You read the title. Let’s talk about it.
The idea of the All-Star Game has become misconstrued across the sporting world over the past several years. The NBA All-Star Game regularly sees each team go over 200 points due to limited defensive effort, the NHL All-Star Game doesn’t even feature regulation hockey (it’s 3-on-3 instead of the standard 5-on-5), and the NFL got rid of their traditional Pro Bowl altogether. The All-Star Game used to be a showcase of the best players playing at their best; now it’s the best players just hanging out in front of fans that overpaid for their seats.
The MLB All-Star Game, however, is different. Steeped in tradition, going back to the first All-Star Game in 1933 in Chicago, the Midsummer Classic has maintained its allure through the downfall of the idea of the ASG. Yes, TV ratings for the MLB exhibition matchup have gone down, but the other leagues’ ratings for their ASGs have also declined, leaving the MLB All-Star Game as the most-watched game of its kind across American sports. But again, does this matter?
It certainly used to matter. The winning league of the ASG from 2003-2016 received home-field advantage in the World Series. Is it a guarantee that this rule helped or hurt Fall Classic participants? No, but it surely made the game interesting, especially considering that, during this stretch, the American League won almost every All-Star Game. Since 2017, however, the MLB All-Star Game has done away with that rule, and now the team with the best regular season record has home-field advantage in the World Series.
I love the old rule. It created some heightened moments in mid-July, like the Michael Young walk-off sac fly in the 15th inning of the 2008 All-Star Game, or Brian McCann’s clutch go-ahead double in 2010. But we’ve had other clutch All-Star moments after the rule change, like Robinson Cano’s home run in 2017 in Miami, or Elias Diaz’s two-run go-ahead shot last year. Who knows what fun moments we’ll have in Texas? Paul Skenes will be on the mound to start, the first rookie to do so since Hideo Nomo in 1995. That will be oodles of fun!
Or there could be fun moments in the Home Run Derby, easily the best non-All-Star Game All-Star event across the American sporting landscape. Or maybe we’ll see a slugfest in the actual game this coming Tuesday. For baseball especially, the All-Star Game is a chance for the league to show off all its talent on a national stage, and that talent takes it very seriously. There will be over 30 players who are making their first appearance in the Midsummer Classic this year who are eager for people across the country (and Canada, Blue Jays fans) to learn their names. Frankly, I’m excited to see them all fight for the spotlight. Plus, it’ll be air-conditioned in Globe Life Field, so that’s a plus.
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