Major League Baseball changed the rule that gave World Series home-field advantage to the league that wins the All-Star Game.
Now, four home games go to team that earned the better regular-season record, according to the Associated Press. Under the new rules a wild-card team could conceivably end up with home-field advantage even against a division winner.
The rules change has not been formally announced but the news leaked to the AP from an MLB insider present at the Irving, Texas, meeting. Originally, World Series home-field advantage rotated between the leagues, but in 2002 Commissioner Bud Selig launched its “This Time It Counts” campaign, which awarded the advantage to the All-Star Game winner.
At the time, Selig and MLB officials felt that the rule would foster more competition for a meaningless, at least up until that point, game. In addition to the advantage change, it appears that the teams will play for a new pool of money for the All-Star Game.
Other rule changes include reducing player’s time on the disabled list to 10 days from the current 15. This change gives management a smaller window to decide on roster replacements. The league also discussed provisions for games in other countries, with bouts in Asia, Mexico, Britain, and other Latin American countries considered. In addition, a July 3 game between Atlanta and Miami at a special stadium in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was planned.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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