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Players see no advantage to home-field system

Five years later, All-Star game-World Series link still considered flawed

Image: Chicago White SoxGetty Images file
Eighteen of the last 22 teams to hold home-field advantage in the World Series have won, including the 2005 Chicago White Sox.

Commissioner Bud Selig and Fox television certainly like it. Playing up the “This Time it Counts” theme, the All-Star game bounced back the last two years after drawing record low ratings in 2004 and 2005.

Count Boston third baseman Mike Lowell among those who would scrap the idea.

“If it means so much to win the All-Star game, then you should just have your best nine players play all nine innings,” he said.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen would give the edge to the team with the best interleague record.

“It would be more fun, I think. Because one game is hard,” he said. “And now I’ll have a call from the commissioner. It’s my opinion, sir. It’s my opinion. I’m not telling you to do that.”

Anything but the current system, Konerko said.

“There’s going to be a guy there that will be on a last-place team that will have no bearing on the playoffs, and he could come in and either give up a home run or make an error in the field that could result in changing the game,” he said. “He’s just going there to enjoy the game, and in the middle of October, he’s going to get questions about a play he made that settled home-field advantage. I just don’t think that’s right.”

To St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols, the whole debate is silly.

“Who cares?” he said. “You’re in the World Series.”

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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