Maybe this one doesn't count

[Trey]

Didn't see this posted anywhere

 Click here to read the nice article

The deal to tie home field advantage in the World Series to the All Star Game apparently expired last year and has not been extended to this year, yet.

 

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"I'm surprised. I'm not aware of that at all," said Fox Sports president Ed Goren, whose network televises the game and whose marketing campaign uses the slogan, "This Time It Counts."

"In fact, I was under the impression that it was in place this year. Maybe it just counts for us. I don't know."
 

[Limey]

Please God, let this madness end.

[jasonact]

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"We're still hopeful," Selig said, "because I think it's really good for the game. Everyone likes it. The owners. The players. The sponsors. It just adds a lot of meaning."

That's news to me. I don't know about those other groups, but the impression I got was that the players hate it. Most of the players I've heard speak on the matter have said that they want home field to be based solely on the win-loss record of the participating teams, despite the differences in opponents. Personally, that's what I'd like to see too.

[Limey]

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That's news to me. I don't know about those other groups, but the impression I got was that the players hate it. Most of the players I've heard speak on the matter have said that they want home field to be based solely on the win-loss record of the participating teams, despite the differences in opponents. Personally, that's what I'd like to see too.

...or the overall NL/AL records in interleague play.  Even the arbitrary alternating years was better than using the result of an exhibition game.

[HudsonHawk]

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Even the arbitrary alternating years was better than using the result of an exhibition game.

Why?

[NeilT]

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Even the arbitrary alternating years was better than using the result of an exhibition game.

Why?

Because the American League always wins.

[Limey]

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Why?

Because the ASG isn't played to win.  They pay lip-service to trying to win but, if this were a truly meaningful game, top players would not be allowed to sit out and clubs would have to manage their rotations to have the best pitchers available to pitch.

The alternating HFA was arbitrary, but understood.  The ASG is just a bit of fun that can now impact the result of the WS.  Might as well have Spring Training games decide home field advantage for divisional tie-breakers.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

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Why?

Because the ASG isn't played to win.  They pay lip-service to trying to win but, if this were a truly meaningful game, top players would not be allowed to sit out and clubs would have to manage their rotations to have the best pitchers available to pitch.

The alternating HFA was arbitrary, but understood.  The ASG is just a bit of fun that can now impact the result of the WS.  Might as well have Spring Training games decide home field advantage for divisional tie-breakers.

And the roster would not be filled out by what equates to a popularity contest dominated by regional demographics.   The best example of this,  given latest counts, there would be Mets starting at 1st, 3rd, and catcher.  No offense to Delgado but he's not the best 1B in the NL.  Wright is good but are there better 3B's in the league?  I'd argue there are at least 2.  Lo Duca at catcher?  I don't have a firm opinion of Lo Duca other than he is not be the best catcher in the NL.  

I'm just waiting for the vote counts to pile up for Jose Reyes.  Then ESPN can tout this as proof their sunshine pumping on this guy was justified.  His defense is Furcal-esque and his offensive contribution not even comparable to Furcal.  But just wait, I'll bet a beer that Reyes shoots up the vote totals, if he's not up there already.  Friggin' fair-weather Mut fans...

[HudsonHawk]

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Why?

Because the ASG isn't played to win.  They pay lip-service to trying to win but, if this were a truly meaningful game, top players would not be allowed to sit out and clubs would have to manage their rotations to have the best pitchers available to pitch.

Which is the point of making the winner of the ASG the home team in the World Series.  If this helps make them take the ASG seriously, it can't be bad.

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The alternating HFA was arbitrary, but understood.

The winner of the ASG is undertood too, and less arbitrary to boot.

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  The ASG is just a bit of fun that can now impact the result of the WS.  Might as well have Spring Training games decide home field advantage for divisional tie-breakers.

Why is an on-field result, albeit an exhibition, impacting the World Series any worse than random chance?

[Holly]

I've never been too comfortable with the idea of the fans having that much influence over HFA in the WS. Some ridiculous choices have been voted into the starting lineup, and even though the coaches get to select, the starters have -- I think -- accounted for about half the game (or at LEAST once through the lineup, in the case of position players).

Doesn't bother me either way, about whether  the ASG determines who has HFA, I just kinda wish the voting weren't quite such a big part of it, if they continue to "Make it Count."

[Gizzmonic]

Yep, it either needs to be an exhibition game with no influence over home-field advantage, or COMPLETELY controlled by managers.  I am content with it being an exhibition game.  Then again, I don't like interleague play either (Playing the Rangers each year while the Jakes play the Royals is but one reason) so maybe I'm just a curmudgeon at 30.

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I've never been too comfortable with the idea of the fans having that much influence over HFA in the WS. Some ridiculous choices have been voted into the starting lineup, and even though the coaches get to select, the starters have -- I think -- accounted for about half the game (or at LEAST once through the lineup, in the case of position players).

