As the first half of the season draws to a close and the All-Star break finally upon us, players take the time to recuperate, while the fans are treated to some fun events: the Home Run Derby on Monday night, and the All-Star Game on Tuesday. The players representing their ball clubs get the recognition for outstanding performances in the first half, and like every year, this has opened some discourse as to who “deserves” to go -- but on the other side of the coin, the All-Star “break” also forces these deserving players to work even more, running the risk of injury in a game that holds no stakes. And as a result, some players have chosen to withdraw from either the Home Run Derby, the game itself, or both -- and it’s definitely valid for these players to do so.