10-0-1 and home field advantage

The American League still hasn't lost an All-Star Game since 1996. It doesn't bother me that the AL has been the victor in this game for so long. As a fan from an AL city, watching this game as a kid was rough because the NL always won (11 in a row from 1972-1982 and 14 of 16 from '72-'87, excluding '83 and '86). The National League still leads the all time All-Star Game series 40-36-2. Next year's game is at Yankee Stadium in New York.

The AL barely held on for a 5-4 win in this year's game, played in San Francisco, which ended just a few minutes ago.

Japan's own Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners won the Ted Williams MVP Award, going 3 for 3 including the first ever inside-the-park home run in the 78^th edition of this summer classic.

Home field advantage in the 2007 World Series will again go to the American League, as winner of the All-Star Game. Home field advantage in the World Series has been awarded to the winner of this game since 2003. This is also something I don't mind because I think it changes the way the game is played and managed if there is something at stake in the outcome.

The players are forced to take the game more seriously and the managers actually have to use strategy in order to win. Prior to and especially including the tie in Milwaukee in 2002, the managers would just try and get everyone into the game and the outcome was secondary. Now it matters. I think that's a good thing for baseball and especially the fans who pay the players salaries...

Did any of you watch the game?