Baseball 2011

[smc]

It's time for Major League Baseball to take some radical steps to revamp the All-Star Game. Here is my proposal.

If the game is to continue to "count" -- that is, determine which league has home field advantage in the World Series -- steps must be taken to ensure that each league fields the best team possible. That means:

1. Either eliminate fan voting, or shift it so that fans only choose the starters once the rosters have been determined in a different manner (see below). This year, to give one example, Derek Jeter is starting for the American League. There is no reasonable argument that can be made that Jeter is the AL's top shortstop at mid-season.

2. Have more of the roster determined by the players. The players seem to do a very good job of determining who is best among their peers.

3. Limit the number of players the managers can choose from their own teams. For example, while Bruce Bochy can make a strong case that his Giants pitcher Ryan Vogelsong has a "great story," there is no way that Vogelsong deserves an All-Star spot ahead of several other pitchers in the National League.

4. Once the rosters are determined, allow the fans to vote for the starters at each field position. Leave the pitching to the managers.

5. Most important, eliminate the "rule" that dictates every team must be represented. It is an outrage that Mark Texeira gets left off the team because Matt Wieters of the Orioles has to be selected to make sure a Baltimore player is included. This is but one of many examples.

If Major League Baseball cannot amend the way in which the All-Star teams are selected, we must go back to alternating years for AL and NL home-field advantage in the World Series. Making the All-Star game "count" should either go all the way or none of the way.