The View From Wisconsin

A word of notice before you read this: I was at the dreaded 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee. With that revelation (and that I also read Paul White's article in last week's USAToday Sports Weekly), here's my ten suggestions as to how they can improve this game.

1. Dump the "It Counts" schtick. The AL hasn't benefited more than usual because of their success in the All-Star Game. Keep the mandate that there needs to be a winner in the game, but that home field in game seven of the World Series aren't the stakes. Home field in the WS, by the way, should go to the team with the best record of the league champions – not the team whose All-Star Squad won the midsummer classic. And no, I'm not bitter because I'm in a National League city. Really.

2. Switch the format to USA against the World. It's already the method used in the Futures Game; since we've already decided not to play for home field in the World Series, why not play up the World Baseball Classic angle? And, as an added bonus, during years where the WBC is played, have the WBC championship game be played instead of the Futures Game – the night before the All-Star Game.

3. Get the rotation of teams/cities hosting the game tightened up. There's quite a few teams and cities that have yet to host the game; let them take their turn at hosting the showcase event. Phoenix, Miami, Tampa, the Mets and the Twins should get one of the next six to eight games.

4. Give the players a choice in who plays. In the last week of voting, the MLBPA circulates ballots and has the players vote – online or otherwise. If the players' selections for the teams matches the fans, great. If they don't, both players are named to the team. Let the players choose one starter and one closer for the team as well.

5. Use the DH, regardless of the venue. Call this the "Travis Hafner" rule if you will, but truth be told: in an All-Star Game, you don't want to see the pitcher batting. The AL has the designated hitter as a position; let that "position" get elected to the game and allow the NL manager to use any one of his non-starters to play DH.

6. Forget the "each team needs a rep" rule – except the host team. As much as this rule aids in the sales of All-Star Game merchandise, it doesn't do anything for the managers who are trying to win a ballgame. Realistically: would it be better to have a guy like Travis Hafner, who's playing lights-out as the Indians DH, or Mark Redman of the Royals – who has a whopping 5.35 ERA with a 6-4 record? The only part of this rule that should remain intact is the home team; the home crowd needs someone to cheer on, regardless of how few players may be deserving from their squad.

7. Tighten up the rosters – you don't need 35-36 guys on the team. Since we've guaranteed that only the best of the best will be there, you don't need to have 35 players on the squad. Cut it back to 30, maybe 32 if there are injuries.

8. Allow for two position players to return to the game after the eighth inning. One spot can be reserved for the catcher, while the other can be for a PH or DH. Imagine that it's late in the game, and a team is ahead in the game by a couple of runs. All of a sudden, in a Kirk-Gibson-like manner, the big star who was already pulled from the game earlier comes back to pinch hit. Boom, game winning homer, we all go home happy.

9. Extend the All-Star Break by a day. Play the game on Wednesday evening, and allow the Futures Game to have its own full day on its own (Monday night), followed by the Home Run Derby. The Celebrity Softball game can be put in the Futures Game slot on Sunday afternoon. Don't schedule any games on Thursday, and mandate that no game can begin earlier than 5:00 PM local time on Friday night.

10. Make sure the Home Run Derby has the home run hitters. Have the four leaders in HR in each league – whether or not they are All-Stars or not – appear in the HR Derby. Then, include the player with the next highest HR total from each league that is on the AS roster in the competition.