Baseball's All-Star Game: Why This Midsummer Classic Was a Dud

After giving the Midsummer Classic over a week to soak in, I think the game itself has become such a snooze to watch from home, even when it takes place in a city with historic significance like St. Louis.   

I absolutely love the pre-game festivities like the Home Run Derby, Futures Game, and Celebrity Softball Game. But once the always great “tip of the cap” player introductions are done, I find myself searching for reasons to stay tuned past the fifth inning of a so-called “exhibition” game.

There should be no debate, baseball’s All-Star Game is superior to the other major sports as a spectator event.  So why does it need extra incentive and drama?

Who cares if players leave in the middle of games or show a generally blasé attitude toward the event itself.  The players have earned a three-day vacation from work, and if they choose to clock out early, who should tell them “no.”

Ever since Major League Baseball adopted the catchphrase “This Time It Counts,” the star-studded event has turned from a light-hearted display of baseball’s best talents to a more serious, meticulously played game that eventually runs out of superstar power from a position standpoint.

From a social viewpoint, the Midsummer Classic is an opportunity for the game’s elite to take a break from the 162-game grind and mingle on the national stage without acting overly competitive. 

Before the unfortunate tie in the 2002 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, managers of both leagues showed more creativity with their lineups and match-ups.  And the players followed suit by enjoying it and letting loose for a few days during their long, tiring seasons.

But now the stakes are higher, which means gone are the days of A-Rod switching positions with Cal Ripken Jr. or Larry Walker batting right-handed against Randy Johnson while wearing a backwards helmet.

If this were still the case, don’t you think AL manager Joe Madden would have pitched Boston’s Tim Wakefield?

I mean, the man is making his first All-Star appearance at 42-years-young!

How fun would it have been to see Wakefield’s knuckleball dance around the National League big bats like butterflies? 

I tend to agree that Wakefield’s selection was more like a career achievement award, but he deserved to pitch, because he’s a two-time World Champion that plays for one of the most popular teams on the planet. 

Since everything comes down to money and ratings, I felt like this move would have peaked viewer interest.

Instead, the audience’s interest was in steady decline after the sixth inning because of lesser-named substitutions, plus the game’s outcome has been trusted to the world’s best closers after six innings of play (ala Joe Nathan, Jonathon Papelbon, and Mariano Rivera).

Nathan, Papelbon and Rivera are three of baseball’s best finishers.  But they leave me with little mystique of what might happen for the remainder of the game, because they’re so good at what they do.

While it’s smart baseball since the game has added pressure, this isn’t a strategy that’s going to grasp the majority of the viewing public. 

Hence, if you're going to make take a conservative approach, make sure it involves players that are on teams more likely to reach the World Series.  This is important, because these are probably the guys that the home-field advantage rule will affect come October 4th.  And trust me, it makes a difference.

Home-field advantage in the World Series is a big deal.  And it’s something that should be earned throughout the course of the season.

In the six Octobers since 2003 (when the new rule took effect), the home team has a 9-3 record in Games 1 and 2 of the Series.  And going back to 1985, the team with home-field advantage has won 18 of 23 championships.

With this being the case and this year’s game tied 3-3 in the eighth inning, why was Heath Bell of the last-place San Diego Padres pitching?

It was a questionable decision on the part of Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel, because he could have used Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman in that spot.  Or Manuel could have saved the suddenly-unhittable Ryan Franklin of the hometown Cardinals, who relieved Tim Lincecum in the third inning. 

Both these guys were throwing lights-out during the first half of the season, but Manuel didn’t use them in the proper situations considering they’re both on playoff contending teams.

Ultimately, Bell gave up Baltimore’s Adam Jones’ game-winning sacrifice fly, and surprise, surprise, the National League loses another heartbreaking All-Star Game.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?