The Future of MLB All-Star Games

[NJTank]

Here is a skill idea, maybe teams will hate due to injury risk. Fastest baserunner. Players 5 from each league simply run the bases no slidding just a straight run around the bases.

[pmoehrin]

Here is a skill idea, maybe teams will hate due to injury risk. Fastest baserunner. Players 5 from each league simply run the bases no sliding just a straight run around the bases.

You would have a much better chance at getting that in and I would be alright with watching it. I'd want to see who is faster between Michael Bourn and Dee Gordon. Maybe throw in Tony Campana as well. (Just looking at his stolen base totals, he might win going away.)

Just running by itself does not lend itself to high injury rates.

[Billy B]

Here is a skill idea, maybe teams will hate due to injury risk. Fastest baserunner. Players 5 from each league simply run the bases no sliding just a straight run around the bases.

You would have a much better chance at getting that in and I would be alright with watching it. I'd want to see who is faster between Michael Bourn and Dee Gordon. Maybe throw in Tony Campana as well. (Just looking at his stolen base totals, he might win going away.)

Just running by itself does not lend itself to high injury rates.

I'd love to see a fastest player competition. Tony Campana and Nyjer Morgan have wanted to plan an official race before a game sometime, but neither team really wants it to happen.

Fake edit: Just looked it up and Campana wanted to add Dee Gordon to the challenge as well. It would be fun to see this actually happen at an All-Star Game.

[RyanMcD29]

Fastest player would be kind of cool, even though there's the injury risk. I also liked that idea of a double play competition. A good pitching one would be something like hockey has with accuracy targets, just played on the four corners of the strike zone or something like that.

As for hosts, I'll chime in for the next few years. It's pretty hard to pinpoint the AL at this point considering almost all of the newer stadiums have got the ASG recently and the stadiums that haven't hosted them in a long time aren't really in that great of condition. Yankee Stadium would be in the running with its newness, but since they hosted 4 years ago and Citi Field's getting one next year, it's gonna be tough putting the ASG in the same city 3 times in a 10 year period. So if I had to guess

2013- Citi Field

2014- Target Field

2015- Nationals Stadium

2016- San Jose or wherever if the A's get a new stadium built in time?

2017- Marlins Stadium

2018- The Rays' new stadium if it's built by then?

2019- Great American Ballpark

[rainmaker17]

A.L. All-stars:

Have to admit I'm not used to seeing so many Texas Rangers.

EDIT: Oops, meant to put this in the regular MLB thread.

[DarkJourney]

I think eventually MLB will get away from alternating the game between leagues. It will be more about showcasing cities and stadiums.

[BigMac12]

My only request:

Have the public address announcer do the all-stars intros instead of Joe Buck!

[goalieboy82]

I wonder if when the All-Star game would be in Toronto again, would Fox play O Canada or just play the Star Spangled Banner (which would be first) and then go to a commerical break.

[Kramerica Industries]

I think eventually MLB will get away from alternating the game between leagues. It will be more about showcasing cities and stadiums.

As long as the World Series implications exist, I don't think they can. There has to be some fairness between the "home" league, and I don't think it's very practical if the NL were the home league and the game is in an American League ballpark, or vice versa.

Not that I oppose your premise, mind you. As I've said before, I don't care for a fan exhibition to hold such important merit, but this is now the 10th ASG with the World Series on the line, and I don't think it's going away anytime soon, alas.

[Billy B]

While the game generally alternates between being hosted by an AL team and NL team, there isn't a rule that says it has to. The NL hosted back-to-back in 2006 and 2007 so that Yankee Stadium could host in its final season. There's also a chance that Wrigley Field gets the game in 2014 for its 100th anniversary.

[smzimbabwe]

I've read that the Cubs are trying to break the league rotation for hosting and trying to get the 2014 All Star Game to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field and then Target would resume the rotation with the 2015 game...

[DarkJourney]

Is the Wrigley renovation still in the works?

[rams80]

Is the Wrigley renovation still in the works?

If the Rickettses want to pay for it.

[raysfan24]

What really pisses me off is Adam Dunn is the only position player not to play! That's just messed up.

[RoughRiders99]

I just posted this in the notes section on my facebook, but it can apply here too. I'll admit that I 'borrowed' a few ideas (such as having the fans vote from a certain group of players) after reading this thread, but I shouldn't see any issue with that. They are great ideas!

"Here's my hopes for locations for future all-star games:

2014 - Wrigley Field (100th Anniversary)

2015 - Target Field

2016 - Nationals Park

2017 - Yankee Stadium (even though I'm not too keen on the idea of having 3 all-star games in the same city in 10 years)

2018 - Marlins Park

Also, why limit it to just the Home Run Derby? Let's add some more contests! Let's see who's the fast base-runners? Who has the best double play teammates? Most accurate pitcher? Could you think of some other skills compeition ideas?

I would have added who could throw the fastest pitch, but I decided to keep it out just because of the injury risks. Also, Chapman will kill everybody anyway.

For the skills comepition, it doesn't have to be the all-stars already invited there. (Hello Dee Gordon and Tony Campana!) The way I see this, LIMIT LIMIT LIMIT the All-Star Roster GAME roster to maybe like 30 players or whatever. The "extra" players can end up in the skills compeition. That way, "each" team could still be represented.

Also, PLEASE PLEASE put Adam Dunn in the HRD. I WANT to see him face Fielder. That'd be a Home Run Derby everybody want to see.

*side note - I read somewhere that Bud Selig is tweaking the rules by making it a requimrent that a player from the host team will be in the HRD. What do you think of that?

Remove Chris Berman. Joe *uck and Tim McG.

And my most desired thing: REMOVE. THE. FAN. VOTING. But if they MUST have fan voting, at least let the players/coaches/managers pick the 30ish players and have the fans vote from that group of players.

I decided to not bring up the Home Field Advantage because it looks like it's here to stay. But I will say this: I am NOT in favor of this idea.

So....what are your thoughts?? Any ideas? Suggestions? What what what what."

[DaytonBlue]

If Bud insists on having a home team player.

5 players from each league.

First round is 5 outs.

Top 4 advance to second round and then continue like it has been.

Three rounds of 10 outs is too long.

P.S. I think it was awesome that KC booed Cano and think it was great Cano had fun with it too. He was laughing during the ASG introduction.

[winghaz]

I like the idea of Wrigley hosting the All-Star Game in 2014 and Target Field hosting it in 2015 because it would also keep up the silly, but noticeable, thing about Minnesota having an All-Star Game in a year that has a 5 in it.

Metropolitan Stadium hosted the 1965 All-Star Game. The Metrodome hosted it in 1985. So, if Target Field hosts it in 2015, you'd have a cool streak going.