How to Fix the MLB All Star Break

Major League Baseball and Bud Selig. Two unnatural forces that have combined to preside over the gradual demise of a sport that was once held in lofty - atmospheric, even - status. While there are plenty of reasons for baseball's decline in American society (read about them here and here), there is still plenty that can be done to improve the general entertainment value and popularity of the sport. The recently passed All Star Break, for example, as a MLB entertainment property can be improved upon greatly.

The All Star Game is now viewed as an exhibition, rather than a competitive game. One of the main reasons for this is because Bud Selig, the aforementioned inept commissioner, decided to end the 2002 All Star Game in a tie. A tie? How can you end a competitive baseball game - a game in which there are no ties - in a tie? Unlike the NFL's Pro Bowl game, where a lackadaisical effort can be expected due to the violent contact involved in the sport, the MLB All Star Game can and should be played at full intensity. Simple remedy; never, and I do mean never, allow the game to end in a tie again.

Selig, genius that he is, overreacted to his original blunder and decided that to make the game more meaningful he would award home field advantage in the World Series to the winning league. This has to be one of the single worst ideas in the history of professional sports leagues in the United States. 17 of the last 21 World Series have been won by the home team. Now, players from different teams - the majority of whom will have no hope of making the Series let alone the playoffs - get to heavily impact what is supposed to be one of the premier sporting events in this country? There are other ways to make the All Star Game more meaningful-- no ties, for example. This is a rule that must be changed immediately.

Speaking of players who have no chance of making the playoffs, how about players who have no business participating amongst the best of their generation? Another silly rule MLB enforces is the rule stating that at least one player from each team must be represented on the All Star team. Now, I can understand if you had a rule where the host team/city must be represented by at least one player. But to mandate that every team be represented seriously deludes the talent and denies the opportunities other, deserving players have earned.

The fact is teams like the Yankees or Red Sox will have lots of All Stars. Players that are paid the big bucks, players that produce on the field and most importantly for an event like the All Star game-- players who fans want to watch. The best of their generation, the ratings grabbers, the stars - some of whom are now forced to sit at home because the Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals needed to be represented.

Outside of the game itself, baseball has its annual Home Run Derby as the main All Star Break attraction. The derby is a fun idea that just needs a little bit of tweaking. For starters, this year's dragged on for nearly three hours. Lower the amount of outs in the opening two rounds to seven, rather than ten, to cut down on this time. Secondly, instead of the player with the most homeruns in the final round winning, the player with the most homeruns total should win. The current system penalizes players who entertain the crowd with an electric, high homerun total in the first or second round. The player will naturally be more tired from the extra exertion and therefore has a lesser chance of hitting a lot of long balls in the final round. Why should they be penalized for their earlier success?

Moving along, why stop at just the Home Run Derby? The NBA has the dunk competition, the skills competition, the rookie-sophomore game and more. The NFL has the quarterback distance and accuracy throwing competitions, the wide receiver hands contest and the fastest player sprints. Even the NHL, the now niche-level league, has a better All Star weekend, with contests such as the hardest shot, the accuracy test and fastest skater competitions. MLB should institute a whole new set of games. With so many extremely talented players and budding young stars, why not showcase them for everybody to see? For example, how about a timed run around the bases competition. A player would have to hit a batting practice pitch to the outfield, place down the bat and then be clocked in their total time including swing until they touch home base. I would certainly be interested in seeing electric players such as Jose Reyes and Ichiro Suzuki speeding around the bases in direct competition.

Another interesting concept could be the outfield catch and throw to home. Players such as Vladimir Guerrero (this year's derby winner, despite hitting less homeruns in total than Alex Rios) are touted as having the best arms in the outfield. But do they really? Make the players catch a ball at the wall and have to try to gun out a tagging up runner from third base. In addition, how about a competition involving a catcher trying to stop a stealing base runner. Who is the catcher with the best combination of speed, accuracy and power in their throws? Of course, there would need to be a hardest pitch competition as well. Get the triple digit studs, the closers and aces, and give them a few tosses to see who can notch up the biggest number.

The possibilities for these new competitions are endless, and you can turn the dragging three hour long Home Run Derby into a three to four hour spectacle involving more players, enticing more fans and truly showing off the diversity of skills and talent that MLB houses. Combined with an All Star Game with no ties and no falsified player representations or World Series implications, the MLB All Star Break can once again begin its climb back to its once held, much coveted, lofty status.