Felger & Mazz: How would you change the MLB All-Star Game?
The 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game set another low for viewership earlier this week. While talking about the low rating on Thursday’s Felger and Mazz, Mazz posed the question to Joe Murray and Matt McCarthy….how would you change the All-Star Game to make it more watchable?
How Would Joe Murray and Matt McCarthy change the All-Star Game?
Mazz: So here’s the question: What would you do to change it?
Joe Murray: So Matt had a good one yesterday, but I would I’d remove replay. Just remove replay. It’s an exhibition game. If it was a home run and they called it a home run on the field just let it go. Don’t look to see if it was fair or foul, that’d be one. And then the uniforms. Have the guys wear their regular uniforms so you can identify who they are. It’s hard to identify who they are when they’re wearing the National League and American League uniforms.
Mazz: So I know a lot of people bitching about the uniforms, which this year was a complete travesty. So, I mean that changes the asthetic, I’m not sure it gets people to watch.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 11: Elias Díaz #35 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates with Nick Castellanos #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies after hitting a home run in the eight inning during the 93rd MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at T-Mobile Park on July 11, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Mazz: Go ahead Matt.
Matt McCarthy: So real quick on the uniforms, if the All-Star Game is about marketing the stars, which it is, I’m sitting here watching the game the other night and I don’t know who hit that homerun. Was it Gurriel? I didn’t know that it was Diaz who hit the home run because I can’t identify the guy, because I don’t know what the uniform is. The other problem with it is late in the game, none of the actual stars are playing in the game. Here’s what you need to do, again the whole purpose of the All-Star Game is to showcase the best players in baseball, so just leave it at the starting nine. That’s it. Your National League lineup. Acuna. Freeman. Betts. Martinez. Arenado. Arauz. Murphy. Carroll. Arcia. It’s a pretty good lineup. You start bringing in everybody else and it kind of muddies it up a bit. It waters down the product. I want the starting nine to play the whole game. Those are the best of the best. Then it creates a little bit of debate about real All-Star snubs. Like who gives a rat’s ass if Alex Verdugo is an All-Star snub or not? There are guys who aren’t playing because of injuries, it doesn’t matter if you’re a reserve, I want the starting nine. Don’t replace those guys. Have two or three guys on the roster, an infielder, an outfielder, a catcher, just as a backup in case somebody gets hurt. Other than that, starting nine, you play the whole game.
Audio
Listen to Felger and Mazz from 2-6 every Monday-Friday on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with hosts Mike Felger, Tony “Mazz” Massarotti, and Jim Murray “Big Jim”. You can listen live in the Sports Hub App and subscribe to their podcasts here. Follow @FelgerAndMazz on Twitter to keep up with the show!
