The All-Star waiting game continues for D.C.

Last Wednesday, new Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred visited the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy and was quite vague when asked about the chances of an All-Star Game ending up in the nation's capital.

"We're going to make some announcements about All-Star games in the relatively near future and I won't go beyond that," Manfred said.

On Tuesday night, the Miami Herald reported that the 2017 All-Star Game will be played at Marlins Park, officially confirming the Nationals will have to wait at least another year. Back in December, former commissioner Bud Selig announced the San Diego Padres were awarded the 2016 game. This year's Midsummer Classic will be played at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. With Tuesday's report, this means a National League city will host three consecutive All-Star games. Washington will be on a short list for a chance to showcase the city and Nationals Park in 2018. But will Major League Baseball place the game in a National League ballpark for a fourth straight year?

What's most difficult to accept or understand about Miami being awarded the game before D.C., is that Marlins Park opened in 2012, four years after the first baseball was thrown at Nationals Park. However, Miami has never hosted the All-Star Game since the franchise began playing in South Florida in 1993. Major League Baseball previously reversed its decision to award the 2000 game to the Marlins after disappointment with how ownership destroyed the 1997 World Series championship roster.

The Mets played their first game at new Citi Field in 2009 and the ballpark hosted the All-Star Game five seasons later. Last year's game was played at Target Field, five years after the Twins celebrated that stadium's opening.

So the Nationals remain on the waiting list, along with Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field, Yankee Stadium and Philadelphia's Citizen Bank Park as the only MLB venues that haven't been awarded All-Star games.

It's obvious to anyone who's visited Nationals Park that the surrounding area still lacks in the hospitality department. There are still few options for hotels, restaurants and bars within blocks of the ballpark. It's possible this has slowed the process. Though many doubts were squashed last month when the ballpark and the neighborhood hosted the NHL's Winter Classic, a major event that was received with spectacular reviews.

Potentially, the Nats may have to compete with the Orioles for the 2018 All-Star game. It was last played at Camden Yards in 1993. There's been some concern that this leaves the possibility for one of the franchises to be sent to the back of the line because of the close proximity of the two ballparks. Manfred tried to settle this issue during last week's visit to D.C., as well.

"I think the All-Star Game is a unique event and we think of Baltimore and Washington as separate franchises, separate cities and I don't think having an All-Star Game in one would be a disqualifying or hindering factor for the other," Manfred said.

It's been 46 years since the Washington Senators hosted the Midsummer Classic at RFK Stadium. They were represented by first baseman Frank Howard and left-handed pitcher Darold Knowles. Howard clubbed a home run in a losing effort as the National League won 9-3. Click here for a box score from the game. Check out some of the legends of the game that participated: Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Steve Carlton, Bob Gibson, Pete Rose, Carl Yastrzemski, Willie McCovey ... wow.

Maybe 2018?