So the MLB All-Star Game is supposed to mean something. It's
supposed to be important. Extremely important, according to MLB
commissioner Bud Selig.We get that. Baseball wants to showcase its best
players on a stage only rivaled in mainstream exposure by the playoffs
and of course, the World Series.
We get that part. What I don't get is why the MLB feel the need to
give home field advantage to the winning league team of the All-Star
Game. That to me, undermines division titles a bit. Whatever. i'm
willing to accept that, since baseball takes this game oh-so seriously.
That's good and all except..............THE FANS VOTE! This can
definitely lead to some head scratching picks. This year it is the Red
Sox's Jason Varitek. Now, I am not the biggest baseball fan, as
basketball, pro wrestling, and football over saturate my
sports/violence thirst. However, I am smart enough to look at the
following statistics:
2008 Season Stats
SPLITS
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
CS
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
Season
77
252
20
56
14
0
7
28
26
71
0
0
.222
.301
.361
.663
Courtesy: ESPN.Com
I know my stats and those certainly aren't All-Star numbers. I
wouldn't care that much if Varitek was voted in if it wasn't for the
fact that the All-Star Game can have a significant effect on the World
Series! I know it seems like I'm picking on him, but believe me, there
are others underdeserving of a vote (I'm talking to you, Soriano). It's
just Varitek is certainly the most glaring example.
I'm sorry, Bud. You've done some great things for baseball and then
some idiotic things like turning a blind eye to steroids in the 1990s.
Then again, most owners did too.
Bottom line: If you want the All-Star Game to give an advantage to
one team in the World Series, don't have fans vote. I may not follow
baseball as much as my beloved basketball, but it doesn't take an
expert to see this delivers the wrong message.Either make it fan
interactive or with home field on the line. In between isn't working.
Bud, you want the game to be fan interactive, yet extremely important. I'm not saying you have to change the format, but if there's more selections like this one next year and the year after...................Then that might...no, WILL be a problem.
