# Does anyone care about the Home Run Derby? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 14, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452 "2008-07-14T16:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/1 "2008-07-14T16:37:36Z")
I know today and Wednesday are the two days where there are no major sporting events in the United States. But, does anyone really care about the Home Run Derby? ESPN has never been one to fail to hype anything, but this year is the worst I’ve ever seen it. Can’t they just show more Brett Favre coverage? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/2 "2008-07-14T18:25:55Z")
I don’t know if _care_ is the right term… doesn’t matter to me who wins… but it should be entertaining. Dingers! Dingers! And DEAR LORD OG no more Favre _need pukey smiley_ coverage; just because Green Bay has to suffer don’t inflict that on the rest of us. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/3 "2008-07-14T19:31:55Z")
The one time I watched it I found it dull. It’s batting practice. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/4 "2008-07-15T01:19:22Z")
I’m watching it with my wife. Go Justin! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/5 "2008-07-15T01:53:30Z")
I wasn’t, but I am now! Josh Hamilton! ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/6 "2008-07-15T02:22:14Z")
Quote of the night “It’s not a good night for atheists” ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/7 "2008-07-15T02:25:27Z")
Not sure I get that joke. Edit: Never mind. Wife explained. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/8 "2008-07-15T02:28:00Z")
Edit: never mind. Wrong thread. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/9 "2008-07-15T02:55:14Z")
I guess it’s not a good night for people who don’t believe in Canada either. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/10 "2008-07-15T03:23:07Z")
Uh…what is the buzz about this stupid rule of not carrying over the previous round? A dude can hit 28 dingers in one round, then 4, and then lose? I didn’t watch the derby I just followed it in text form on [ESPN.com](http://ESPN.com). I assume Hamilton was sort of worn out by the third round? What a joke! ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/11 "2008-07-15T03:26:36Z")
Well, them’s the rules they play by. I imagine they made it that way so there would be a point to the final round in cases like this one. ---
**Author:** ![Pithy\_Moniker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@Pithy\_Moniker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithy_Moniker)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/12 "2008-07-15T12:07:03Z")
[QUOTE=Hawkeyeop] Quote of the night “It’s not a good night for atheists” [/QUOTE] I think Jesus forgot that there were three rounds. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/13 "2008-07-15T14:06:02Z")
I watched it because I watch all sporting events. However, if there was ever an example of contrived drivel, that was it. I felt bad for the baseball analysts at ESPN who basically had to inflate its importance and pretend to get so into it. And the sexy blonde that had to interview Hamilton after the 1st round was pathetic. She basically assumed that this was Hamilton’s dream. Really? I’m pretty sure that he didn’t grow up dreaming that he would win the home run derby. Especially, when kids that play baseball typically dream about winning the World Series or being the batting or home run champ. Let’s just hope that Hamilton doesn’t become another David Wright or Bobby Abreu after their home run derby theatrics. A-Rod made the right decision: don’t put yourself above your team. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/14 "2008-07-15T15:23:17Z")
[QUOTE=Jackknifed Juggernaut] I watched it because I watch all sporting events. … And the sexy blonde that had to interview Hamilton after the 1st round was pathetic. [/QUOTE] So you watch all sports but don’t know who Erin Andrews is? [QUOTE=Jackknifed Juggernaut] She basically assumed that this was Hamilton’s dream. [/QUOTE] Maybe she assumed that because he said he dreamed about competing in the home run derby in Yankee Stadium. [QUOTE=Jackknifed Juggernaut] A-Rod made the right decision: don’t put yourself above your team. [/QUOTE] I hardly think that the reason Arod didn’t compete was because he is some kind of team player. He’s been in it in the past (and performed poorly). Also, how would competing in it cause any harm to the team. Hamilton was out there with 3 of his teammates who all seemed to be supporting him enthusiastically. It was a fun moment for him. He performed well and got to hear his name chanted at Yankee Stadium. It seems like another step towards his redemption. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/15 "2008-07-15T15:49:04Z")
[QUOTE=LonghornDave] So you watch all sports but don’t know who Erin Andrews is? [/quote] I’ve watched so much sports and so much ESPN for so long, I don’t keep track of all of the announcers and interviewers by name. > [@](#): > > Maybe she assumed that because he said he dreamed about competing in the home run derby in Yankee Stadium. If he really said that, I think he was fibbing and playing up the event. Did he state this just prior to the event, or has he said it in the past before he even knew that he’d be in it? Because why? There’s no reason that any kid would dream of that. It’s like me saying that I dreamed about winning the batting title in spring training. > [@](#): > > I hardly think that the reason Arod didn’t compete was because he is some kind of team player. He’s been in it in the past (and performed poorly). There’s ample evidence that the derby has screwed up the swing of many past participants. Not all of them, but many of them. > [@](#): > > Also, how would competing in it cause any harm to the team. Hamilton was out there with 3 of his teammates who all seemed to be supporting him enthusiastically. This is irrelevant. EVERYONE there was supporting him. His teammates are not going to publicly state any objection to his participation. And I think that potentially messing up your swing for a contrived exhibition event is the opposite of being a team player. The Rangers actually have an outside shot at the playoffs. Each player should be focussed on this goal. > [@](#): > > It was a fun moment for him. He performed well and got to hear his name chanted at Yankee Stadium. It seems like another step towards his redemption. That’s true and I certainly admire him for getting past his life struggles. But really, he’s already done enough in real baseball games to demonstrate this. This event was unnecessary for him. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/16 "2008-07-15T16:04:00Z")
