There was a time, before national television and interleague play, when baseball’s All-Star Game was the highlight of the summer, the next best thing to the playoffs.
That time has passed, of course, with the idea of giving home-field advantage to the winning league offering little additional incentive and the possibility of extra innings putting unnecessary wear on some of the game’s best pitchers.
Now, there’s an easy solution to fix that problem: draft the bullpen from the last-place team in each league and name nine pitchers to each roster. Each All-Star pitches an inning, and in the case of injury or extra innings, the relief bullpen takes over.
Managers would be confident their aces would only get a little extra work, while the last-place bullpen would get a few days at the All-Star Game to hang out. And Bud Selig wouldn’t have to make any embarrassing on-the-fly decisions.
In any case, baseball’s All-Star Game is no longer the best in professional sports. Where does it rank among the five major professional sports, with MLS joining the four obvious ones? That’s Tuesday’s Top Five.
5. NFL — Putting the Pro Bowl last is kind of a no-brainer. Who wants to tackle a 225-pound running back, or worse, be tackled by a 250-pound linebacker, when you’re ostensibly on vacation in Hawaii? Professional football is not a game that lends itself to exhibitions.
4. NHL — Sure, it’s fun to see a team score 10 goals, but hockey, like football, is about emotional and physical commitment, which is lacking in an All-Star Game. And hockey just isn’t hockey at its best without a hit — or 30.
3. MLB — The Midsummer Classic may not be as classic as it used to be, but it’s still one of the more anticipated events of the summer, and can still provide a stage for some heart-in-throat drama. Now, about that tie in 2002…
2. MLS — By pitting an MLS All-Star team against a major foreign club, the format puts pride on the line for the MLS players and usually gives fans a look at a few great players. This year’s opponent, English club Everton, even features American Tim Howard in goal.
1. NBA — Basketball played without defense may not be real basketball, but it sure is fun to watch. The moves and dunks NBA players are capable of pulling off are always worth the price of admission, and the All-Star Game is a great platform to show off.
The show off the court, where celebrities strut their stuff like it’s a title fight or the Oscars, is only slightly less entertaining.
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at 829-8947 or 
