...oh, fix as in repair.

Personally, I have a difficult time not having a Cardinal’s game to watch, but I think I’ll give this all star game a go. I like your idea of opening up the week to more events. I really enjoyed watching the legends and celebrities softball game last night, and I think that could be a good game to play on the Wednesday. This would also help with time conflicts created by having a game on Wednesday after the events held in every park on Tuesday. I would have loved to camp in the outfield as a kid, so i think that is a good idea.
One thing that I think needs to be addressed, is how players get into the game itself. I think that there has been some frustration on this site due to the absence of Cardinals players in the starting line up (so long as you don’t count Pujols as DH). I can only imagine the frustration AL fans must feel when they look at the roster (6 of the starting 9 are either Bosox or Yanks!). I’m not sure If I have a fantastic suggestion, but I think the fan vote should either be eliminated, or not count as much as it does. Maybe former all-stars could vote on the new teams, or umpires could have a say, or the world series-winning managers could form their dream teams. I don’t know how selection should be fixed, but it is clear that if the all star game is supposed to be an honor, or a vindication, as someone put it earlier, more educated people should be making the decisions.
I do like the idea of roasting hot dogs on the pitcher’s mound though.

let the fans vote in the final 3 players on each team.

it’s the all star game. Every year it should be DH.

I like the Home Run Derby idea. Anyone who thinks they can win should get a shot. It sucks the Ichiro hasn’t been in there…and if Carlos Z wants to do it then by all means. Hell let some softball guys have a crack.

I also like the HOF idea that would be good.

that’ll go a long way to fix whats wrong

So that everyone plays, I would limit the game to 9 innings. That way managers don’t have to hold anyone in reserve in case of extra innings.

In the case of a tie, I would use a mini home run derby as a tie breaker (e.g. 5 pitches or something shorter like that).

Kind of like going to PKs in soccer.

I would have some sort of skills competition. Outfielders firing throws to home plate, hitters trying to hit moving targets in the outfield (off of a tee of course), pitchers painting pitches on the corners, etc.. Instead of the softball game, have a tee ball game with a real baseball instead of the softball. Still have the homerun derby, but do it differently. I feel disappointed that Josh Hamilton didn’t win last night even though he put on the best derby performance ever. Play a HOF/Oldtimers game (anyone who has been retired for 5+ years – maybe Rickey Henderson would officially retire?). I like the idea where the fans only vote in the final 3 bench spots or if the fans want to see the “living legends” (players who in their prime were perennial all-stars but just don’t have it anymore) then have each league select 9 “living legends” to play 1 inning, everyone bats as an exhibition, then let the real game begin.

As for the game counting for something, then the winner gets to determine if the DH will be used during interleague play the following year (maybe give some AL fans a taste of what real baseball is – no DH).

One reason some deserving players are left off is that whomever the manager is has to make sure that someone from the Royals,Pirates, Mariners, etc is on the squad…if the crappy teams have someone who is worthy, that’s one thing, but more often than not they don’t and that only adds to the difficulty of getting everybody into the game…hence you have all these gimmicks that add to the size of the roster (like the “Last Player” vote or whatever the hell it’s called).

I like how the NFL does the Pro Bowl…not that that format doesn’t have problems, but if your teams sucks, and you don’t have anybody worthy of consideration, sorry, you don’t have a rep.

Taking the game away from Fox would also help, IMO.

My daughter said that MLB should get a big sponsor or two and the winning team could donate to a chosen charity. She said it would be like “Idol gives back,” only for baseball.

do away with it. It’s become a farce, and it only serves to bolster Selig’s already overblown ego.

-players and managers choose who make the team
OR the fans vote can be vetoed on a player or two

-starters can play no less than 5 innings.
I know, but Id rather see Pujols in over Guzeman or whatever

-if a pitcher is going on Sunday, then he can go to the game but they dont pitch.
and alternates are selected.

getting rid of the every team desirves an all star rule. Some teams dont.

either dont allow internet voting or dont allow Japan to vote in guys like Fukudome.

would be to let the games be managed as if it were a high school game where a player can be subbed once but can reenter the game at his original position.

1) Put it in the middle of the season, after 80-82 games played, not 95+.
2) Make it a 7 day event. Day 1 – Futures Game, Day 2 – Rookies Game, Day 3 – Skills Competition, Day 4 – HR Derby, Day 5 – AS Game, Day 6-7 Rest.
3) Change the AS Voting to have the fans select one player from each team to represent that team. Players select the remaining hitters, coaches select remaining pitchers. Coaches determine starting lineup.


That would be a good start. I really enjoyed watching the Futures Game. I think a ML Rookies game would be alot of fun as well. A previous poster laid out a Skills Competition, which would be awesome! The HR Derby should include the TOP 8 HR hitters of the first half, and two “fan choices”. The AS Game should always have the DH!

Since baseball centers around being played in series, why not extend it to All Star Week. This also prevents one bad performance by a single player having an outcome on home field advantage in the WS. Once the break is reached there is a rest day, day two has HR Derby, Day 3 Starts the Series (3 games in three days). Game 1 is started by the vote leaders, Game 2 by the alternates, and Game 3 again by the Game 1 starters. When it comes to pitchers, starters are limited by rule to 80 pitches. Relief pitchers can’t pitch on consecutive days in the series and are limited to 25 pitches. If you run out of pitchers you forfeit the game. Pitch counts are simply to reduce injury risk, the exact numbers are negotiable. This gives ample opportunity to get everyone an all star appearance without constant subbing, so the games have a more natural feel.

As far as the series “counting.” Home field for the WS in this case goes to the team with the best regular season record. If the WS teams happen to have equal records then we go back to the league that won the all star series. With a possible stipulation thrown in that if a league sweeps the all star series then that league gets home field advantage for the WS regardless of record.

I vote for having the team with the best record have home field advantage in the World Series. Excellent idea.

As for the “meaningfulness” of the All Star game, here is a possibility: Pick two cities for the subsequent year to host the All Star game – one NL and one AL. The winning team will determine which city would get the game. That would certainly increase the interest in at least two other cities, who would be rooting for their league’s team to win.

I don’t think you could stretch out a break for a full 7 days, but you could probably increase the event to Monday – Thursday, creating a sort of planned/coordinated/marketed Baseball Week. ...if only someone would let us run the world :-) or at least MLB.

PS: Did you see ol’ Bud Selig near the end of the All Star game? That dude was sweating blood as he watched the end of the bullpens take the field.