MLB All-Star Game Festivities: Just an Idea

(Photo by Michael Heiman/Getty Images)

With the MLB All-Star Break half over, and the immense hype about the home-run derby upon us, here are a few things I believe could improve MLB's All-Star Festivities.

1. Extend the Festivities. Stuffing the All-Star Break into what amounts to nothing more than a long weekend is unnecessary. If the event was extended to encompass an entire week, with the addition of some new exciting challenges (see two), it would give the players involved a better chance to recover from any All-Star event they participate in.
2. Add other skills events. Sure, we all know that "chicks dig the long-ball," and all that... but given a week to schedule events, the MLB could expand on the success of the All-Star Futures and Celebrity Softball games, and even on the Home-Run Derby with events like:

• Fastest Base-Stealer. End the debate once and for all and declare the league's fastest. Bring back Henderson?
  
• Outfielder Accuracy. Let's see who can throw frozen ropes through every target. Ichiro's event?
  
• AL v. NL Double-Play Challenge. This is the only questionable addition. Involving base runners could make this a dangerous event; but not including them sounds boring. Maybe only the player from the plate tries to beat it out at first... I'm sure there is a way for this event to work.
  

These are only a few ideas that could improve on the failing success of MLB's All-Star Events. All of which could draw attention away from the steroid-tainted spectacle that is the Home-Run Derby.

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