The winner of the All-Star Game, as most of you know, has determined home field advantage in the World Series since 2003. Since the rule was instituted as a knee-jerk reaction to the dreaded tie in Milwaukee in 2002, the fall classic has never gone to seven games.
That means a road team with a superior regular season record has never lost Game 7, and that their hasn’t been a team and its fan base rightfully screaming bloody murder at the injustice. But it will happen one day.
There is more parity in Major League Baseball this season than any in memory. The Phillies, Yankees and Red Sox are a class above, as usual, and below them are a number of very-good-to-pretty-good clubs. The traditionally bad teams, like the Mariners and Pirates, aren’t even that bad anymore.
Granting an extra home game in the World Series therefore could have greater impact this season than any other. Only four World Series in the past 20 years have gone to seven games, but in all four, the team that was at home for Game 7 won the title.
1991: Twins (95-67) beat Braves (94-68), 1-0, in Game 7 at the Metrodome
1997: Marlins (92-70) beat Indians (86-76), 3-2, in Game 7 at Pro Player Stadium
2001: Diamondbacks (92-70) beat Yankees (95-65), 3-2, at Bank One Ballpark
2002: Angels (99-63) beat Giants (95-66), 4-1, at Edison Field
So should the Phillies’ Roy Halladay and the Red Sox’ Josh Beckett face off in Game 7 this fall, it’s more than a little relevant whether that game takes place in Fenway Park or Citizens Bank Park.
What can’t be overlooked, of course, is that there was an imperfect system before. The leagues simply alternated home field advantage every year, which is why the D’Backs were at home in 2002 despite the Yankees having a superior record.
The best solution, of course, is the one that hasn’t been tried: The best team should earn home field advantage with its play over the course of the season, not with the play of 30 players from other teams playing in an exhibition game in July. And certainly not with a “one for you, one for me” deal.
Should the All-Star Game determine home-field advantage in the World Series?customer surveys
