Hall of Famer CC Sabathia reveals one rule every player hated

In addition to the All-Star game itself, which ended in a historic Home Run swing-off this year, Mastercard sponsored the Stand Up to Cancer tribute, invited the local winner of their small-business competition to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and hosted the first Kids4Tech event in Atlanta.

Sabathia loves being a part of these priceless moments. However, when I asked Sabathia if he missed having the winner of the All-Star Game determine which team has homefield advantage in the World Series, he didn't hold back.

"No. Absolutely, not," the six-time All-Star answered. "I don’t think any player ever really wanted that to be a thing."

"After the tie in Milwaukee, I think the commissioner’s office was not really happy about that and kinda put that rule in. But I don’t think any player ever wanted that to be a thing where the All-Star game determines home field advantage.

"You play 162 games, you play a long playoff schedule. The best team should have home field advantage," Sabathia concluded.

As stated by MLB.com, "From 2003-16, World Series homefield advantage was given to the team from the league that won that year’s All-Star Game, a rule that was installed after a 7-7 tie in the 2002 Midsummer Classic.

And for the previous 98 editions of the World Series, homefield advantage simply alternated between the AL and NL depending on whether it was an odd or an even year.