Derek Jeter defended in no-show at MLB All-Star games

PHOENIX — Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig defended Derek Jeter’s decision to skip the all-star game on Tuesday saying the New York Yankees captain has paid his dues.

Major League Baseball’s 2011 all-star game has been hit with a mass exodus of players as a half dozen players pulled out on the weekend bringing the total of no shows to at least 16.

Jeter came off the disabled list last week but looked pretty good on Saturday, going five-for-five at the plate to get his milestone career 3,000th hit.

Jeter said he needed to rest because of the calf injury that had sidelined him.

“There isn’t a player that I’m more proud of in the last 15 years than Derek Jeter. He has played the game like it should be played,” Selig said.

“He’s even been a better human being off the field, as great as he is on the field. So any concerns I keep hearing about Derek Jeter isn’t here. I respect that. And I must tell you, I think I’d have made the same decision that Derek Jeter did. So any suggestion to the contrary, Derek Jeter has brought to this sport great pride. He’s become a role model, earned it and is still earning it.”

Former MLB player John Kruk said some players have legitimate reasons for not playing in the summer showcase, but others might be skipping the game for the wrong reasons.

“The guys elected by fans should be at the all-star game whether they can play or not,” said Kruk. “If you were one of the most popular players in the vote you should be there at the all-star game.”

Sixteen all-stars won’t appear in Tuesday’s all-star game, including 13 of the 68 originally chosen.

The missing is a who’s who of MLB, including the Yankees’ trio of Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera. Rodriguez will have right knee surgery Monday and could be out for up to six weeks