Sat Jul 12 21:50:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The article reflects on MLB’s All-Star Game tradition of ensuring each team has a representative, often leading to the inclusion of less-remembered players. It highlights the career of John Stearns, a former All-Star and Mets coach, and then delves into a team-by-team roundup of relatively obscure All-Stars from the 2000s, offering anecdotes and career summaries of players who had brief moments of All-Star recognition.

**News Article:**

**Remembering the Unsung Heroes: A Look Back at MLB’s Forgotten All-Stars from the 2000s**

**Atlanta, GA** – As baseball fans gear up for next week’s All-Star Game festivities, a nostalgic look back reveals the charm and occasional peculiarity of MLB’s tradition of ensuring every team has a representative at the midsummer classic. This practice has led to the inclusion of players whose All-Star status might be easily forgotten over time.

The article begins by recognizing John Stearns, a former major-league catcher and later Mets coach, whose four All-Star selections were highlighted in his obituary. The article then delves into a team-by-team selection of the unsung heroes of the game, players who shone brightly, if briefly, during the 2000s.

From Oakland A’s rookie reliever Ryan Cook, whose All-Star appearance was a career highlight, to Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Derrick Turnbow, whose career trajectory took a nosedive shortly after his All-Star selection, the piece illuminates the diverse paths and unexpected turns that define many professional baseball careers. The article also features players like Cincinnati Reds reliever Arthur Rhodes, the Kansas City Royals pitcher Jaime Redman, and Seattle Mariners outfielder Robert Vogelbach.

“The All-Star Game is a celebration of the game’s biggest stars, but it’s also a chance to recognize players who might not always be in the spotlight,” said baseball writer Tyler Kepner. “This tradition reminds us that baseball is a game of unexpected moments and that every player has a story to tell.”

As the All-Stars of today prepare to take the field, this reflection serves as a reminder of the many forgotten All-Stars who once graced the game, if only for a fleeting moment.

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