{"id":355,"date":"2015-06-25T17:26:45","date_gmt":"2015-06-25T21:26:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sullyonsports.com\/?p=355"},"modified":"2019-06-26T16:52:38","modified_gmt":"2019-06-26T20:52:38","slug":"royals-dominance-or-doing-away-with-world-series-home-field-lets-change-something-about-the-mlb-all-star-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sullyonsports.com\/?p=355","title":{"rendered":"Royals Dominance or Doing Away with World Series Home-Field: Let’s Change Something About the MLB All-Star Game"},"content":{"rendered":"

On July 14, Major League Baseball will host the 86th playing of the MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati, when the National League will face off against the Kansas City Royals<\/del> American League. \u00a0The game will count for home-field advantage in the World Series, which is a joke, but we’ll get to that later. \u00a0This year’s game and it’s voting, in particular, are causing lots of controversy. \u00a0Take a look at the latest AL voting update and see if you notice anything that stands out:<\/p>\n

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Here is the latest AL voting update for the #ASG<\/a>: pic.twitter.com\/AcT8hF7krb<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) June 22, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Seven Royals. \u00a0The number of Royals in the lead at their positions has actually decreased from eight, as Eric Hosmer was passed in the balloting by Miguel Cabrera at first base. \u00a0The most ridiculous vote-getter from the Royals, however, resides at second base: Omar Infante. \u00a0He is hitting .236 this year, has just 22 RBI, and has just three walks as opposed to 36 strikeouts. \u00a0His fielding percentage ranks 15th in baseball at his position, so you can probably get my drift by now: he isn’t all-star game worthy.<\/p>\n

Another issue with the All-Star game voting turning up blue is how important this game is. \u00a0It counts for home-field advantage in the World Series, and this is an issue that Commissioner Rob Manfred needs to fix, and soon. \u00a0If the league wants to have a fun event for fans to vote (35) times on and jam the ballots on their computers, that would not be the end of the world. \u00a0There is no denying that Royals fans have gotten the vote out for their players, but for a game that is so important, why are we leaving the vote to the fans?<\/p>\n

ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark recently put out a proposal to try to fix baseball’s All-Star Game problem:<\/p>\n

Keep the fan vote next year exactly as is. Continue to have the players vote, as they’ve done in the past. But once the votes are in, compare the two before announcing the teams.<\/p>\n

If the fans and players are at least close to being on the same page, nothing changes. But if the player picked by the fans to start doesn’t finish in the top three of the players’ balloting, that should automatically veto the fans’ choice. In that case only, the players’ selection should start.<\/p>\n

The only objection I heard to this idea, when I ran it past people in MLB, was a modification that would allow the fans’ choice to start if he’s in the top five — not the top three — of player balloting. That works for me, even though I’d prefer top three. What do you think?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I think that’s a great idea. \u00a0The people that actually know the game (the players) can have a veto card for the people that know the game less (the fans). \u00a0In reality, even though I complain about the fans voting for their players to play in and\/or start the game, it would be very difficult to remove them from the process entirely. \u00a0They pay money to go to the ballpark, and their loyalty to the game should be rewarded in some way.<\/p>\n

How about another thing fans are missing when doing their All-Star voting? \u00a0Oh yeah, voting for the best players. \u00a0If the All-Star Game is supposed to be about deciding home-field advantage in the World Series, then why are teams doing this?:<\/p>\n

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Head to http:\/\/t.co\/Pj9GIEp5TC<\/a> to start! Tweet the photo with #VoteRoyals<\/a> by 7 CT! Rules: http:\/\/t.co\/SO2KxBA8Pj<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/N7UISErGaK<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 #VoteRoyals (@Royals) June 23, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n