# The Home Run Derby is the dumbest thing ever. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 12, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232 "2005-07-12T20:34:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/1 "2005-07-12T20:34:28Z")
Seriously, who watches this fucking crap? The guys involved are pro baseball players who hit dozens of home runs in a season off professional pitchers throwing their best stuff. Why the fuck am i supposed to be surprised or impressed that these same players can hit home runs off some guy lobbing slow balls at them? What’s even more pathetic is how EXCITED the commentators and the fans get. The guy commentating acted like he’s never seen a home run before, and the fans go crazy over what is essentially batting practice. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/2 "2005-07-12T20:40:30Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > What’s even more pathetic is how EXCITED the commentators and the fans get. The guy commentating acted like he’s never seen a home run before, and the fans go crazy over what is essentially batting practice. So I guess you don’t remember people coming to games like 5 hours early to watch MacGuire take batting practice? Home runs are all American. If you don’t like you’re clearly a terrorist. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/3 "2005-07-12T20:41:26Z")
_Raises hand_ It’s not that the feat is so difficult, it’s more that one, Abreu, excelled so far beyond all his professional competitors. 24 dingers in the first round? That was impressive. And then against others both bigger and smaller than himself he continued to put on a show well beyond everyone else’s ability. I agree that a couple would have been no big deal. But at least one contestant couldn’t hit a single one… and Abreu got 40. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/4 "2005-07-12T20:46:29Z")
Point 1: So don’t watch it. Point 2: If you’re going to watch it, at least have the good sense not to listen to the announcers. Get some friends, get some beer, get some good conversation going. Start talking about how Bud Selig’s face looks like your grandmother’s ass and then get someone from Milwaukee to start ranting about how he blackmailed the city into paying for his shiny new stadium when he can’t even put together a team worth watching. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/5 "2005-07-12T20:46:52Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > So I guess you don’t remember people coming to games like 5 hours early to watch MacGuire take batting practice? Actually, i moved to the US in 2000, when McGwire’s best years were behind him. Also, i’ve never been to St. Louis. So the answer to that question would be “no.” Actually, i _can_ uinderstand people going to watch batting practice. It’s more the huge hoopla surrounding the HRD that i don’t understand. > [@lieu](#): > > It’s not that the feat is so difficult, it’s more that one, Abreu, excelled so far beyond all his professional competitors. 24 dingers in the first round? That was impressive. I wasn’t talking specifically about this year’s event. I didn’t even watch it. I’m just talking about the concept of the thing. It’s dumb, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/6 "2005-07-12T21:11:35Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Actually, i _can_ uinderstand people going to watch batting practice. It’s more the huge hoopla surrounding the HRD that i don’t understand. Is there really a lot of hoopla around the Home Run Derby? It’s not like it was the lead story on ESPN. ---
**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 12, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/7 "2005-07-12T21:14:08Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > It’s more the huge hoopla surrounding the HRD that i don’t understand. I wouldn’t say it’s a huge hoopla… yeah, people are screaming and cheering, but no one’s really all that interested in the results, I don’t think. It’s just an opportunity for everyone to let their hair down and enjoy the best home-run hitters smack the hell out of the ball. I mean, sure, if you look at everything, it’s more impressive to see someone tag a major league closer who’s throwing 99 mph sliders, but hey, it’s just fun to see a guy blow out a few lights in the scoreboard with a baseball from 500 feet away. Oh, and a good rule of thumb is to ignore the announcers, save Jon Miller, on any national broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![deadbeater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@deadbeater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deadbeater)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/8 "2005-07-12T23:02:45Z")
1. The only good sports announcers are in the World Series of Poker. 2. It is the only mini-game in which ou can get individual challenges like Mantle vs. Mays, Reggie Jackson vs Jim Rice vs George Foster vs George Brett, Sosa vs McGuire, and anybody vs Bonds, when Bonds feels like it. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/9 "2005-07-12T23:11:47Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Is there really a lot of hoopla around the Home Run Derby? It’s not like it was the lead story on ESPN. You mean apart from the 2+ hours of live broadcast? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/10 "2005-07-12T23:16:18Z")
