The MLB All Star Game began nearly 80 years ago in 1933, from which time every year MLB takes a short break from the long season, baseball scoreboards go blank across the country for three days, and the great game and its most successful players are celebrated.

There has been a lot of debate regarding the timing of the All Star Game. By holding the game in the middle of the season, we are completely neglecting the entire second half of the MLB season.

There is no official guidance provided by the MLB regarding how the All Star selection is made, so people have to make their own conclusions. Players, managers and fans look at who has made a great start to the season, and then just go from there.
More often than not, MVPs are selected based upon the player performance in the latter stages of the season, the autumn stretch in which everything is decided.

So as things are now, a player can have an incredible first three months of the season, be named an All Star, then potentially not play a single game for his team for the rest of the season due to an injury. Whilst this would be an unusual scenario, it is certainly plausible.

On the other side of the coin, a player could have an average first half of the season, and then be utterly dominant in the second half.
This scenario did in fact occur as recently as 2007. Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies had a good first half of the season, but was not good enough to be worthy of an All Star place, but he improved dramatically in the second half and was the eventual winner of the MVP award. The scoreboard was incredible: he became the first ever player to collect so many 20’s – 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 20 doubles and 20 triples. He also managed to amass more than 200 hits.

Logistically, the game needs to be held at the conclusion of the playoffs, as this would allow the All Star team to represent the players that have had the best season in each league. However, as already mentioned, the mid-summer classic is a baseball tradition that goes back several generations, and the symbolic midpoint of the season gives the players and fans a perfect break from the long grind of the seemingly endless season.

Not too long ago the All Star Game was just an exhibition game with no meaning. However, the MLB has now made the game significant by giving the winner home field advantage for the World Series. When we consider the historical roots of the All Star game, and these recent changes to the rules, then it does not look like any major changes are going to be made any time soon, and the popularity contest shall endure just as it is despite its inherent weaknesses.