Oh sure, it is a long shot. But let's just say that Kerry Wood moves back to the starting rotation and regains his 1998 form. And let's say that Albert Belle quits his job at the Shreveport Kindercare and returns to Jacobs Field. And let's also say that Bob Feller has some life left in his 90-year old arm (hey, it seems to be working for Jose Contreras) and Jake and Pedro and Ricky and the rest of the boys learn that the owner's real goal is to field a team that would be just bad enough to allow her to move the club to Miami. And finally, let's say that the team unloads the rights to both Joe Charboneau and the ghost of Lou Boudreau so that Superman, er... Mark DeRosa can make a glorious return to the Mistake by the Lake. Well, if all that were to happen, it is hard to argue that tonight is a very important night for Indians' fans.
After all, tonight is the Major League All-Star Game and, as you may have heard, this time it counts (of course, it counted last year and the year before that and the year before that, but, hey, baseball likes the slogan and who am I to argue?).
(By the way, the WNBA has still got next. Not sure what they have next, but they apparently have still got it. The right to play in front of 400 fans?)
The concept of awarding home field advantage to the league that wins the All-Star Game is a lot like reality television shows. A lot of people claim to absolutely hate the idea, without really being able to articulate a clear reason why. In many ways, it has become a lot like the movie Titanic after it won 2,749 Academy Awards in that it almost seems as though it has become vogue to bash it. I, however, I like the concept -- especially when one really considers the alternatives.
Let's start with the way home field advantage was decided before the famous 2002 tie game in Milwaukee. As you likely recall, the two leagues simply took turns. Joy. No doubt a nice concept if you are talking about second graders playing "Heads Up, Seven Up" (the single greatest classroom game ever) but not such a good idea if you are talking about the World Series.
And what are the other alternatives? Perhaps the most often cited alternative is a
league's total interleague record, which, in theory, does make some sense. Of course, it was Homer Simpson who famously pointed out that, in theory, communism makes sense, but I do not see anyone clamoring for a daily ration of borscht, an occasional Stoli on the rocks, and cold nights spent listening to old Gorky Park records while hanging out with Sergei Federov (Anna Kournikova not included).You see, the problem with using total interleague record is that, as a Cubs game, I do not want National League teams to win their interleague games. In fact, I want them to get their asses handed to them. I want the Royals to bring back George Brett, I want him to put as much pine tar on his bat as possible, and I want him to knock the living crap out of the Cardinals. I want U.L. Washington to stuff his toothpick up Rick Ankiel's ass (just go in through the pre-existing steroid hole). I want Colby Rasmus to get eaten by the Kauffman Stadium tarp machine. And I want Tony LaRussa to go drinking with Willie Wilson and end up on a drunken rampage that results in Albert Pujols getting run over by the bullpen car.
Look (I turned into Lou for a second there...), if the Cubs are ever going to win the World Series they are going to need every advantage they can muster, including home field. And I certainly do not want to have to cheer on their rivals for it to happen. I can see it now... "Yeah! The NL has home field advantage because they won the interleague series. What do you mean, Ryan Theriot is spending his entire October focusing on whether to buy a Harry Potter or a Doogie Howser costume for Halloween? Boy, am I happy that I stupidly celebrated the Cardinals three-game sweep of the Twins. Oh, I'm sure Chris Carpenter will enjoy opening the World Series at Busch."
Another option is best overall record, but, I am not sure how fair it is with unbalanced schedules. I can see it working, but is it really that better than the winner of the All-Star Game?
Now, the key admittedly is for Charlie Manuel and Joe Maddon to manage the game with the implications in mind and the fact that most All-Star managers are reluctant to do so is where the problem ulitmately lies. In other words, to hell with making sure that everyone gets in the game. Nobody wants to see home field advantage determined because Ben Zobrist hit a bloop single off Heath Bell. What we want to see is Albert Pujols versus Mariano Rivera with the game on the line. The managers need to play the game to win and if it means that Pujols and Derek Jeter play the whole game, well I would love to see it. If Adam Jones' mother or Andrew Bailey's dog's former owner is upset that they did not get into the game then so be it (in fact, I have to admit that, before a few days ago, I thought that Andrew Bailey was one of the Backstreet Boys).
