No 'Idol' chitchat: Barry's possible win on All-Star ballot

CHECK IT out, dog, "American Idol's" grand finale is tonight. But most people still haven't recovered from last week, when the dynamic Melinda Doolittle was voted off the show in favor of the lame beat-boxing Sting imitator, Blake Lewis.

My 13-year-old daughter was distraught. Have to admit, it was a bit of a shocker for dear ol' Dad, too. Then again, there's no accounting for taste in our allegedly great land, where looks, gimmicky theatrics and a good PR machine generally win out over style and substance. And when you can vote multiple times, it further skews justice for all.

But with the "Idol" sham almost out of the way, America is going to get another chance. The voting for the 78th All-Star Game at AT&T Park is now under way, and the tabulations should be no less fascinating over the next seven weeks in advance of the July 10 game and the anointing of its American baseball idols.

Why? One name: Barry Lamar Bonds.

How is the nation — actually the world, since you don't have to be an American citizen to vote — going to weigh in on Bonds? Particularly in the East, the national media outcry against Bonds has been unrelenting and intensifying ever since an early power surge pulled him within 10 home runs of Hank Aaron's all-time mark. He has been painted as a man scorned by everyone who doesn't wear orange and black and regularly attend San Francisco Giants games.

One would think if people across the country really do feel that strongly,
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it will be reflected in the All-Star balloting. In some ways, even though fans can vote up to 25 times for their favorite players, the voting results could serve as a national referendum on Bonds' pursuit of Aaron.

But what if Bonds pulls a Blake and is voted onto the NL All-Star team? What if he's the leading vote-getter among NL outfielders? What if BudSelig is forced to sit next to Peter Magowan in the front row come July 10, with Bonds in the on-deck circle smirking and/or scowling at him?

All of these things could very well happen. For starters, even though he's been slumping of late, Bonds is having a solid year. He has 11 home runs and leads the majors in walks, on-base percentage and OPS. He's second in slugging. On statistical merit, you can make a case for him, and a lot of voters don't look beyond the home run leaders.

Secondly, the National League isn't exactly overrun with well-known, high-performance outfielders. There's Carlos Beltran and ... and ... hmm. Matt Holliday? Nice player, but he doesn't register on the national recognition meter. Alfonso Soriano? Not having a good year. Most of the NL's stat leaders are infielders. After Holliday, the NL outfielder having the most bang-up season is named Aaron. No, not Hank Aaron. Aaron Rowand. I hear ya, America: Who?

Add the convenient fact that the game is in San Francisco this year. Hometowners usually get a good bump, as did Pittsburgh's Jason Bay in 2006, all the way to the starting lineup. Bonds is also easy to find on the ballot in the top right-hand corner — no chance of getting overlooked among the many no-names.

Finally, as fate would have it, Bonds could be on the cusp of breaking the record by July 10. If you go on a strict projection by what he's done so far, he would be sitting right on 755 heading into the All-Star break. So he's going to be very much on the minds of every baseball fan.

Bonds at center stage during All-Star week could undermine any ideas Selig may have about downplaying his inevitable achievement. For one thing, if the fans speak in favor of him starting, how can Selig say that the voters are deluded, that they should go read "Game of Shadows" as he did? How can they even keep Bonds out of the Home Run Derby should he choose to participate, seeing as he's about the only guy who knows how to find the water on McCovey Cove?

If Selig looks like he's hand-wringing now over whether to attend the game in which Bonds breaks the record, he may have to wear handcuffs when he comes to the Bay Area for the All-Star Game. His worst nightmare not only won't be going away, Bonds will be staring the commissioner in the face and rubbing his nose in the fact that the fans endorsed him.

Of course, there's always the chance the ballot-stuffers will see this opportunity to make a statement about the whole steroid era and not vote for Bonds. But don't count on it. America is hopelessly star-struck, even if the stars are hopelessly tarnished. Like it or not, Bonds remains a most visible star, particularly against a hazy cast of NL up-and-comers.

You can bet that if the public votes Bonds onto the team, it will give him some measure of validation as to Who He Is. He'll be able to spin his "popularity" against his many media attackers, however trumped-up and shallow his case may be.

Barry Bonds, American Idol at the Midsummer Classic, with no avenue of escape for conscientious objectors. It's a horrifying prospect for many but also a compelling one since the public will make the call.

If it comes to pass, one thing is certain: Blake Lewis must be flown in to sing the national anthem. Maybe he'll beat-box "what so proudly we hailed" for Barry and everyone else in attendance.