[QUOTE=Jackknifed Juggernaut] If he really said that, I think he was fibbing and playing up the event. Did he state this just prior to the event, or has he said it in the past before he even knew that he’d be in it? Because why? There’s no reason that any kid would dream of that. It’s like me saying that I dreamed about winning the batting title in spring training. [/QUOTE] Were you watching this on mute? They mentioned the story like every five minutes. He didn’t dream it as a kid, he dreamed it as a 20 something year old drug addict. > [@](#): > > There’s ample evidence that the derby has screwed up the swing of many past participants. Not all of them, but many of them. No there isn’t. There have been a couple of isolated instances where home-run derby participants who have struggled with power in the second half. Most of it explainable by random chance. Abreu never had that much power to begin with. Wright was just as good a player in the 2nd half. > [@](#): > > This is irrelevant. EVERYONE there was supporting him. His teammates are not going to publicly state any objection to his participation. And I think that potentially messing up your swing for a contrived exhibition event is the opposite of being a team player. The Rangers actually have an outside shot at the playoffs. Each player should be focussed on this goal. So if I’m to understand your reasoning individual goals are meaningless, team goals are vitally important, and mlb goals are meaningless. Should no one participate in the all star game since it takes away from individual team goal? Players have a commitment to the sport in general and its fans in particular. Last night, Hamilton did a commendable job supporting both. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/17 "2008-07-15T16:23:09Z")
I like the HRD for what it is (which Hamilton demonstrated beautifully). I don’t like it when they try to get all analytical about it. Baseball is stuffy and stat-oriented, which is fun for most of us fans, but the HRD is pretty stupid just by its nature, and I think it’s served better by everyone reverting to being 11 and going “_WOW_” a lot. We don’t need to hear about balance or hips or any of that. (It doesn’t help that Joe Morgan makes everything sound dumber.) In fact, I was thinking last night that [Kruk & Kuip](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kruk_and_kuip) would be perfect for the HRD. They’re always obviously having fun at the yard and they’d have been giggling like little girls at Hamilton’s performance (much like my roommate and I were). ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/18 "2008-07-15T16:26:39Z")
[QUOTE=Hawkeyeop] Were you watching this on mute? They mentioned the story like every five minutes. He didn’t dream it as a kid, he dreamed it as a 20 something year old drug addict. [/quote] Yes, actually. I was on the phone making fun of the event and all of the suckers who fell for it. > [@](#): > > No there isn’t. There have been a couple of isolated instances where home-run derby participants who have struggled with power in the second half. Most of it explainable by random chance. Abreu never had that much power to begin with. Wright was just as good a player in the 2nd half. If MLB players themselves, especially one as great as A-Rod, say that their swings are affected, I can’t see how you’re in a position to dispute this. Even if it’s only psychological, it does impact the second half of the season. > [@](#): > > So if I’m to understand your reasoning individual goals are meaningless, team goals are vitally important, and mlb goals are meaningless. Should no one participate in the all star game since it takes away from individual team goal? Players have a commitment to the sport in general and its fans in particular. Last night, Hamilton did a commendable job supporting both. It’s a cost-benefit analysis that should be done. Simply playing in the All Star game probably doesn’t significantly increase the risk of injury, especially when players play ball every day anyway. Plus, the game does have some meaning due to the home field advantage in the WS. But abusing the muscles that are going to be needed for success into late October is just plain retarded. MLB should know better. And fans will watch any garbage you throw at them. It doesn’t mean that it’s required for retention of fans. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/19 "2008-07-15T16:27:32Z")
[QUOTE=Jackknifed Juggernaut] That’s true and I certainly admire him for getting past his life struggles. But really, he’s already done enough in real baseball games to demonstrate this. This event was unnecessary for him. [/QUOTE] B- but- but- the home run derby taught us to love again! How can you be so heartless? 😛 Normally I would have watched this, for want of anything better on TV. But I was busy last night and didn’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452/20 "2008-07-15T16:32:24Z")
I think it’s a fun event, but nobody should really read anything into it. BTW- HRD messes up their swing. What a bunch of crap. A\> plenty of guys have had just as good seasons before All Star Break as after. It is not uncommon for players to have good first halfs and not so good seconds whether they participate in HRD or not. B\> These guys are getting pitches by pitchers of their own choosing. Most often, it is the guy who throws them Batting Practice- DURING THE WHOLE SEASON? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-care-about-the-home-run-derby/456452.md?page=2)