What’s wrong with baseball’s All-Star Game?

I put being an avid football and hockey fan on my resume, but I never watch their all-star or pro-bowl games because, in my opinion, you can’t time them perfectly, which is critical to the quality of play in these sports, in one. week of frenetic media practice. The games are a farce.

Baseball, however, is a rather unique sport, in that although it is a team sport, it is also a strongly individual sport, one that can be played to a high degree of skill with complete strangers. Don’t get me wrong, baseball is won and lost as a long-term team effort, but a single game can be dominated by one or two players.

Based on this argument, the Baseball All-Star Game should be an exciting, action-packed game that would grab the avid baseball fan by the throat and not let go until the last out of the game. So how come interest in baseball’s All-Star game is only slightly higher than a lousy football preseason game? Let’s investigate what may be wrong and how to solve the problems.

I realize MLB’s intent to allow fans to vote for the league’s two All-Star players, increase fan engagement and interest, but does it really work? In my opinion…Do not. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a big-market team like the Yankees and Red Sox will attract more votes than a small-market team like Tampa or Colorado.

This can, and sometimes does, result in a less skilled player being picked for the team, but sometimes there is such an obvious confusion of who did and who didn’t that it makes the whole seriousness and validity of the game an issue. joke.

I must admit that I am guilty of this crime because I vote exclusively for the players on my team, because to do otherwise would be considered treason. I am faithful to God, family, country and the cardinals.

MLB, which would never publicly admit to making a mistake, tried to correct this little mistake of the fan vote, and created a A big mistake by giving home-field advantage in the World Series to the league that won the All-Star Game.

Now they have taken the results of a meaningless game and negatively affected the outcome of the World Series, the showcase of baseball. Baseball keeps attacking Pete Rose, one of baseball’s greatest players, for betting on baseball, yet he continues to manipulate millions of dollars in gaming revenue by awarding the “home field advantage”, which has been shown to affect the results between two evenly matched opponents. Talk about calling the kettle black.

The toss, just like any other ball game, decides who wins the All-Star Game, period. The problem with tossing is that it’s not used to win or lose the game, it’s treated as a restricted rehab assignment. A pitcher can strike out to the side on 9 pitches, but will be replaced in the next inning. Why, there is too much money invested in these pitchers to risk injury or fatigue that would negatively affect their home team when the season resumes.

Coaches are required to be politically correct and play every player on the roster. Do everyday managers struggle to play their entire roster every game? Of course not. They play to win and don’t care if a player pouts because he didn’t get a chance to play.

Let’s summarize a bit.

1. While fan voting for All-Star players is fine, it doesn’t necessarily mean the best players are chosen.

2. As a former player, I would be grateful if so many fans voted for me, but it would be an honor to be selected by my peers, the players I battle with on a daily basis, and I think I would subconsciously play harder.

3. Throwing is no longer throwing. Gone are the days of a pitcher throwing a 12-inning game, replaced by pitch counts, which could result in being taken out in the fourth inning of a tied game. Therefore, pitchers will not be used as pitchers in the All-Star Game.

4. Managers are responsible for a politically correct game, not masterful management work.

5. MLB is about to destroy the Fall Classic, if it continues the stupidity of awarding home-field advantage to a particular league based on the outcome of a poorly played and mismanaged All-Star Game.

Here are some suggestions I’d like to put forward for baseball to ponder.

1. Eliminate the World Series home field result.

2. Instead of using starting pitchers, use relief pitchers for the game. Unlike starters, they’re used to warming up quickly and throwing an inning or two. They’re in their natural environment and the risk of injury is very limited, plus it won’t affect a team’s starting rotation schedule.

3. Use coaches, voted on by the managers, to manage the teams. These coaches would be the best of the best, with aspirations to become coaches. Let’s give them the opportunity to show their talent.

I’d love to hear feedback and suggestions from other fans on how to save the All-Star game.