On Thursday, the Associated Press reported that, as part of Major League Baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement, the annual All-Star Game will no longer determine home-field advantage in the World Series.
Now, it will be given to the pennant winner with the best record.
Back in 2002, the All-Star Game had ended in a 7-7 tie. Then-commissioner Bud Selig worked to make it where the All-Star Game would determine home field advantage to “up-the-ante”. That agreement was extended to the ’04-’06 seasons, and eventually became permanent.
However, over the years, the decision has been met with much criticism.
The American League has been the bigger benefactor since the new All-Star Game rule was adopted over a decade ago, receiving home-field advantage as a result of winning 11 of the last 14 All-Star Games. The home team has won 56 percent of the 75 World Series games played since 2003. That being said, the AL has won six of the last 14 World Series overall.
Despite that, there are still instances (such as the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies and 2016 Chicago Cubs) where the losing league in the “Midsummer Classic” wins the World Series, although the Cubs’ World Series was much more highly contested than the ’08 Phillies.
Prior to 2003, the site of Game 7 was decided by a coin flip, and from 1925 through 2002, home-field advantage alternated between leagues each year to keep things fresh.
Also, according to the new CBA, another new addition in regards to the All-Star Game is winning compensation. Players on the winning team will be rewarded with cash bonuses, which will be, for the vast majority of them, a much bigger incentive than home-field advantage, especially if their team does not even make the playoffs, let alone the World Series.
This is definitely a much-needed shake up in Major League Baseball, which takes effect starting with the 2017 Major League season.
