It's the job of the league, not the fans, to select the deserving players.

Valentine said he was not going to let uncertainty over Piazza's health bump a more deserving player off the roster.

I recognize how difficult it is to choose among so many deserving players.

Telling a deserving player that he's not going to play as much as he likes is never a good part of the job.

"I never intended to diminish the exciting news for these deserving players," Rose said.

Upshaw said yesterday that the union had correctly paid royalties to all deserving former players.

But eventually Tejada said he would pick the most deserving player who makes the playoffs.

I can easily point to 15 other players more deserving than Ovechkin this season including a member of his own team.

They're going to leave many deserving players out.

Fans don't have to vote for him, either, even if he is the more deserving player.