What's the big deal with the MLB All-Star Game?

I get so sick of hearing that the Major League Baseball All-Star Game is the nest All-Star game in professional sports. I was hearing this crap before MLB's rule that whichever league get the All-Star game gets home field advantage in the World Series. I guess some pundits (who obviously have baseball as their favorite sport) think because it's a more normal game that players take it more seriously.

Well anything is better than the Pro-Bowl and I don't know much about the NHL All-Star Game. (nor do I want to) So we'll just compare the MLB All-Star Game to the NBA All-Star Game. Why do so many say the baseball all star game is better? Because it's a more normal game. Because it matters. (especially now because of the home field rule) Because the basketball all star game is an exhibition game. Because the NBA All Stars don't play defense.

Let me be clear. The NBA All-Star Game is much better than the MLB All-Star Game. The NBA All-Star game showcases the talent of the All-Star players. The MLB does not showcase the talent of its' players nearly as much. The pitchers get to show off for a couple of innings at the most. The hitters only get one or two at bats and they can be very un-eventful. The game looks like a normal game except there are mass substitutions. The NBA All-Star Game is a free flowing up tempo game with flare and style. It's much more entertaining than your typical regular season basketball game. So what if it's an exhibition game? So what if there's not as much defensive intensity? (they do play defense...just not at a high-level) Why does that make it worse? The talent shines in an NBA All-Star game NOT nearly as much in the MLB All-Star game.

Even without the NBA vs. MLB All-Star game debate. I will never take the MLB All-Star Game seriously as long as they have the winning-league-gets-home-field-advantage-in-the-World Series rule. It's such a knee-jerk reaction. Can you imagine if the NBA did that? The East won the game this past year which means the Celtics would have had home-court advantage without earning it. They probably would have won if they had game 7 on their court. The All Star game would have decided the eventual champion and that's never a good thing.

I also won't take the baseball All-Star game seriously as long as they have this stupid every-team-has-to-have-an-all-star-pick rule. The Pro-Bowl doesn't do that and that game has more roster spots. It totally taints the process. I still watch the MLB All-Star game. It just doesn't excite me that much anymore.