Photo of (left to right) Alex Rodriguez (AP/Kathy Willens), Derek Jeter (AP/Kathy Willens), Mariano Rivera (AP/Julie Jacobson) and Billy Wagner (AP/Tom Mihalek)

With the Mets and Yankees putting forth middling seasons, that only four players total got selected to the July 14 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium should come as no surprise. Billy Wagner is the lone Mets representative (full NL roster), though he had an interesting way of celebrating. For the Yankees, Derek Jeter (undeserving) and Alex Rodriguez (most deserving) got voted in by the fans, and Mariano Rivera will join them as a reliever (full AL roster). Jason Giambi and Mike Mussina, who have both put up All-Star caliber first halves, didn't get the call.

The teams, which consist of 32 members each, are selected by the fans and players. A handful are picked by the managers, Boston's Terry Francona and Colorado's Clint Hurdle. The skippers have little wriggle room given the rule that each team needs to be represented. Do Mussina and Giambi have cases to be on the team? Sure. Should they lose sleep over it? Not really. All-Star selection debates are great and all. Do Jason Varitek and Joe Crede deserve to be on the team? No. But it happens every year.

The Mets, who had Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran voted in last year, got no such love this season. Wright -- and the Yankees' Jason Giambi -- can get in if selected through the so-called Final Vote. As long as Aaron Rowand doesn't go from the Giants, Wright should be able to sleep at night.