This HR setup is no worse than the previous setup. It's just for fun anyway. Also, a lot of the "odd" choices in the HR derby are because guys like Arod refused the invitation. It's not baseball's fault. They can't force these guys to participate.
Maine has a good swing for a pitcher but on anything that moves, he has no chance. And if it's a fastball, it has to be up in the zone. Basically, the pitcher has to hit his bat. - Mike Pelfrey
Amazinz wrote:This HR setup is no worse than the previous setup. It's just for fun anyway. Also, a lot of the "odd" choices in the HR derby are because guys like Arod refused the invitation. It's not baseball's fault. They can't force these guys to participate.
or can they...
no, no, wait, they can't. this new format sounds too complicated to me, if anyone actually cared about it, the results would have controversy written all over them. complaints left and right, which may be why they put guys in it that people don't care as much about...that would be the most pathetic conspiracy ever
Yeah, the HR Derby has become just like any other All-Star activity in every other sport:
Everyone wants to go; no one wants to play.
Players love the accolades, but to actually participate in the game (even though it supposedly "means something" ) is something they don't want to do. They don't want to get hurt, they don't get paid for it (unless they have stipulations in a contract, and even then it isn't a whole lot), and there's no appeal to the actual game outside of baseball purists.
The HR derby used to be cool back in the old days, like the ones they show on ESPN Classic. Of course, those guys got paid to play in that also (and back then $1,000 was a lot), but at least the best players participated.
If the players don't want to play, I suppose that's their prerogative, but it doesn't advance the sport any. The casual fans that baseball is always trying to bring back are given a bad impression of the players and game because of it.
The big-name guys should be thankful to the league for giving them those millions of dollars. Doing the HR Derby should be the least they could do to help bring attention to the game. The fans help pay their salaries, you know.
Oh, and go Jason Bay.
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I take it back. Now that I'm actually watching it, I like the competition between the different countries. It's an interesting twist on the Derby. It's not something I'd like to see every year, but it's kind of fun to see Johan Santana and Cesar Izturis getting all excited about Abreu's performance for Venezuala.
Bet the people in Canada aren't jumping and shouting for joy though
Seems like they're counting each home run as one point no matter where it goes too... I saw different on Cold Pizza this morning though.
I actually like it. I'd like to see the All-Star game move to a format like that, a USA v. the World or something like that, and bring it back to a true Exhibition for the fans to enjoy, instead of its current poor state.
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by Amazinz » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:05 pm 
) is something they don't want to do. They don't want to get hurt, they don't get paid for it (unless they have stipulations in a contract, and even then it isn't a whole lot), and there's no appeal to the actual game outside of baseball purists.
