On the day Derek Jeter was slammed in the right hand by a Pedro Martinez purpose pitch, the Yankees captain slammed Major League Baseball’s decision to give the winning league in this year’s All-Star Game home-field advantage in the 2003 World Series.
“It’s a terrible idea,” Jeter said before yesterday’s 2-1 win over the Red Sox, in which he suffered a bruised right hand after being hit in the first inning.
Jeter offered the best solution for deciding home-field advantage for the Series.
“It should be the team with the best record,” he said, using a common-sense approach to the dilemma.
Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra agreed with Jeter, saying that an “exhibition game” should not determine home-field advantage for the World Series.
Before the new system came into place for this year’s game, home-field advantage would alternate every year between the National and American leagues.
This year would have been the NL’s turn, so Jeter did admit the new system is better in one respect: the AL (possibly the Yankees) has the chance to gain home-field advantage this season with a win in the All-Star Game.
“Some special things have happened here in the postseason,” Jeter said of Yankee Stadium. “It’s important to have that home-field advantage.”
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