to Lindsay Toler of the St. Louis RIVERFRONT TIMES. The ad calls out five-time All-Star Game starting C Yadier Molina and asks, "Do you want another St. Louis Cardinals catcher to star in an All-Star Game? Isn't there a better way?" Lucroy later "adds his support in true political fashion," stating that he approves the message. Toler writes the spot "is actually pretty hilarious" (RIVERFRONTTIMES.com, 6/18). In Cincinnati, Bob Goldschmidt writes in politics, it is sometimes "necessary to support a politician simply because you don't want the other candidate to win." For Reds fans, the "same principle applies to catchers and the All-Star Game." The only thing missing in the video "is an out-of-context quote from Molina" (CINCINNATI.com, 6/18). MLB Network’s Chris Rose said, “The only thing that will make it funnier -- if St. Louis comes back with a pro-Molina and rips on Lucroy” (“Intentional Talk,” MLB Network, 6/17). But in Illinois, Scott Wuerz writes the Brewers have taken All-Star Game ballot "shenanigans to an all-time low." Wuerz: "I realize it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek. But, at the same time, the move to politicize All-Star balloting is the lowest blow yet in the unfortunate practice of teams trying to stuff the ballot with their players' names." It is "one thing to promote your players, but another thing entirely to tear down opposing players" (BELLEVILLE NEWS-DEMOCRAT, 6/18). Molina leads through the latest round of balloting with 2,003,557 votes, while Lucroy is third with 1,138,212 votes (THE DAILY).
