Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The annual discharged All- Star Game Major League Baseball ( MLB) is a game between representative teams of the National League ( NL) and American League (AL). The players are selected by both the fans and the players of the MLB and the two team managers. The game takes place early to mid-July and symbolizes the middle of the baseball season, which runs from early April to early October.
The first All-Star Game was played in 1933 for the World Exhibition in Chicago Comiskey Park instead. Initially intended as a one-time event, it was something of an institution in the United States.
Since 2003, the winner of the All-Star games helps his representative in the World Series for the right home advantage in a possibly necessary seventh game.
On July 16, 2013 were previously the last All-Star Game at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, held in New York City.
Of the previous 84 games, the National League won 43 games, the American League 39 games (with two draws).
Choice of venue
The venue is selected by the MLB, where normally the place changes every year between NL and AL. Exceptions to this rule were 1951 ( hosting the 250th birthday of Detroit ) and 2007 (San Francisco).
The criteria for selection are purely subjective. Places with a new stadium or places that have long had no play or never one to be preferred. The last venue that was previously before the scene of the All- Star Games, the Fenway Park in Boston (1999).
So far the following teams All-Star Game have never aligned:
- The Miami Marlins
- And the Tampa Bay Rays
( the Washington Nationals were hosted in the period as the Montreal Expos. )
Designated Hitter Rule
Depending on which league plays the host team, the Designated Hitter rule ( DH) is applied. 2007 AT & T Park in San Francisco was played without this rule, because the Giants are National League, which plays no DH. In a NL ballpark the AL pitcher must also be on the beat, which he never does except in the Inter League games. The last pitcher who had to blow in an All- Star Game, was AL starter Mark Mulder. He could not be replaced also because the starting pitcher may only be changed if he has completed at least one at-bat.
The Roster ( line-up )
The managers of the two teams are the manager of last year's Champions League. In the All-Star Game in 2011, these were so Ron Washington (Texas Rangers, American League ) and Bruce Bochy of the San Francisco Giants ( National League). This glory is the manager, not the team. Thus it may be that one or both managers are no longer with the teams of previous World Series. So among other things happened in Dusty Baker, who was in 2002 with the SF Giants in the World Series and at the time of the All- Star Games now was a manager for the Chicago Cubs. Or 1979, when Bob Lemon was manager of the AL selection, although he was previously dismissed from the owner of the New York Yankees, George Steinbrenner. His coaching staff examined the respective managers from themselves.
Each team consists of 32 players, which are determined according to the following procedure:
- Fanvoting: select baseball fans the starter on the positions for the All -Star Game by ballot and the internet. When playing in an AL stadium, and the DH is searched. This method is somewhat critically evaluate, because in the AL these are mostly players of the two big clubs, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, because they have the most fans.
- Player Voting: The players themselves choose the pitcher and a spare for each position. If the fan and the player winning are equal, the second of the players voting is nominated.
- Manager Selection: The manager of each team fills the roster to 31 players on.
- Final Vote: After all 31 players were selected, the fans have the opportunity to choose from a list of five players the last All-Star.
- Alternates: After the roster is complete, are players who have been injured, for example, replaced by the managers.
A rule states, however, that at least one player from each team must be as representative of the roster. This rule was made when still played eight teams per league. But it was never abolished, although there are reasons for this, but also against it. Many fans are of the opinion that this game is for the best players in the MLB and is subject to this rule must not participate in the All-Star Game some star of a top team in favor of a weaker player. Proponents of the rules say so would ensure that thus for any fan of a player from his team here is thus also of the weaker teams, and not just from the top teams.
Anecdotes
All-Star Weekend Events
Since 1985 there is a day ahead of the game a home run derby, a competition between the Homerun Hittern. There is also a softball match with former players and celebrities from music, film and television.