Doesn't bother me either way, about whether  the ASG determines who has HFA, I just kinda wish the voting weren't quite such a big part of it, if they continue to "Make it Count."

[Limey]

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Which is the point of making the winner of the ASG the home team in the World Series.  If this helps make them take the ASG seriously, it can't be bad.

But the ASG is still stuffed up with BS, not least of which is the team selection process.

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The winner of the ASG is undertood too, and less arbitrary to boot.

By understood, I meant established.  I.e. this year NL, next year AL.  Using the ASG is more random, but it's the random product of a flawed process.  I.e. bullshit.

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Why is an on-field result, albeit an exhibition, impacting the World Series any worse than random chance?

See my first comment and those of those who got here before me.  The teams are bullshit because the selection process is bullshit.  Makes the whole thing bullshit, which is fine for a pure exhibition game...

[Limey]

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Then again, I don't like interleague play either (Playing the Rangers each year while the Jakes play the Royals is but one reason) so maybe I'm just a curmudgeon at 30.

Interleague play is not a problem, so long as every team in a division plays the same interleague opponents.  This has never been the case, so it makes a mockery of the divisional competitions.

[HudsonHawk]

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See my first comment and those of those who got here before me.  The teams are bullshit because the selection process is bullshit.  Makes the whole thing bullshit, which is fine for a pure exhibition game...

But the previous way of determining the home team was just random, pick a name out of hat, no reason other than we just decided it that way.  Completely arbitrary.  I'm not saying the ASG is the best way, I'm just saying it's no more arbitrary or less fair than any other way they've done it.

I think the problem people have with the ASG winner is not that it's a bad idea but that it's a Bud idea.  People are just looking for one more way to hammer Bud Selig, deserved or not.

[NeilT]

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See my first comment and those of those who got here before me.  The teams are bullshit because the selection process is bullshit.  Makes the whole thing bullshit, which is fine for a pure exhibition game...

But the previous way of determining the home team was just random, pick a name out of hat, no reason other than we just decided it that way.  Completely arbitrary.  I'm not saying the ASG is the best way, I'm just saying it's no more arbitrary or less fair than any other way they've done it.

I think the problem people have with the ASG winner is not that it's a bad idea but that it's a Bud idea.  People are just looking for one more way to hammer Bud Selig, deserved or not.

How about if the world series advantage goes to the league with the fewest at bats by designated hitters?

[HurricaneDavid]

Interesting, I had never actually seen the bottom of the WS trophy before this article.

[Limey]

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People are just looking for one more way to hammer Bud Selig, deserved or not.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[David in Jackson]

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See my first comment and those of those who got here before me.  The teams are bullshit because the selection process is bullshit.  Makes the whole thing bullshit, which is fine for a pure exhibition game...

But the previous way of determining the home team was just random, pick a name out of hat, no reason other than we just decided it that way.  Completely arbitrary.  I'm not saying the ASG is the best way, I'm just saying it's no more arbitrary or less fair than any other way they've done it.

I think the problem people have with the ASG winner is not that it's a bad idea but that it's a Bud idea.  People are just looking for one more way to hammer Bud Selig, deserved or not.

I don't think so, I just think Bud has some bad ideas.

Home field should be based on best overall record.  This is a pretty straightforward idea.

I like the All-Star game as an exhibition.  I don't get worked up about who starts, who plays, that every team must have a representative (a rule I like, though many don't).  It's an exhibition.  It's fun.

And, btw, inter-league play stinks.  With an at-large wild card berth the unbalanced schedule (and the fact that, for example, the C0-ards get guarenteed matchups with the Royals every year while, say, the Mets get the Yankees) stinks.

[HudsonHawk]

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People are just looking for one more way to hammer Bud Selig, deserved or not.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

It is.  I'm not a Bud fan, but this is not necessarily a reason to hammer him.

[WulawHorn]

Bud has been just fine as a commissioner, I don't understand the hatred for him.  Most of what he has done has expanded to my enjoyment of baseball. It's not like it was just Bud's fault that the world series got whacked in 94.

Revenue sharing, increased playoffs, interleague play- I more or less like them all.  It was neat to see the stros play at the stadium and fenway park- see the Yankees in Wrigley last year etc.  There are some inequalities, yes, but it works the same way with the unbalanced schedule.  I like playing the cards 19 times and the nats 7.  Stuff changes and some years you might have a harder road, and some years easier, but if you are the best you can win with whatever is put in front of you, in my opinion.  Plus, if you don't like inequalities in the wild card you can always win your division- the strength of schedule between the Astros and Cards is not worth crying over in the context of a 162 game season.

[HurricaneDavid]

It still counts, officially.

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