Now that the MLB All-Star Game is no longer used to determine home field advantage in the World Series, Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper — Mr. Make Baseball Fun Again — has an idea about how to spice things up.
Rather than the traditional American League vs. National League format, Harper would like the game take more of a sandlot feel, with two captains choosing teams.
Bryce Harper said he'd love for MLB to pick two All-Star captains and let them draft teams. Imagine Kershaw pitching to Turner, he said.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 10, 2017
Admittedly, the idea is interesting at first.
The idea of long time teammates facing off is fun. It’s also fun to think about individual rivalries that may form based on who gets picked in what order.
Unfortunately, there’s a slight problem with Harper’s idea.
Both the NFL and NHL have tried this with their respective All-Star Games. In both cases, the idea was short lived and a different format was found. If anything, baseball is even more beholden to its traditions than those sports and American League vs. National League is a tradition that dates back to 1933.
The idea is an interesting one, for sure. But in order for it to be successful, a few major hurdles would have to be overcome.