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Washington Nationals in the 2016 MLB All-Star Game GameThread

Bryce Harper is starting, batting second and playing right for the NL. Wilson Ramos and Daniel Murphy are coming off the bench. Max Scherzer will likely pitch. Stephen Strasburg is just there to be there. Who's watching the Nationals in the 2016 ASG?

By Patrick Reddington
Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Nationals' right fielder Bryce Harper, who's starting in his third All-Star Game, and appearing in his fourth, is not one to keep his opinions to himself. So, for example, when he talked about home field advantage in the World Series being decided in the All-Star Game (which is ridiculous), here's what he told the MLB Network hosts he was talking to at the time..

"I think the best record in baseball should have home field advantage, no matter what. Best record. I don't think this game should mean anything..." -Bryce Harper on the All-Star Game deciding home field advantage in the World Series

"I gotta say, I think the best record in baseball should have home field advantage, no matter what. Best record. I don't think this game should mean anything, it's just coming out here, having fun, enjoying the game.

"Best record in baseball, hey you guys got it, here we go."

Since home field is, unfortunately, decided in the All-Star Game, however, Harper said you have to go in trying to win it in case you do make it to the World Series.

"You have to go in trying to win this game for that reason... Game 7 or anything in the World Series having home field advantage is huge. So going into this game you have to, as a team, know, 'Hey, we've got to win this game tonight because we have a possibility of being in the World Series or something like that, and we want to play at home."

New York Mets' and National League skipper Terry Collins and Kansas City Royals and American League skipper Ned Yost both talked about home field advantage in the series being decided in the Midsummer Classic when they met with reporters yesterday.

"I'll start out because I didn't have home field advantage last year and I know how important it is," Collins said.

"I think especially in our market you play in New York, I think you have a distinct advantage having home field. We saw it last year when we had to go to Kansas City.

"So I think it's important and I think when you play the game, obviously this is a showcase of the greatest players in the game.

"But you know what, deep inside they all want to win. This guy never wants to lose a game and I think it's always going to be there.

"When you put the players on the field, for me, you know what? There is one thing in mind, and that's to go out and play your best. These guys are very, very proud.

"They're very talented. So what you try to do, when you get guys on the other side, they're very good. But we plan on going out and playing the game to win because I think it's important to have home field."

"I completely agree with Terry," Yost added.

"It's vitally important. We've got a room full of tremendously talented players and if we win this game it's going to affect somebody or somebodies in that room because home field advantage is huge. It's huge for us in Kansas City.

"It's going to be huge for, you know, whoever gets to the World Series this year. So for me, the most important aspect of your question is we want to win the game. That's the most important thing. I will do everything I can to get guys in the game, but we want to win that game."

Here are the lineups that will try to secure home field advantage for their respective divisions until Major League Baseball changes its mind about having the All-Star Game decide it:

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