Jacob Misiorowski pitching in the All-Star Game was great for baseball

It has been one of the biggest debates over the last week: did Jacob Misiorowski deserve to be an All-Star after only making five starts at the MLB level in his career? Simply being selected to the All-Star games puts him in the top 10% of players all time. Not only that, he did it faster than any player before him, cutting the previous record of 11 games, set by Paul Skenes last year, in half.

Naturally, there were a lot of very loud critics of giving Misiorowski such a prestigious honor. The body of work may not be there compared to other players this season alone, with Cristopher Sánchez being the pitcher that most pointed to as deserving the spot. To be fair, Sánchez has had a great year for the Phillies, with an 8-2 record, a 2.50 ERA, and 122 strikeouts through 19 appearances.

When naming a replacement for Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd, the Commissioner's Office extended an All-Star offer to Sánchez (and many other pitchers as well) with the caveat that he would be available to pitch in the game; he declined. This put Misiorowski into a perfect position to be named, since he had last pitched a week prior against Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Quite frankly, it may just be the best one of the decisions that Commissioner Rob Manfred has made to date.

Why The Miz being selected matters so much

The news that Misiorowski was selected to this year's Midsummer Classic certainly sent ripples throughout the sports world. It had not been seen on any level before. Brewers fans embraced the news, celebrating that their guy was named to the game. Many were shocked, and naturally many others were upset. Whether it be that "their guy" wasn't selected, or just being a hater, the negative comments came from far and wide.

Nick Castellanos compared the selection to the Savannah Bananas. Ron Darling called it a "joke to the game." While none of it was personal to Jacob Misiorowski, and he has taken it in stride, these critics really are missing a larger point. One that has been either ignored or avoided for decades now. For once, Major League Baseball is actively embracing a young star in one of its smallest markets.

Milwaukee fans finally feel seen

In baseball, star players have always left Milwaukee. Paul Molitor, Prince Fielder, CC Sabathia, and the list goes on and on. Whether it be in free agency or securing a trade before they can leave, rarely ever did it feel like someone was here to stay. For the longest time, Brewers fans would be accustomed to only securing big names well after their prime, such as Eric Gagne, Randy Wolf, and Matt Garza among numerous others.

It isn't just baseball where this happens. Over in the NBA, Ray Allen was traded to Seattle during the 2002-2003 season. Twenty-plus years later, every NBA insider has been planting a narrative that current Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is on his way out of Wisconsin. At every turn, Giannis has been vocal about his wish to remain in Milwaukee, yet the talk continues.

The Brewers, to their credit, have been trying to change the narrative. After two MVP-caliber seasons, the team locked up Christian Yelich to a long-term deal. They also extended Jackson Chourio, prior to him ever playing at the Major League level. While reports vary on what the long-term future of Jacob Misiorowski may be, Rob Manfred gave Milwaukee their first big moment with him.

The critics simply don't get it. As Manfred had said, the All-Star Game is an entertainment product and an exhibition game. All the more reason for "The Miz" to be selected. In his short time as a professional baseball player, Jacob Misiorowski has appeared in the MLB Futures Game and was the starting pitcher in the Brewers Spring Breakout game earlier this year. He has hardly been a secret for those who pay attention.

Maybe that's just it. Not enough people pay attention. Baseball has been ridiculed, correctly, for seldom marketing its stars correctly. Mike Trout could have been one of the biggest stars on the planet, but he was drafted by the wrong team in Los Angeles. Over the years, there have been numerous guys of similar caliber that are superstar baseball players but haven't had mass appeal.

Now, for better or worse, nearly everyone in the sports world knows the name Jacob Misiorowski. WWE Superstar "The Miz" praised the young All-Star after an incredible performance. Players around the league took notice too, after the Brewers flamethrower tossed a 98 MPH slider.

Even Brewers legend and MLB Hall of Famer, Robin Yount, is mystified by The Miz. In the game itself, after initially announcing he would pitch the 7th, National League manager Dave Roberts turned to Misiorowski for the 8th, where he retired three hitters on fly balls, and allowed just one base hit.

In the end, the league got to see Misiorowski's impressive arsenal of pitches, the All-Star Game did not implode because a young player appeared, and Milwaukee's young star got a chance to shine.