MLB World Series 2011: St. Louis Cardinals Don't Deserve Home-Field Advantage

When the National League won the All-Star Game in July, it was gurarnteed that the National League representative in the World Series would get home-field advantage.

In that respect, the St. Louis Cardinals earned the right to play Game 1 of the World Series at home.

In actuality, though, did they really earn it?

Don't get me wrong, the Cardinals went on an incredible run to close the season and earn their Wild Card berth, but they simply didn't put together as complete of a season as the Texas Rangers did.

The Rangers won 96 games to St. Louis' 90 and were clearly the better team over the course of the 162-game season.

As a result, Texas deserves to open the World Series at home.

After the 2002 All-Star Game ended in a tie, Major League Baseball understandably felt it had to do something to make the game matter. Making it count for home field in the World Series does that, but there is something inherently unfair about it.

What did any Cardinal players actually do to earn the team home field? If anything, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder is responsible for giving the Cardinals home-field advantage.

His three-run home run was the difference in the All-Star Game.

Ultimately, home-field advantage may not make one bit of difference in the World Series, but if it happens to go to a Game 7, the Rangers will have to play in a hostile environment, which really isn't fair.

Even if Texas had gone 162-0 (impossible, I know), they would be starting the World Series on the road, and that is absolutely preposterous.

I'm all for keeping the All-Star Game interesting but not at the cost of unfairness in the World Series.

If the MLB wants the All-Star Game to seem important, offer the winning team a major cash bonus. That may not matter to us at home, but you had better believe it would make the players want to compete.

Using an exhibition game to determine a pivotal factor in the season's most important games is just a stupid notion, plain and simple.

Game	Date	Time & TV	Home Team
1	Wednesday, Oct. 19	8:05 - FOX	Cardinals
2	Thursday, Oct. 20	8:05 - FOX	Cardinals
3	Saturday, Oct. 22	8:05 - FOX	Rangers
4	Sunday, Oct. 23	8:05 - FOX	Rangers
5	Monday, Oct. 24	8:05 - FOX	Rangers
6	Wednesday, Oct. 26	8:05 - FOX	Cardinals
7	Thursday, Oct. 27	8:05 - FOX	Cardinals