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Health & Fitness

What has Happened to the Midsummer Classic?

Is the MLB All-Star game still exciting for the fans?

There use to be a time when watching the MLB All-Star game was something I looked forward to.  Getting to see the match-ups of American League players against National League players.  Who will ever forget Randy Johnson and John Kruk battling at the 1993 All-Star game.

Before Major League Baseball introduced interleague play in 1997 there was an excitement about the All-Star game.  It was the only chance a baseball fan had to watch the top players from each league play.  With the exception being the two teams that would play in the World Series.

Teams now play 18 interleague games a season and fans have the chance to see the match-ups between the two leagues more then just the once year.  Has interleague play taken away the allure of the Midsummer Classic?

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There has also been a change in some player's attitudes towards the All-Star game.  In years past it was an honor to play in the game.  Now their are players who have that mysterious injury so they can rest and get the four days off during the All-Star break.  In the past players had the incentive of the bonus pay.  With salaries being so high today the All-Star bonus is just a drop in the bucket for players.

In 2003 Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig decided to add some excitement to the game by giving home field advatage in the World Series to the league that won the All-Star game.  This was to give the teams something to play for after the 2002 game ended in a tie.

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The 2002 All-Star game ended in a tie becuase both teams were running out of pitchers.  Even though the American League had nine pitchers on their roster and the National League had 12.  There were two factors that caused the shortage of pitchers.  Coaches making sure the pitchers all played and keeping them on a low pitch count so they could pitch their next start and not get injuried. This is not soccer, it is baseball where games don't end in a tie. 

I miss the days of the Midsummer Classic where players came to play and cared about the outcome of the game. Maybe it is not so much that interleague play has changed the game as it is the players themselves with their egos and attitudes that have changed the game.  I will still watch the Midsummer Classic this week, it just won't be the same game as years gone by.

The All-Star game will be shown on FOX July 12, 5 PM    http://msn.foxsports.com/other/page/All-Star-Game-2011-MLB-on-FOX

 

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