Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Buy or Sell: The MLB All-Star Game Deciding Home-Field Advantage in the World Series

So after the 7-7 tie in Miller Park in 2002 MLB and Commish Bud Selig needed to do something to make sure that the game didn't become irrelevant. It needed to be steered clear of sliding down the road that the NBA All-Star Game crossed years ago. It needed to count. I want to look at the decision to make it count for home-field advantage in the World Series.


Truly, I don't mind the rule all that much. In my opinion it's a hell of a lot better than alternating leagues like they used to decide home-field advantage. However, for the game to count I think there were a few other essential changes that were missed by the commish.

I agree with Complete Sports halfheartedly on the issue. I do agree that it has to be one or the other here...either it counts or you have fan voting. It doesn't seem right to have it count if the fans are going to vote in their favorite but second-tier players from big market teams over the guys who truly deserve it. I want the game to be about the fans but if it means home-field advantage on the line I don't think the two should coexist. Put the votes in the hands of the players, managers, and team-assigned beat writers.

But to make an issue of that then why not pick at the rule of having at least 1 player from all 30 teams? It leaves rosters compromised in terms of having the best players on the field just as the fan vote does in a sense.

Look, you could sit here and butt heads on the issue all day. It really is a Catch-22. For now I'm buying the All-Star Game Counting. No method is perfect. Even to give it to the team with the best record is a bit flawed because it is still a very small percentage of interleague games played.

Nothing is perfect here and I think that the rule is less of an attempt at fairness as it is an apology for the tie in 2002. I'm fine with the rule right now just because I don't think any other alternatives -other than just making sure the best players start and play- are any better. I just feel like while it makes it more fun to watch it is just too much responsibility in the hands of the fans in this current format.

What do you think? Do you have any possible solutions? Enjoy the game tomorrow and go NL!

1 comment:

twins15 said...

Yeah, I made my thoughts clear in that I think this is a ridiculously stupid rule. It's an exhibition game. Exhibition games shouldn't count. If Bud wants the players to try harder, there should just be a cash incentive. That would solve that problem.