Gresh & Zo: Blame Bud Selig For Wainwright, Jeter All-Star Game Controversy
BOSTON (CBS) - In case you've been living under a rock, Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic was the final one for Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.
Jeter batted lead off, went 2-for-2 and scored the game's first run to help give the American League a 5-3 win over the National League, making it two straight now for the AL.
However, his first at-bat has drawn the attention of fans everywhere after Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright admitted to giving Jeter "a couple pipe shots" and "grooving" a fastball right over the plate for the Future Hall of Famer to hit.
Watch the video and see for yourself:
No big deal, right? Wrong.
If the All-Star Game didn't decide home-field advantage in the World Series, and it was truly just an exhibition like it was in the past, then Adam Wainwright's moment with Derek Jeter in the first inning Tuesday night would have been something special, not controversial.
You can blame commissioner Bud Selig for that.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Gresh & Zolak began their show Wednesday discussing the MLB All-Star Game and how Selig ruined it.
"The real issue here is that, Uncle Bud (Bud Selig) is trying to force something down our throats with this game that no one wants," said Gresh. "And that quite honestly, that no one cares about."
Ever since the 2003 season, Major League Baseball decided to make a change to their All-Star Game format. They started using the expression "The MLB All-Star Game: This One Counts." Ever since 2003, whichever league won the All-Star Game, that league would have home-field advantage in the World Series.
"It's a shame that home-field advantage is decided on that game, it really is," said Zolak. "The only reason why I really would have watched last night was because Jeter was in it. And I wanted to see the spectacle that it was going to be: the pregame, the build-up, the first at-bat, how he would take the field, who was going to say what, and if he would have gotten choked up or not. The reason that I watched last night was because of number 2. And he owned the night."
The MLB is the only sport between football, hockey, and basketball that has a format in which the All-Star Game impacts the regular season or postseason in a serious manner.
Listen below for the full discussion:
Blame Bud Selig For Wainwright, Jeter All-Star Game Controversy
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