Just some quick thoughts on the MLB All Star game. A record 84 All-Stars were selected this year. 84! This is simply ridiculous. Based on players who qualify for the batting average or ERA titles, this means that 23% of the MLB players are All-Stars. Do I think that 1 of every 4 baseball players is an All-Star? Heck no! At least my fantasy baseball team saw 9 of our 16 players go to the All-Star game. Not bad eh? But I mean, it is a fantasy team so this should happen.
Something needs to change about these All-Star games. The Pro Bowl is pointless and boring, and the MLB All-Star game simply should not determine who gets home field advantage. I think both the NFL and MLB should take a page from the NHL All-Star game. They need more skills competitions and something, anything to make the game semi-meaningful.
If they want to make the all star game determine home field advantage they should change the guidlines for how the player selection is done. They should have a committe of curent and former players, managers, and maybe even the baseball writers select the players who are putting up deserving statistics and years that are all-star caliber. The system should be set up with certain checks and balances in which the choices are correct and there are no snubs. Then to involve the fans into the game you can have a final vote in for two players in each league; one pitcher and one hitter. This would work out justifying the current system in place. Ultimately I think that this game should just remain an exhibition game and the team with the better record come the time of the world series should recieve the home field advantage. To involve the fans more they should come up with more skill competions and have the fans select who they want to see participate in those events.
ReplyDeleteThe MLB needs a straight-forward direction, either as a serious game for home-field advantage in the WS, or as a meaningless exhibition. If they want to take it serious, then they should stop having at least one all-star for every team. Do we really need to see the likes of Aaron Crow and Matt Wieters fighting for the World Series? They would also have to be stricter on getting players to attend. A few years ago, a couple of Detroit Red Wings missed the ASG with "injuries." So the NHL made them miss the next regular season game, sort of as a way to make sure they were actually injured. However, the MLB could just have fun with the ASG and make it a meaningless exhibition game. Fire Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, and just give Brian Wilson a mic and see what happens. While I prefer the exhibition style, they just need a sure direction to go with.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Atleast it's not as bad as the Pro Bowl. There's so much potential for the All-Star game and it really needs to be just an exhibition game as you said. Or get rid of the every team has one all-star rule and make the game mean something.
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