Ian Kinsler Home Run Derby Controversy: Did Derby Refusal Cause All-Star Snub?

Did Ian Kinsler lose out on the All-Star Game because of the home run derby? Conspiracy theorists unite! "Here’s another possible explanation. As recently as four days ago, the American League had only one confirmed participant for Monday’s Home Run Derby, the unlikely Joe Mauer. Defending champion Justin Morneau begged off. So did Hamilton, the unquestioned star of last year’s event. And since no one but Mauer had signed up by Friday, it’s a reasonable assumption that every other AL All-Star said 'no thanks' as well." Here's the question at hand: Did the negative trends prevent players from taking part in the derby? Probably, and for the American League, it would have been a huge embarrassment if they could not find four reasonable entrants to the Home Run Derby, which leads us to this. "Let’s put all of this together and see what we’ve got: (a) AL hitters refusing to swing in the home run derby + (b) [Nelson]...