Major League Baseball's National League and American League champions have played in the World Series annually since 1903, although the 1904 Series wasn't played because of feuding between the leagues and the 1994 Series was canceled because of an owners vs. players dispute. The World Series begins in October and ends in November. The event's name hasn't changed, although many nations outside the United States now play baseball, and Toronto has the only major-league team outside the United States.
Sites
The World Series is a best-of-seven event. The first team to win four games is the champion. The World Series, unlike football's Super Bowl, is played in the cities of the National and American league champions. For decades, home-field advantage alternated. Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 were played in the city of the National League champion one year and in the city of the American League champion the next year. The rules changed in 2003, because Major League Baseball wanted to make the All-Star Game more meaningful after the National and American League all-star teams settled for a tie in 2002. Since 2003, the team in the league that won the All-Star Game that season has had home-field advantage. A team with an 82-80 regular-season record can have home-field advantage over a team that was 120-42.
Rosters
The World Series has different rules about rosters than regular-season games. During the season, teams often substitute minor-league pitchers for major leaguers with tired arms for one game. However, only players on a team's roster on Sept. 1 can play in the World Series, and teams have to select the 25 players eligible for the World Series before Game 1. The only exception is when the baseball commissioner allows a substitute for an injured player. In 1973, Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley declared Mike Andrews injured after his two errors were crucial in a Game 2 loss, but commissioner Bowie Kuhn refused to allow a player to replace Andrews.
Designated Hitters
Since 1973, American League teams have used players who don't play the field as hitters instead of pitchers during the regular season. Designated hitters weren't used in the 1973 through 1975 World Series, were used in even years from 1976 through 1985 and since 1986 have been used in American League cities. The rules give American League teams an advantage at home because National League designated hitters or the players replacing them in the field were substitutes, while National League teams have a home advantage because American League teams often can't play an excellent hitter or must use a weak defensive player in the field.
Umpires
Regular-season and World Series games have the same rules, but World Series games have two extra umpires to improve the chances of accuracy. The extra umpires stand near the left- and right-field foul lines and can help the home-plate, first-base, second-base and third-base umpires. Since 2008, umpires in all games have been allowed to use videotape replay to determine whether a hit was a home run. In 2009, the World Series umpires changed Alex Rodriguez's double into a home run.
References
- Encyclopedia Britannica Macropedia Vol. 14; 2002
- Baseball Almanac: World Series History
- Major League Baseball: World Series
- "All Bat, No Glove: A History of the Designated Hitter"; Richard McKelvey; 2004
- Mets Today: Postseason Roster
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