| 12 July 2010
With the All-Star game just a day away, here at The Nats Blog we will take a sneak peak at the top five stories that we feel our readers should be interested in.
1. This time, it counts
The last few years, Bud Selig has allowed the winning league of the All-Star game maintain home field advantage in the World Series in an effort to trumpet more interest into the exhibition. I strongly disagree with this scenario.
An exhibition game should not have the impact in determining home field advantage in the World Series. As has been the case for many years prior to this development, the team with the best record entering the World Series should maintain home field advantage. That team spent 162 games establishing themselves against all opponents and should have earned the right to host the World Series if they have the better record.
A second reason why I strongly dislike this aspect of the game is that many of the players in Tuesday's game will not sniff the playoffs this year. Do managers and fans of potential playoff teams really want the status of home field advantage coming down to a bases loaded situation with Evan Meek on the mound facing Ty Wigginton? Absolutely not.
2. American League Domination
The last time the National League won an All-Star game, Derek Jeter was yet to win a ring, LeBron James was 11-years old and the Atlanta Braves were defending world champions. The NL went 0-for the 2000s, not including the 2002 tie game.
But, every game since 2005 has been decided by two runs or fewer, with the last four being decided by one lonely run.
On paper, it's hard to challenge the American League's superior offensive power. Any time you can boast a line-up that could potentially slot Carl Crawford ninth is hard to pitch to. But, pitching is something the National League certainly has. The NL can run out Ubaldo Jiminez and his 15 wins to start, and follow him up with Josh Johnson, Roy Halladay, Adam Wainwright, then march out the closers to finish it, anchored by the massive Jonathan Broxton.
3. The Home Run Derby effect
When Joe Girardi and others in the Yankees front office pleaded with Robinson Cano to withdraw from the Home Run Derby, many experts and analysts became drumming up the discussion of how the competition could affect certain hitters.
This year's eight player field consists of Chris Young, Hanley Ramirez, Corey Hart and Matt Holliday representing the NL, while Miguel Cabrera, Nick Swisher, David Ortiz and Vernon Wells represent the AL.
Of the players in the Derby who should have no problem swing-wise, you immediately think David Ortiz, who has the traditional lefty power stroke down, and Miguel Cabrera will not have any adverse affects coming out of it.
However, many people in baseball have been talking about how long and loopy Hanley Ramirez's swing has been all year. So, how does entering the Derby help solve Hanley's hitting woes at all? People can argue until the cows come home if the tournament really does affect a player's swing.
All I'm saying is in 2006, David Wright went into the Derby with 20 first half home runs. He hit one in the All-Star game the next day, and then only had SIX in his 243 second half at-bats. Watching him play every day, you could clearly tell something was amiss with Wright's swing the rest of the season.
4. Is this the All-Star game, or the Pro Bowl?
What I mean is, there seem to be a lot more injury replacements/replacement pitchers than ever before in one game.
The NL has Martin Prado and Corey Hart replacing Chase Utley and Jason Heyward in the startling line-up. Jose Reyes was selected to replace Troy Tulowitzki on the bench, until Reyes was replaced by Rafael Furcal due to injury. Dodgers pitcher Hong-Chi Kuo was also added as a pitching replacement.
The AL is even more checkered with injuries. John Buck, Paul Konerko, Ian Kinsler, Jared Weaver and Andy Pettitte have all been added to the roster due to a various number of injures, half of which seem to be Boston Red Sox players these days.
Normally, you see these types of replacement additions in the Pro Bowl, where most NFL stars would rather sit at home then come down to South Beach to play an exhibition football game. This year more than ever it seems like everybody and their uncle made the All-Star team because of an injury or pitching rules.
5. So, Who Wins?
In my opinion, regardless of how many times the NL has lost consecutively, they are coming into this game with arguably their strongest pitching rotation in the strongest pitching year in decades. The adage is good pitching always beats good hitting, so with that in mind, I will say the NL will beat the AL for the first time since 1996 by a score of 4-2.
And if I'm wrong, I'll go back to sticking with writing and not predicting.
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