HR Derby/All-Star Game

[wildcat83]

I’m taking Gunnar Henderson in the derby.

 

MLB go low budget on the anthem?  That didn’t sound good at all.

[wiguy94]

Well this HR Derby will forever be memorable and it hasn't even started yet. One of the worst anthems I've ever hear.

 

[brewerfan82]

Just now, wildcat83 said:

MLB go low budget on the anthem?  That didn’t sound good at all.

Came here to see if anyone else had thoughts on that, lol.

Agree.

[Invader3K]

Just here to complain that I have ESPN+, but not ESPN proper, and there is apparently no way to watch otherwise. 

[wildcat83]

Think the custom bats are a cool idea, similar to the NFL cleats game.

[liveforoctober]

I feel terrible because I know the girl who sang it and she is a really good and really funny person. I have no idea what happened... she obviously couldn't hear herself for one.. but maybe sick or on meds or something? She seemed out of it. I feel so bad for her.

[TURBO]

I can not pinpoint why, but I have lost interest in the home run derby.  

It's just "meh" to me these days.

[wiguy94]

4 minutes ago, TURBO said:

I can not pinpoint why, but I have lost interest in the home run derby.  

It's just "meh" to me these days.

I just am not a fan of the time limit format. People didn't fall in love with the HR Derby because hitters were spamming 15-20 HR in a span of 3 minutes, they fell in love with it watching guys hit majestic moonshots where you can sit and watch the glory of said moonshot. Now it's a split screen because it's so rapid fire and the rapid fire nature means you're getting fewer moonshots. Also think the HR Derby was more fun when the guys participating were gigantic humans. 

[wildcat83]

I agree the time format makes it harder to watch.  The bonus round is the most TV friendly swings.  A few of the biggest superstars sitting it out doesn’t help either.

[Jimbo]

I think the last time I watched the HR derby was when Burnitz dropped the s-bomb.

 

[Playing Catch]

My buddy had an extra HR Derby ticket in the Target Field luxury boxes behind home plate the year Minnesota hosted. It was a novelty, and fun. But the night will burn in my memory forever because of a social foible.

Walking into the park that night, I saw Frank Thomas doing some kind of "pregame" spot on TV for the derby.

Later, after having a couple drinks in the box, I went to the restroom and walked right into Bud Selig and Frank Robinson, and I say, "Nice to meet you Mr. Thomas." He looked at me kinda funny and kept walking when I realized my mistake. I felt so stupid.

[Brian]

2 hours ago, Jimbo said:

I think the last time I watched the HR derby was when Burnitz dropped the s-bomb.

 

I am the same way, I watch it for about 5 minutes and have to turn the channel. 

[owbc]

I watch almost every year. This one wasn't particularly memorable other than the national anthem, a perfect fit for that sterile and generic ballpark in Arlington. Everybody disagrees on what the proper format should be. I thought the bonus round change was a really good one, there are pros and cons to both timed and untimed formats so I like having both.

If I have to critique, I would say find a way to (1) make it more fun and (2) give us more monster dongs. Some of these guys were trying too hard or only swinging at 75-80% to save energy. I would give huge bonuses for 450+ ft home runs, that's what we really want see and Ozuna was the only one who was trying to hit the monster bombs. 

Also, MLB, please, please, please cancel the ASG in 2028 and have the big leaguers in the Olympics instead. 

[Stealofhome]

23 minutes ago, owbc said:

 I would give huge bonuses for 450+ ft home runs, that's what we really want see and Ozuna was the only one who was trying to hit the monster bombs. 

That's what I was thinking, too. Perhaps there's a way to add in points for distances over 450 feet which would make a balance between hitting a lot and hitting a few very long. Or perhaps only count HR over a certain distance. Something like that could incentivize the longer home runs.

[treego14]

HR Derby is an incredible bore!

How about some baserunning, bunting, fielding, directional hitting to the outfield, pitching, throwing contests, AND a much more shortened power contest?

MLB is very stale with this.  

[SeaBass]

Official petition to change the HR Derby to a Slam Dunk contest, except with MLB players obviously.

[pitchleague]

4 minutes ago, treego14 said:

HR Derby is an incredible bore!

How about some baserunning, bunting, fielding, directional hitting to the outfield, pitching, throwing contests, AND a much more shortened power contest?

MLB is very stale with this.  

Outfielders throwing balls to the plate, trying to get them into a bucket like the old Tom Emansky videos?  There’s probably a bunch of stuff they could do but throwing and running contests could create injuries, unfortunately.

too bad, because an NFL pro bowl type series of contests that are just “fun” could be a big hit for fans

[treego14]

1 hour ago, pitchleague said:

There’s probably a bunch of stuff they could do but throwing and running contests could create injuries, unfortunately.

Of course as Jonathan Lucroy could attest, injuries can happen in all kinds of bizarre ways even off the field:  https://search.brave.com/search?q=jonathan+lucroy+injury+with+suitcase&source=web

[wiguy94]

Looks like the anthem singer was drunk last night and is checking herself into a rehab facility.

 

[Thurston Fluff]

It's hard to imagine messing up the national anthem so bad that you need to check yourself into rehab afterward. Hope she gets the help she needs.

[SeaBass]

Honestly, the folks that perform the anthem well and competently are rarely remembered. Whitney Houston and Jimi Hendrix are probably the biggest standouts among the greats.

Ingrid Andress will be remembered for a long time because of this performance. That can't be all bad, can it?

[liveforoctober]

Inga is a good person and is really funny and genuine. I feel terrible for her as she won't live this down. I hope she gets the help she needs :( As soon as I watched the video I knew there was substance of some kind involved... she wasn't right.

Brutal night :(

[Pugger]

Is there a batting order for tonight's All-Star game?  I am only going to watch as long as Contreras and Yeli are in it.

[wiguy94]

12 minutes ago, Pugger said:

Is there a batting order for tonight's All-Star game?  I am only going to watch as long as Contreras and Yeli are in it.

Contreras and Yelich are hitting 5th and 6th

[Jopal78]

6 hours ago, owbc said:

and (2) give us more monster dongs.