If you were among those still awake at almost 2 a.m. Wednesday when the All-Star Game finally ended, you can fully appreciate how close the game came to a total meltdown. Too bad, too, because it had truly been a spectacular evening of pomp, ceremony and nostalgia. But something has to be done before some pitcher’s career is ruined over this midsummer exhibition game.

Scott Kazmir of the Rays was pressed into duty in the 15th inning, despite the request by the club that he not pitch unless absolutely necessary - which, unfortunately, it was. He only threw 14 pitches and one inning, but what if the game had gone on? He had told Manager Terry Francona he could go out for the 16th, if it had come to that. No doubt that would have made Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman lose even more sleep at the thought of exposing his No. 1 starter to another inning of work just two days after he threw more than 100 pitches at Cleveland. Kazmir, remember, basically lost the second half of the season a couple of years ago after being warmed up too much at the All-Star Game.

“It wasn’t an ideal situation but at least he only went one inning,” Friedman said.

It put Francona in a hopeless bind. If he over-pitches Kazmir, he gets accused of deliberately hurting a division rival. If he doesn’t, he risks losing home field advantage in the Series.

It also wasn’t an ideal situation for Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge, who warmed up SIX times before finally entering the game in the bottom of the 15th. He surrendered the winning run - and received thanks from a grateful nation in the process. If the game had gone another inning, Mets third baseman David Wright was likely going to the mound. What if Lidge now develops the same problem that Kazmir did though? When does the risk to these expensive arms become too much to justify Commissioner Bud Selig’s edict that the winner of this game gets home field advantage in the World Series?

Selig came up with that idea after the 2002 game in Milwaukee ended in a tie when both teams ran out of pitchers. Managers now try to hold pitchers back for emergencies like a 15-inning game, but even that plan isn’t foolproof - as we just saw.

There are a few alternatives, as I see it:

1. Managers need to get over the notion of trying to get every player into the game. They plan their substitutes for a 9-inning game but when it runs longer they get stuck. This isn’t Little League; everybody doesn’t have to play. Being selected an All-Star is honor enough.

2. Stop stockpiling their staffs with so many closers. Those guys generally pitch only one inning, which can mean you’ll run out of pitchers in a long game. I’m not sure it would be much better exposing starters to 2-3 innings work in an exhibition game would be much of a solution either, but they’re better equipped than closers to go longer if necessary. Or, open up the roster to middle relievers like J.P. Howell. They’re used to long relief and would still have a day or two to recover before their regular season began anew.

Or, you could just say that any starter (like Kazmir) who pitches on Sunday won’t be used in the game and bring in the next guy on the list. Kazmir could have still participated in the festivities, but it would take the manager off the hook for the kind of choice Francona had to make.

3. Just say up front that the game will end after nine innings. If it’s tied, come up with a shootout format - maybe a home-run derby with one guy from each time (say, Josh Hamilton vs. Albert Pujols, or something like that). Five swings, like a shootout in college. If it’s still tied, go to sudden death.

Of course that’s corny. So is the idea of having home field advantage in the World Series hinge on the outcome of an exhbition game where David Wright is the pitcher of decision.