All Star Game: "Root, Root, Root for the N-L..."

'Cause if they don't win we lose homefield advantage in the World Series.
(Yeah, it doesn't exactly fit the melody to 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame', but you get the idea.)

By Ryan Bramwell

So, tonight is the 2012 All-Star Game in Kansas City.  Your Cincinnati Reds are represented by Aroldis Chapman, Jay Bruce, and of course, Joey Votto.  Chances are, we will get to see them all play in the game tonight.  Joey has been granted the cleanup spot in the batting order for the NL, which is quite an honor in itself.

The fans are going to demand to see The Cuban Missile and LaRussa would be dumb dumber than usual not to make that happen at some point in the game.  I'm sure he'll try to use him in a lefty-on-lefty situation. But we all know that Aroldis gets lefties and righties out at nearly the same clip; actually, he's been even more damaging against right-handers.  "Wait, what," you say?  Let's back up that information with good ol' statistics shall we?  Chapman has pitched a total of 39.1 innings this season.  13.1 of those innings have come against left-handed batters who have batted .128 against the Cuban defector (47 at bats).  The other 26 innings have been against right-handers, of course, and they have batted .124 against the Missile (89 at bats).  Obviously, due to the substantial batter difference in right vs. left (89/47) there are going to be some statistical categories that don't necessarily go with my theory.  For instance, only one extra base hit (a double) was hit by left-handers against Chapman, while seven were hit by right-handers, including three home runs.  But here is a fun stat no matter how you slice: 28 K's vs 47 left-handed at bats, 43 K's vs. 89 right-handed at-bats. That is 71 K's in 136 AB's.  More than half (52.2%) the batters who have stepped in the box to face Chapman have struck out.

Bruce might be the odd man out.  I really hope he gets at least one at-bat.  And if he does, I really hope he makes it count.  After all, although we all love Jay, he is the least deserving Red to make the team.  Sorry, Jay.  But Phillips or Cueto should have made the cut before Bruce did.  Either way, we are happy for Jay and wish him the best in tonight's game.  I think a spot on the Home Run Derby roster would have been more fitting for Jay, in my opinion.

Lastly, and most importantly, is what the All-Star game decides.  It decides homefield advantage for the teams who make it to the World Series.  When I was young I used to really think it meant something that the MLB's game of stars actually had a purpose over just being a spectacle.  I think last year was a major calling to all those who really appreciate the game and just how important homefield advantage can be.  The Texas Rangers had a better record than the St. Louis Cardinals and also had one of the rowdiest home crowds to boot.   But the NL won the ASG and the Cardinals had undeservedly won homefield advantage and eventually took the Series.  Shucks to that. But that is still the case for this year's ASG, so be sure to root for the National League for the sake of our playoff-bound Redlegs.

What's your take on this matter?  Should the ASG determine homefield advantage in the most important series of the entire season?  Should fan votes count for anything at all?  Should managers be able to pick the pitchers?  What do you like most about the All Star Weekend, and what about it do you like least?