It's been long expected within baseball circles that the Mets and Citi Field will be awarded the '13 MLB All-Star Game, and Commissioner Bud Selig gave perhaps his strongest indication yet that will happen. "I'd say their chances look pretty good," Selig said regarding the Mets and the '13 All-Star Game, smiling broadly (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal). On Long Island, Ken Davidoff notes next year's All-Star Game will be at Kauffman Stadium, and after the presumed Citi Field event in '13, the '14 game "is expected to be at Target Field." Future host candidates after '14 include Nationals Park, the new Marlins ballpark, Great American Ball Park and Petco Park (NEWSDAY, 7/13). In Minneapolis, La Velle Neal III notes the Twins are "eyeing the 2014 All-Star Game for Target Field and remain in contact with the league." It appears the Twins "have a good shot to land the event that year." Even though '14 would be an AL team's turn to host the event, the Cubs "have expressed interest in being host of the 2014 game because it will be the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/13).
CHANGE WILL DO YOU GOOD: In Phoenix, Paola Boivin writes the festivities surrounding this year's All-Star Game at Chase Field "were fun but flawed." Boivin presents "some ways to put the class back in Classic, the Midsummer version." MLB should "shorten the Home Run Derby," which lasted more than three hours on Monday night, and should "consider moving the All-Star Game to Wednesday." Also, "don't allow home-field advantage for the World Series to be at stake anymore." Boivin adds, "Find a way to encourage All-Star selections to show up. ... Don't let story lines like realignment become a distraction" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/13). In Miami, Greg Cote writes sports "should continue to name all-stars, though following a season, not in its midst." Cote: "You knew the baseball All-Star Game was in trouble when they introduced the bells and whistles such as, beginning in 1985, the Home Run Derby. ... The Home Run Derby is to baseball what the kazoo is to music. That the fading Midsummer Classic would festoon itself thusly is fitting. Only by comparison does baseball’s all-star presentation not sag completely" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/13).
