This is a link to the AP piece published on the Strib web site.

 

http://www.startribune.com/apnewsbreak-all-star-game-no-longer-determines-series-start/403941126/

 

IM not-so-HO they got it half right. Dumping the current format was right, but I think home field advantage should go to the league with the better record in interleague play.

Very happy they got rid of that rule. Making an All Star game in any league mean something more than just an exhibition game is silly. 

Phew. One travesty ended....

Very happy they got rid of that rule. Making an All Star game in any league mean something more than just an exhibition game is silly. 

But now the players won't TRY.

But now the players won't TRY.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fj2B9z4Dbw

 

But now the players won't TRY.

In other words, it's going to be exactly like the football, basketball, and hockey all-star games now. How are we going to survive?!

The NFL version is arguably the least successful ASG in pro sports, so moving in their direction is not necessarily to the good...

I haven't watched or cared about any ASG in years. In any sport.

 

I think home field advantage should go to the league with the better record in interleague play.

Agreed.

 

I haven't watched or cared about any ASG in years. In any sport.

I'm with you on this. The games do nothing for me, but I can see the other side where some may think it's a cool moment to watch all of their favorite sports stars in one venue. 

 

I didn't mind the ASG controlling who has home field advantage in the WS.

 

Every other system is equally as flawed in a game as disparate as baseball and its separate leagues.

 

Really, I just don't care that much. Giving home field advantage to the team with the best record has its own set of issues, namely that the NL is generally an inferior league as a whole (and will continue to be so until the DH rule is normalized across both leagues).

I never understood the angst over the all-star game and HFA.  The old system just switched it back and forth.  That wasn't any better.  At least this plan - best record - makes a little more sense.  

 

Giving home field advantage to the team with the best record has its own set of issues, namely that the NL is generally an inferior league as a whole (and will continue to be so until the DH rule is normalized across both leagues).

This is exactly why I think home field should be given to the league, not the team.

 

 but I think home field advantage should go to the league with the better record in interleague play.

 

Just playing Devil's advocate: The interleague records are tied and the White Sox play the last interleague series of the year and are out of contention but the Twins and Tigers have clinched playoff births. Would anyone trust the White Sox not to lose intentionally out of spite? (Also you could substitute the Twins and White Sox in that scenario and we likely would have board-wide calls to purposefully tank)

 

Home field used to alternate years, I didn't see what was so wrong with that.

But maybe that's because my favorite team kept making the WS in odd numbered years.

Now just give the AL permanent home field and the problem is solved.  

 

(Until the NL wises up about the DH, then we can go to best record)

 

Just playing Devil's advocate: The interleague records are tied and the White Sox play the last interleague series of the year and are out of contention but the Twins and Tigers have clinched playoff births. Would anyone trust the White Sox not to lose intentionally out of spite? (Also you could substitute the Twins and White Sox in that scenario and we likely would have board-wide calls to purposefully tank)

 

Home field used to alternate years, I didn't see what was so wrong with that.

But maybe that's because my favorite team kept making the WS in odd numbered years.

And here I thought I had a low opinion of humanity.

 

Just playing Devil's advocate: The interleague records are tied and the White Sox play the last interleague series of the year and are out of contention but the Twins and Tigers have clinched playoff births. Would anyone trust the White Sox not to lose intentionally out of spite? (Also you could substitute the Twins and White Sox in that scenario and we likely would have board-wide calls to purposefully tank)

 

Home field used to alternate years, I didn't see what was so wrong with that.

But maybe that's because my favorite team kept making the WS in odd numbered years.

Barring a canceled game it would not be possible for the season record to be tied going into the last series, but I get the point. Do you think a team would purposely lose to spite another team from its division? When there are 19 games against each team the following season in which revenge could be exacted?

Edited December 1, 20169 yr by spinowner

But now the players won't TRY.

