Jose Fernandez Is Going To Groove Fastballs To David Ortiz Because The All Star Game Is Meaningless And Has No Future Repercussions

NBC - This time it counts” is the slogan Major League Baseball slapped on the All-Star Game when it tied home field advantage in the world series to the game’s outcome. The idea was to atone for the embarrassing tie game in 2002 when both teams ran out of players and to encourage managers and players to take the game more seriously lest it turn into a defense-free farce like the NBA and NHL All-Star Games or a complete and total farce like the NFL’s Pro Bowl.

For the most part players pay decent lip service to the “this time it counts” thing. During media day they can often be heard saying that it’s all just a lot of fun but, not long after, their media training kicks in and they almost always revert to “home field advantage in the World Series is important too,” mode.

Still, a lot of these guys are just here for the yuks. Take Jose Fernandez for example. The Marlins pitcher told Marly Rivera of ESPN that, if he gets the opportunity to face retiring legend David Ortiz, that he’s going to groove three fastballs down the middle so, in Rivera’s words, Ortiz “can hit a monster HR in his last All-Star Game!”

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I’m going to die on this hill. The MLB All Star Game deciding home field advantage for the World Series is without a doubt the dumbest, most illogical, most irresponsible, most nonsensical, most idiotic rule in all of sports. And I’m not sure it’s even close. A game where guys openly talk about grooving pitches, a game where the guys are out there just having fun, a game where the best pitchers sit out because it ruins their spot in the rotation all decides what league gets home field in the World Series because old ass Bud Selig freaked out one time. Plus the fact teams stuff the ballot box, last year with the Royals and this year with the Cubs, so the best of the best aren’t even starting. It’s all just so stupid. It’s a fake game.

Look at these numbers-

23 of the past 28 World Series have been won by teams with home-field advantage. 

From 2004-13, home teams were 183-142 in postseason games. That’s a .563 winning percentage, which over 162 games projects to a 91-71 record, a 20-win gain. This suggests that home field impacts roughly one of every eight postseason games.

In a best-of-seven or best-of-five series, this adds up to more of a difference than one might think.

Teams holding home-field advantage won 41 of 74 postseason series over the past decade, including the World Series in eight of those 10 years.

It’s just nuts. Pitchers openly talking about giving up home runs. I just hate how illogical the whole thing is. It should be a fun game, the players treat it like a fun game, but they keep claiming “it matters”. It doesn’t matter if the players in the game openly say it doesn’t matter to them. Time to put this dumb rule to rest. Selig is dead (I assume), let’s get his stink off the game. Oh, and let us Vine. Idiots.