All Star Game and World Series Home Field Advantage

Establishing home field advantage for the last seven games of the season on the basis of one game in the middle of the season is not one of baseball’s best ideas.
In my book, it’s the most foolish thing baseball has done since the American League adopted the designated hitter in 1973.  …But that’s another blog post.

Until 2003, the All Star Game was an exhibition. That is what it is supposed to be.  Commissioner Bud Selig overreacted when the pitching ran short with a tie score one night in Milwaukee. Today, we have another all star pitching related dust up after some impressive overreaction comments by the Cardinals Adam Wainwright after Derek Jeter opened the game with a ringing double.

No one had any problem with home field alternating in the World Series.  Spring exhibition games end in ties and no one is upset about that.

If baseball thinks it is important to establish home field advantage for the World Series each year on a baseball field, do it this way.

If the World Series participants met in interleague play, the winner of that head to head series has HFA.

If that does not apply, take the better winning percentage by the World Series participants against the other league.

If that is a tie, the league with the better winning percentage in all interleague games gets HFA.

If that isn’t enough, flip a coin.