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Baseball All Star Game

jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
It's a been a full 3 days since the rosters were announced, and (unless I missed it), I couldn't find a single ASG thread here. If that doesn't speak to meaninglessness of the game, I don't know what does. The fact that "it counts" has to be biggest travesty in all of sports. I didn't realize how moronic it was until I saw this stat from Tom Verducci:

As you know, you are asked to treat the All-Star Game like "it counts." Home-field advantage in the World Series is on the line. That's no small prize. Teams with the home-field advantage (which has become mostly about opening at home, considering we haven't seen a Game 7 in nine years) have won 12 of the 16 World Series in the wild-card era. Home teams are 51-34 (.600) in individual Series games.

Comments

  • HallcoHallco Posts: 3,646 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When I was a kid(early to mid 70s) the All-Star game was a big deal. All of my friends and I would talk about it, go out and play our own version of home run derby and all be in the house in plenty of time to have a bath, eat something and get ready for the first pitch. I think it meant something to see all of those great players on the field at once...on tv...in prime time! Something like that wasn't seen often on the 4 television stations we could acquire with rabbit ears! Nowadays, you can see any player, any time on just about any format and it doesn't mean a whole lot. Because I am a fan of baseball, I will watch and enjoy it....but I can see why a lot of people don't care that much. Sad really.
  • jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭
    I think the last meaningful moment for me was watching Pedro mow down the NL in the 1999 game at Fenway. You know, back when the starting pitcher went more than 1 inning.
  • PowderedH2OPowderedH2O Posts: 2,443 ✭✭
    I agree with Hallco. I started watching baseball in the early 70's. I didn't live in a baseball market, so I got a Saturday afternoon game on NBC, and for a short period of time a Monday night game on ABC. That was it. And these games were usually with the big teams. So, the All-Star Game was the only chance for me to see guys like Rod Carew, Bobby Bonds, Cesar Cedeno, etc. I never would miss it! Also, the stars of each league were generally associated with their own league for the most part. Not many stars moved leagues. Since the advent of cable television and free agency, players move freely. Most people have cable/satellite that allows them to watch a game or two almost every night without subscribing to the MLB Extra Innings package. So, I get to see pretty much any player I want any time I want. So, what's so special about the All-Star Game now?
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  • mlbfan2mlbfan2 Posts: 3,115 ✭✭✭


    << <i>It's a been a full 3 days since the rosters were announced, and (unless I missed it), I couldn't find a single ASG thread here. If that doesn't speak to meaninglessness of the game, I don't know what does. The fact that "it counts" has to be biggest travesty in all of sports. I didn't realize how moronic it was until I saw this stat from Tom Verducci:

    As you know, you are asked to treat the All-Star Game like "it counts." Home-field advantage in the World Series is on the line. That's no small prize. Teams with the home-field advantage (which has become mostly about opening at home, considering we haven't seen a Game 7 in nine years) have won 12 of the 16 World Series in the wild-card era. Home teams are 51-34 (.600) in individual Series games. >>



    The NFL Pro Bowl is a far bigger travesty! It's a bunch of star players giving 50%.

    It's not perfect, but since home-field apparently has some importance, then that should mean that players and managers are trying harder to win the ASG, and that's a good thing. If a losing World Series team thinks they lost because they didn't have home-field advantage, then that's pretty sad. Many teams have won without the home-field advantage.
  • jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭
    <<<It's not perfect, but since home-field apparently has some importance, then that should mean that players and managers are trying harder to win the ASG, and that's a good thing. >>>

    That's the thing, managers AREN'T trying harder to win the game, they are trying to be Little League managers and get everyone into the game. If they wanted to win, Roy Halladay and Justin Verlander would pitch 2 or 3 innings, and Albert Pujols would play the whole game. 70% of the players in the game know they have no shot of playing in the World Series, so they don't care whether they win or lose. Should it mean something when every team has to be represented, even if deserving all-stars are left off the team for guys like Aaron Crow?

    Why do players have to try harder in an all-star game? It's an exhibition! Their incentive to try harder is to not look foolish. It's the only All-Star game that the players HAVE to play hard or they look stupid. Is Roy Halladay going to throw 80 MPH fastballs if the game didn't mean anything? Is Jeter going to swing for the fences every time up, even though it means he probably will strike out every time? No, they are going to play their normal games.

    Certainly, the fans don't care that "it means something", as evidenced by the all-time low ratings last year.

    So, if NOBODY cares, why does it have to mean something? It's infuriating.
  • 57loaded57loaded Posts: 4,967 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I think the last meaningful moment for me was watching Pedro mow down the NL in the 1999 game at Fenway. You know, back when the starting pitcher went more than 1 inning. >>



    it can really make for the last 6 innings rather boring. all (most) of the starters are out. and 'closers' on the mound.

    too bad one can't expect to see a starting slugger having an MVP year in a late inning AB with the game on the line. (they may see two AB's as it is now)
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭


    << <i>When I was a kid(early to mid 70s) the All-Star game was a big deal. >>



    I'm a bit older than you (53) but agree 100%. Probably even more so to kids of my generation.
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  • DialjDialj Posts: 1,636 ✭✭
    I remember the late 60s and early 70s ASG and it was HUGE for us. I think the kids today are more interested in PS2, DS, and such. There loss!!
    "A full mind is an empty bat." Ty Cobb

    Currently collecting 1934 Butterfinger, 1969 Nabisco, 1991 Topps Desert Shield (in PSA 9 or 10), and 1990 Donruss Learning Series (in PSA 10).
  • jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭
    So happy to look at the box score this morning and see 3 guys who don't deserve to be All-Stars give up 5 runs so that the NL now has home-field advantage. All we need now is ratings in the 7's again and hopefully Bud will scrap this hairbrained idea.
  • GarabaldiGarabaldi Posts: 2,004 ✭✭✭
    I still love the All Star game, to me it is the best one out of the Big Four.
  • jeffcbayjeffcbay Posts: 8,949 ✭✭✭✭
    Gotta get rid of Joe Buck... that guy is as colorful as a black and white photo. Half the time you couldn't hear his voice over everything else.
  • jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭
    Joe Buck is clearly living off his father's legacy (and frankly, I didn't care much for his father either, although I acknowledge that he is a broadcasting legend).

    I've said it another thread, but when the pre-eminent baseball (and perhaps any sport) announcer of our time (Vin Scully) has been out of the national spotlight for 20+ years, something is wrong. I'm convinced having the best announcer for any sport calling a game, will draw in the casual fan that otherwise would have watched something else.

    Year after year, FOX trots out the same two clowns that most of America despises. And Selig wonders why TV ratings continue to fall.
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