This used to be called Batting Practice until used car salesman Selig figured out yet another way to part a fool and his money.

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There goes one over the fence..Tru Link Fence..Beauty, Privacy Security....Call Tru Link.
Murph's Union 76 Truck Stop....A great Thanksgiving Tradition!!!!

WOO LIFE!!!!

I cannot stomach watching a minute of this broadcast because of Chris Berman. It's bad enough to hear one home run call from him, but the home run derby is basically 2 hours of Berman stroking himself.

I really wish they would consider doing an old timers/legends game. I know they have the celebrities/legends softball game, but that is not the same. I have no interest in seeing C-List celebrities on the field. Can't MLB just find 20 guys who have retired in the past 5-10 years that are just dying for some attention? Im sure they would love to get on the field and get one more standing ovation from the fans, and have one more chance at being a hero. And it could be real baseball, not softball. Guys between 40 & 50 would still be competitive and entertaining enough for one game. It doesn't have to be a full game. 5 innings would be a perfect length.

Instead we get 2 hours of meatballish commentary followed by an episode of the Surreal Life.

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Maybe they should have a Bunt Derby for players not batting their weight ... loser gets drilled in the ass by Joel Zumaya - with a pitched ball, that is.

Seriously (?) though ... once something like this (or the dunk contest) has been a part of many fans' sports lives, and they get good numbers (and money for the concession workers at the park, which bully for them btw), I don't see them changing anything, particularly deleting it.

It's pure stimulus - response for the casual fan: athelete dunks/hits, everyone goes "ooooooh" (and all drunk guys talk about how they hit a 14" ball almost that far that one time that one night against that one team with the guy who had that pitch and .....).

That said, I think an old-timers game would be delightful ... until somebody blows-out their hip - then again, depending on who that was, that could be wonderful, too. Or better yet, let's have Nolan Ryan on the mound throwing to McGwire ... you take it yourself from there and enjoy.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

How about OLD-TIMERS Whiffle Ball?

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

I cannot agree more about the Derby. It is a bad event made 10x worse by Buttplug Berman.

I might actually consider tuning in to catch a few minutes (as it is the only available baseball tonight), but Berman makes it completely unwatchable. Jesus. Is there a single person in this country who could possibly be entertained by hearing him say "backbackbackbackback" for the 50th time in an hour?

He may be one of the founding fathers of ESPN, but the sight of Chris Berman, let alone voice are turn-offs for me on the Monday before the All-Star Game. He's as overbearing & as obnoxious as another member of the ABC/Disney family, the very unfunny Jim Belushi!

I'm looking forward to a 68 year old Bob Knight legging one out to first -- I bet he is probably a little bit faster than Thome.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

The only reason to watch this is Erin Andrews. She looked pretty damn good interviewing Bobby Knight in whatever that was as well. As for the Home Run Derby, is it really 3 hours long? I put it on mute while doing other things around my place, and kept an eye on it, but what a waste of 3 hours.

Berman is the only reason I don't watch this, really. And I wouldn't watch it start to finish, but I can't watch it at all with Berman there. Does ESPN Deportes cover this silly event? I'd much rather hear it in Spanish.

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

You're welcome.

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

Pass.

What would quicken this up like the old Homerun Derby. There are pitches right down main street and the batters are taking them if the pitch is a strike it counts as an out

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Absolutely. They could add a few more hitters to the mix and still have it end within the given two hour slot.

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I would like to see a bunting derby -- about 60 feet down the first base line and a foot infield put a series of concentric circles, each one bigger by a foot. Five of them, the outer ring scores 1 pt, inner ring scores 5, no points if the ball is foul. 10 bunt attempts, just one round. Tiebreaker by total # of inner ring scores. If still tied, then a 3 bunt finale.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

zzzzzzzzzzzz

maybe they can schedule all star "pepper" while they are at it!

How about Hottest Wife Derby.
Each ball player has his spouse run the bases to the crowds cheers.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."