On Tuesday night, the league put a bow in their star-studded, mid-summer classic, with the National League coming out victorious for the first time since 2012 in the all-star game.
I’m not sure about you, but after watching the game last night, it dawned on me how much better this version of an all-star game is compared to the likes of the National Football League or the NBA.
It’s just simply better. In fact, miles better – It’s not even close.
The game is played at 100% by the players. There is no jogging up the court at a quarter speed; there is no tag in substitute for a tackle like the NFL does. It’s the actual sport being played by the game’s brightest stars at the highest level.
Without question, the quality of the sport remains intact during the big game. If the biggest complaint following the game is what jerseys the players are wearing on the field, we are in a good spot then.
Now, don’t get me wrong. The players most definitely have fun, as they should, but at the same time, they are completely engaged as well.
Pitchers are tossing their best stuff, and the hitters are looking to crush it. It’s competitive. It’s entertaining. It’s exactly what it should be.
Bottom line, we give Rob Manfred and his rule changes a lot of grief over a multitude of different things – but give him a slight pat on the back for this – his league should be the shining example of how to conduct the star-studded event.