Barring that, though, how should home-field advantage in the fall classic be decided?
For three-quarters of a century, the American and National leagues simply alternated home-field advantage every year. Granting home-field advantage to the team with the best record was deemed unfair, because the AL and NL played such completely different brands of ball and never met during the regular season.
Granting a 95-win AL team home field over a 93-win NL team, for instance, would have been like comparing apples to oranges.
This went on from 1924 to 2002, with occasional interruptions for wars or work stoppages. We all know that changed after a tie in Milwaukee.
Some shrugged their shoulders at the time, since the midsummer classic was a meaningless exhibition. Enough people called the tie disastrous, though, that commissioner Bud Selig announced the winning league would receive home-field advantage in the World Series.
Eight years later, many fans think it’s time to change that. The advent of interleague play makes it easier to compare the two leagues. Does this mean giving home field to the team with the best overall record is fair? Or should only interleague records matter?
If MLB is intent on making an event of it, how about the World Series managers arm wrestle? If 66-year-old, 5-foot-11 Jim Leyland potentially grappling with 67-year-old, 6-foot-4 Charlie Manuel doesn’t attract you, how about a simple coin toss?
Vote in the poll and share your thoughts in the comments section.
