If there is any reason to support the All-Star game it is because the money from it, last I knew, went to the players' pension fund. But players are so well paid today perhaps they should contribute to their own pension fund. Meanwhile, reasons I don't care for the game:
Fan selections. Once again, with on-line voting, the ballot boxes are being stuffed by fans from the big cities. If fans could be trusted to vote for the best players it would be one thing but the teams are relentless when promoting their own players. Ballot box stuffing by Cincinnati fans in 1957 resulted in seven starters being from the Reds and baseball went back to having managers choose the teams until the return to fan voting in 1970. If we want the best players we should go back to the managers' choices.
The winning team gets home field advantage in the World Series. The absurdity of this needs no comment, especially since this is an exhibition game.
The use of the designated hitter. Even in interleague play the DH is not used in national league parks; this should be true in the All-Star game.
How players are used. This is up to the managers, but most players go three inning or so, including pitchers. This is antithetical to the game of baseball, where players are in or out due to strategic decisions and not in order to give everyone a chance to play! In 2002 the game was declared a 7-7 tie when both managers ran out of pitchers, something that would not be allowed to happen in a regular game, even if Wade Boggs had to pitch.
The Home Run Derby. This odious and lumpy spectacle, part of the All-Star game celebration, is a remnant of the steroid era and only fuels the passion of ignorant fans for home runs.
I think the All-Star game time could be used to give the players, and even the fans, a rest from the relentless season and would lead to better baseball in the second half.
No comments:
Post a Comment