The 2005 All-Star Game: it still doesn't count

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This basic point was covered in a Prospectus essay this week, but the main reason the eternally lame World Series-homefield thing has gotta be dumped is because THE MANAGERS AND PLAYERS STILL TREAT IT LIKE AN EXHIBITION. If the point was to win the game, you wouldn't see lineup overhauls every two innings and 16-18 pitchers in action. They don't care because WS homefield just isn't a big enough issue. "Playing everybody" is totally at odds with the game having competitive meaning.

Pedro begging off cuz he's pitching Sunday, and his being replaced by another pitcher, illustrates it. Only Tony LaRussa needs 7 or 8 hurlers per game. "Pedro, you're on the roster and I'll only use you for oneinning if absolutely necessary." Period. He stays on the roster and nobody's added.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 8 July 2005 16:22 (twenty years ago)

I mean, EVEN LaRussa needs only 8 pitchers.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 8 July 2005 16:23 (twenty years ago)

Sweeney needs to bowl over Pizza to get it into everyone's heads that IT COUNTS.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 8 July 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

and of course the notion of homefield advantage potentially being determined by a hanging breaking ball tossed by a Devil Ray to a Rockie, for example, is still hilariously wrongheaded.

― Gear! (Ill Cajun Gunsmith) (Gear!), Friday, 8 July 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

DANYS BAEZ VERSUS BRIAN FUENTES

THIS TIME, IT COUNTS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 8 July 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

They should have Michael Buffer on the PA.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 8 July 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

Sweeney needs to bowl over Pizza to get it into everyone's heads that IT COUNTS.

Erstad should be a last minute addition -- but strictly for pinch-running duties.

Neyer once wrote (I'm not sure if it was his idea or was merely discussed in his column) that home field in the WS should be a combination of three factors between the two competing teams, I think it was

1) league rank -- # of wins
2) # of wins
3) outcome of the ASG

For last year, Cards vs BoSox

league rank - Cards 1st, BoSox 2nd
# of wins - Cards 105, BoSox 98
ASG - won by AL

The Cards take two out of the three categories and win the home field advantage. Regular season performance is a bigger factor than the ASG, as it should be. The ASG is still key, but nobody will know who gets home field ad until the season (and perhaps the LCS) is over.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 8 July 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

Also, with category 1, any wild card team could be automatically 4th, regardless of # of wins, since we need to disadvantage the WC's (unless two WC's squared off, in which case you go back to league rank. For instance, if Houston had beaten St. Louis, then the Sox would have won this category, since they ranked 2nd to Houston's 4th). That would ensure that only truly great WC teams get home field ad if they face off against division winners.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 8 July 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

(the 2nd post was my idea, not Neyer's)

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 8 July 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

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