MLB All-Star Week Still Appeals but Changes Are Needed

Jul 15, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform a flyover during the national anthem before the 2014 MLB All Star Game at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The second half of the 2014 MLB season gets underway tonight after the conclusion of the All-Star break.

We saw Yoenis Cespedes win his second straight Home Run Derby followed by the AL defeating the NL 5-3 in the All-Star game itself, assuring that the AL team in the World Series will have home advantage.

While the All-Star break is enjoyable, it still has its faults, most notably with the Home Run Derby.

I for one enjoy the derby. It’s pretty awesome when you see dudes jack baseballs into the third deck of ballparks.

Enter Giancarlo Stanton.

https://vine.co/v/MxVhBrT9wbM

While the thrill of watching guys smack bombs into the seats is fun, the way they got to the winner wasn’t. AL vs NL. Four rounds. It lasted well over three hours. Some guys sat cold for two hours before they hit again which is inexcusable.

Furthermore, the reduction to seven outs from the usual 10 hurt the derby as the guys who didn’t homer within their first three or four swings starting panicking, which led to so few home runs being hit by a number of guys.

The format needs an overhaul and every year there seems to be some new genius way to make it better. But in reality, the best trick might be to go simple.

Every guy gets 15 outs and the player who hits the most dingers … WINS.

As for the All-Star game itself, I enjoy it but it needs two things fixed.

First of all, 74 players is absolutely ludicrous. It’s actually insane. The best way to go about it may be to just have two rosters of 25, you know, how it is for the whole season (September aside).

The second part, make them wear All-Star uniforms. MLB parade these guys around in All-Star uni’s all week and then when it’s time to take the field for the game, they all wear their team colors. It kind of defeats the purpose of having All-Star uniforms doesn’t it?

Look, I enjoy the All-Star week but parts of it need to be fixed.

Having said that, I’m more than ready for the regular season to continue.