So the National League now has home field advantage in the World Series based on an exhibition game played in an NL ballpark, a game in which CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, and Josh Beckett did not pitch (while Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Clayton Kershaw did), a game in which all regular rules are basically suspended, the roster is massive (though clearly not representative of the purely best talent each league has to offer), and the managers are managing so as not to put a single player in any kind of jeopardy.
That this game determines anything is a disgrace to the national pastime.
7 replies on “Farce”
I’ve stopped even watching the All-Star Game. I mean, what’s the point?
Peter Abraham has a great blog post this morning about the changes that need to happen to make it actually worthy of counting for anything:
* Add an extra off day and move the game to Wednesday to allow Sunday starters a chance to pitch.
* Manage to win, not get every player in the game.
* Give GMs a role in roster selection since roster management is part of their jobs.
* All players named to the team and not on the DL must attend.
I would add another thing:
* Let the managers choose the starting lineup from all the players available, not just the fan selections.
Because let’s face it, the fans usually do a decent enough job selecting the starters, but sometimes that blow it, and the best player at the position is coming off the bench.
* And of course eliminate the stupid requirement that every team be represented. If you want your team represented in the All-Star Game, assemble a team with at least one player who deserves it.
Anyway, if the Red Sox go all the way and face a seven-game series on the road, I’m not going to worry too much.
For one thing, this year’s Sox seem to be pretty good on the road (27-18, just one game worse than they are at home). For another, while the last two seven-game series the Sox lost were both series in which they did not have home-field advantage, they lost both series by losing two of three at home while splitting the four road games. It was their performance at home that made the difference, not their performance on the road.
I put the HRD on TV in the background while I did some other stuff because it’s mildly entertaining (despite the constant BACKBACKBACKBACKBACK from Boomer), but the ASG bores me to tears. I watched the first few innings because I wanted to see Halladay/Lee/Weaver/Beckett tear it up, but after that I tuned out.
Also, it seems like the pre-game ceremonies last longer than they do for the World Series.
Playing an “exhibition” vs alternating years? Playing an “exhibition” vs best record? There’s just no fair way to do it and honestly it just doesn’t bother me a bit. I loved the game, it was entertaining. Sure it would have been nice to see the actual all-stars, but some were hurt, some had pitched already, no biggie. CC wasn’t going to pitch unless the game was Thursday or Friday and I am happy about that. Again, I’d love to see Verlander instead of CJ Wilson against Prince, but you can’t mess with a pitchers schedule. It was nice to see Asdrubal Cabrera get the attention he deserves, so the Jeter bow out doesn’t bother me. If you take anything too serious of course you are going to find warts. It’s fun, it’s a chance to see guys you don’t regularly see. If it’s treated as such, they it’s not half bad.
PS – the players association would sooner allow non-guaranteed contracts than allow it to be mandatory to play in All-Star games if selected. Only the player knows his body and that should be respected. Beckett tweeked his knee? warming up last night. Chances are good if it’s a regular season game he pushes through it, but it’s his body, it’s an game that doesn’t mean a whole lot, why push it? I agree with him and I agree with the players that think they need the rest and bow out.
Terry Francona’s take: “Maybe the significance of this game has run its course.”
That’s a pretty diplomatic way of paraphrasing SF’s headline here, I think.
Home field advantage should just go to whoever wins the “interleague season”. Better league = home field advantage. Simple.
I like this idea too.
It is basically the same flavor as having the ASG determine HF, but lacks some of the downside.
From Selig’s POV, the idea of basing HF in the WS on interleague results would have the addiional benefit of strengthening the case for interleague with the fans.
Much better idea, bigger sample size. At least nobody can be blamed.