Now, I am not going to claim that there are not better options that have obviously yet to be considered. For example, how about basing home field advantage on:
* The winner of the Seniors Triatholon, featuring a walker race around the bases, a tapioca pudding eating contest and a battle of who can last longer with Sophia Petrillo between 88 year old Tim Wakefield and 82 year old Trevor Hoffman.
* A tug-of-war between the nine children living in Ryan Howard's left nostril versus the nine illegitimate kids fathered during Josh Hamilton's six years living in a drug den.
* A Hora dancing, Neil Diamond "Name That Tune" and latke making contest between MsOT Jason Marquis and Kevin Youkilis.
* The ultimate battle to decide who was really the best player chosen in the 2001 draft between #1 pick Joe Mauer and #2 pick Mark Prior. What the hell do you mean Prior is working in a Southern California Del Taco rather than representing the Cubs in the game?**
Just for the record, my suggestion last year was that Ichiro and the Japanese Twister engage in a sushi rolling contest, and would make the same suggestion this year if only the citizens of Nagano and Hiroshima were not too busy laughing at the "new" General Motors to vote, leaving Kosuke to spend the All-Star break holed up in an Evanston hotel, hugging his lucky Hello Kitty and watching old episodes of Spectreman (undoubtedly the greatest television show when I was a kid. In fact, there could be no better day than playing "Heads Up, Seven Up" in class, rushing home in time to catch Jack Brickhouse call a game winning dinger by Steve Ontiveros, and finishing off the day by watching Spectreman kick the crap out of some fire-breathing giant lizard).
So, the bottom line is that I do not mind that the All-Star Game decides home field advantage in the World Series. There are certainly worse options and, in my opinion, it does add a needed intensity to the game. So, I enocurage you to fight that urge to turn on Big Brother 11 tonight. After all, Cleveland, you never know when both big brother (Sandy) and little brother (Roberto) are coming home. That is if Kenny Williams does not get there first.
* Please let me know what you think of the fact that the All-Star game determines home field advantage by commenting. Of course, I am also interested in other ways that home field can be decided (especially the creative ways...)
** Sports Trivia Question of the Day: What current All-Star was selected #5 by Texas in the "famous" 2001 draft?
7 comments:
I'll pass on answering the trivia question because I "cheated" and Googled it. But how did #3 pick Dewon Brazelton end up with the Camden Riversharks. And does Camden, NJ really have sharks in their river?
Here's my suggestion. Let Ozzie Smith represent the National League and have Shawn Johnson represent the American League and have home field determined by who can do more back flips.
I'll answer your trivia question with a YouTube clip, which features a song about that fifth pick in the '01 draft:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDHjGrbXiD4
MsOT - really? Isn't that like writing RsBI when talking about runs batted in.
I can't credit for this idea, but I like it and will repeat it...permit free substitutions throughout the game. If a player leaves in the 2nd to give another player an appearance, let him reenter the game in the 7th . This could result in Pujols vs. Rivera. The only rule to consider is how to avoid manipulation by having the starting catcher pinch hit for a shortstop later in the game. I'll leave that to people who care more than I do.
I prefer the best records rule despite the unbalanced schedule. If an unbalanced schedule were really such a concern we would just adopt a blended schedule to make sure everyone plays a more balanced schedule. Since we already have accepted unbalanced schedules for divisional and league purposes, why not for the World Series too?
I don't like using the All-Star Game as the basis for home field because it relies on something the teams playing in the W.S. have no control over whatsoever. Why not have the cities' mayors arm wrestle for home field? Roshambo? Competitive eating? Modern pentathlon?
I agree with Barister. Instead of one game being played by teams created for one game only I would rather let the records over the course of a season decide home field advantage in the WS.
Having the All Star Game decide it is better than going back and forth each year but I think there is a better solution with season records.
100% disagree on All-Star game determining WS home field. These guys don't even want to be there (other than the bonuses in their contracts). They play 162 games (too many already), let records decide regardless of unbalanced schedule. If not, interleague as a 2nd option (though agree about it being hard to root for your competition to win, but it really evens out anyways). No idea on trivia question. Going out for dinner tonight, All-Star games do nothing for me.
Hmm . . . I'll say that whichever team has the lowest annual player payroll as of Game One of the World Series should receive home field advantage.
Mark Texiera?
I think that they should play Rock/Scissors/Paper to determine home field advantage.
In all seriousness though, I don't see what's wrong with overall record. It sure seems to work in other sports. No one ever complains that the Lakers win 63 games every year because they get to play the Clippers 12 times.
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