Actually, ESPN broadcasters, a handful of former Major League old-timers, and Grade Z celebrities playing softball against each other is the dumbest thing ever.\* \*degree of of dumbness in direct negavive proportion to total amount of Jennie Finch camera time. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/11 "2005-07-12T23:27:41Z")
> [@The Weird One](#): > > Point 2: If you’re going to watch it, at least have the good sense not to listen to the announcers. That’s it right there. I don’t know why they have to act like they do. It is just glorified batting practice; a bit of idle fun, but meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/12 "2005-07-12T23:36:45Z")
Same same with the NBA all-star dunking contest. No one to defend. No one to call travelling. Not even a time clock. And hey wow, they can dunk! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/13 "2005-07-12T23:38:50Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Same same with the NBA all-star dunking contest. No one to defend. No one to call travelling. Not even a time clock. And hey wow, they can dunk! You came in this thread just so I’d have to change my example of “I never see you in baseball threads.” Didn’t you? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/14 "2005-07-12T23:41:19Z")
> [@deadbeater](#): > > 1. The only good sports announcers are in the World Series of Poker. It’s not hard to be decent when you aren’t doing it live and get to do a voiceover on a tape after things have already happened. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/15 "2005-07-13T00:23:19Z")
I’m guessing you wouldn’t have liked the TV show from 1959 where they put two stars head to head for a nine inning game. A few that played… ``` * Hank Aaron * Bob Allison * Ernie Banks * Gil Hodges * Jackie Jensen * Harmon Killebrew * Mickey Mantle * Eddie Matthews * Willie Mays * Wally Post * Frank Robinson ``` If it wasn’t a home run it was an out. The show? Home run derby More here… [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home\_Run\_Derby](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Run_Derby) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/16 "2005-07-13T01:06:28Z")
Hey, I like Home Run Derby. YOU go out and try to hit 24 homers (Abreu’s first round total) in 17 minutes at the plate, whether the ball’s served up from a BP pitcher or your Aunt Alice. Yeah, it’s a silly, completely made-up ‘competition’ for which the rules change every year; yeah, in MLB’s zeal to promote next year’s world, world series they tried to fake up some sort of bogus ‘international’ competition rather than bringing in, duh, the best power hitters in the league; yeah, Chris Berman looked like he was going to pop out of his suit (and why was his face that bizarre color?); yeah, I found myself screaming "shut up! Shut Up!! SHUT UP!!! at Bud Selig after about 1.5 minutes of his self-absorbed blathering; but dang, it’s fun to see all those dingers sailing out of the park. And Abreu WAS pretty impressive with the machine-like precision he displayed. Okay, let the torching begin. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/17 "2005-07-13T02:04:06Z")
Sometimes Berman would act like the home run derby was the most exciting thing in the history of the world, the rest of the time he acted like it was an unwelcome distraction from his boring converstations with Selig et al. I wish he would make up his mind. In my opinion, home run derbies should be taped during spring training and shown from time to time during the season to while away rain delays. Making a big deal of it just seems forced to me. Also, Berman should never do live commentary on anything because he absolutely SUCKS at it. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/18 "2005-07-13T02:10:15Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Same same with the NBA all-star dunking contest. No one to defend. No one to call travelling. Not even a time clock. And hey wow, they can dunk! Yeah, i was actually going to use the dunking competition as another example in my OP. I’m looking forward to the day when the NHL All-Star game has the top players competing to see who can score the most penalty shots—without any goaltenders in the net. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/19 "2005-07-13T04:31:39Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > I’m guessing you wouldn’t have liked the TV show from 1959 where they put two stars head to head for a nine inning game. I _loved_ it when I got to see repeats. I wish they’d do that again. That’s more like a competition. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232/20 "2005-07-13T04:48:26Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I’m looking forward to the day when the NHL All-Star game has the top players competing to see who can score the most penalty shots—without any goaltenders in the net. 🙂 I’d like to see the NHL “fistycuff” derby 😛 /putting money on Ty Domi [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-home-run-derby-is-the-dumbest-thing-ever/312232.md?page=2)