MLB Is Sending A Very Sad All-Star Team To Taiwan

MLB has a tradition of sending a band of all-stars to the East after the season ends—to the MLB-Japan All-Star Series, for example. This year the great stars of MLB are headed to Taiwan for a three-game series with the Chinese Taipei national team. Wait a second, these are terrible stars!

Sure, there's Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, who evidently conditioned themselves to play into October and now have extra muscle mass to burn. And there's Miguel Cabrera, who, presumably, will take any chance to get out of his house.

But the rest is... yeesh:

Others on the roster, which is not yet complete, are infielders Erick Aybar (Angels), Michael Morse (Nationals), Ryan Roberts (D-backs), Skip Schumaker (Cardinals) and Danny Valencia (Minnesota); outfielders Emilio Bonifacio and Logan Morrison (both Marlins); catchers Drew Butera (Twins) and Jeff Mathis (Angels) and pitchers Bill Bray (Reds), Ross Detwiler (Nationals), Dillon Gee (Mets), Jeremy Guthrie (Orioles), Mark Melancon (Astros) and Jose Veras (Pirates).

Bill Bray, Mark Melancon, AND Jose Veras, the middlingest middle relief troika in the NL Central? Jeff "50 Career OPS+" Mathis? Danny ".294 OBP" Valencia? We hate to say it, but we kind of like Chinese Taipei's chances.

MLB announces All-Star roster for Taiwan trip [MLB.com]