Baseball still translates to good entertainment even when the players don't 'try' or give 100 percent effort. Unlike the other all star games in football, basketball, and hockey you can still produce a legitimate game in baseball when there isn't something at stake. Thank the heavens we are we no longer saddled with the ASG determining hime field advantage in the WS - that was an abomination.

 

Baseball still translates to good entertainment even when the players don't 'try' or give 100 percent effort. Unlike the other all star games in football, basketball, and hockey you can still produce a legitimate game in baseball when there isn't something at stake. Thank the heavens we are we no longer saddled with the ASG determining hime field advantage in the WS - that was an abomination.

Yeah the good thing about baseball ASG is the fundamentals are still evident. People still have to pitch, hit, and field like they normally do. 

Unlike basketball ASG where it's just a slam dunk competition, hockey being a breakaway competition, and football playing by flag football rules. 

I do not mind the change, it is a step ahead, but if they want to make it fair they should add a strength of opponents schedule factor to the W-L record, a lot like the Sagarin ratings.  They can even use those directly and be more fair to teams that play in competitive divisions...  

 

Just playing Devil's advocate: The interleague records are tied and the White Sox play the last interleague series of the year and are out of contention but the Twins and Tigers have clinched playoff births. Would anyone trust the White Sox not to lose intentionally out of spite? (Also you could substitute the Twins and White Sox in that scenario and we likely would have board-wide calls to purposefully tank)

That's pretty far-fetched. The Twins or Tigers would still have to reach the World Series for the White Sox to even achieve the desired (minor) effect in your scenario. And I can't imagine any player or coach remotely caring about that level of potential "spite" -- seriously, changing the order of the home/away games for a team, if that team reaches the final championship series? Who cares? Even fans, who buy into "spiting a rival" more than the guys on the field, probably wouldn't care about this. Heck, if it brought any kind of national media attention to the game, the players and coaches would probably want to perform better rather than tank. (And if that team is in a non-playoff position itself, they are probably fighting for their jobs at that point.)

 

There is a ton more risk of a team tanking to knock a division rival out of the playoffs, or into a less advantageous first round or wild card matchup.  And we don't even care about that, because it's pretty much a non-issue.  The HFA scenario is a step below that, a non-non-issue, I suppose.

Edited December 1, 20169 yr by spycake

They should use best record, weighted by league interleague record.

Something like wins multiplied by their league's interleague winning percentage.

This way, a team with a better overall record by one game doesn't necessarily get home field over the team from the vastly superior league. And vice versa.

Rock paper scissors (best of five) at the All Star Game, with replay available to catch any cheaters.

 

Giving home field advantage to the team with the best record has its own set of issues, namely that the NL is generally an inferior league as a whole (and will continue to be so until the DH rule is normalized across both leagues).

It also adds an extra layer of uncertainty to the World Series schedule -- under the old alternating system, every fan knew the dates of potential World Series home games at the beginning of the season, and under the ASG version, every fan knew in mid-July.  Now, many fans won't know until after both LCS wrap up.

 

Not that it's a big deal, but the negative effects of non-record-based HFA seemed so slight to begin with, that it seems worth noting.

 

Rock paper scissors (best of five) at the All Star Game, with replay available to catch any cheaters.

 

NBA style lottery, so we can discuss it if is fixed?

 

NBA style lottery, so we can discuss it if is fixed?

Maybe just have the Electoral College decide...

 

Rock paper scissors (best of five) at the All Star Game, with replay available to catch any cheaters.

 

I like this new rule a lot... May I also offer that whoever wins in a battle of Backyard Baseball also gets home field advantage? 

The players can not choose the secret weapon, Pablo Sanchez, to be on their team. 

http://i.imgur.com/I6LUh.png

 

Maybe just have the Electoral College decide...

 

Too soon....

He's got his hat on backwards.  You know he's a ringer.

 

He's got his hat on backwards.  You know he's a ringer.

Pablo would mash XBH's all day long... Along with tape measure HR's into the street. Ah, nostalgic childhood memories with this game.