2008 HR Derby
Posted by ubelmann on Monday, July 14th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
I wasn't going to post anything, but I guess Joe Vavra is pitching, so people will be intrigued. I think that the HR Derby is kind of interesting as a novelty, but it could definitely use a format tweak. I'd much rather see players go head-to-head in 3 "innings" of 3 "outs" each, or something like that. As unnatural as a HR competition is, it's even more unnatural to have hitters up there swinging away for 20-30+ pitches at a time. Even in BP they take turns.
Oh, yeah, I guess they're planning on demolishing New York at the end of the season, so this is the last time anyone will ever be in New York. Or something like that.
Also, it's amazing how much slower I type when I can't use my right thumb.
(Closed circuit to SBG: I wasn't sure how to categorize this under the new system, so feel free to change the category.)
I'm all for your format changes, ubes. Also, I'd be for scrapping all the pre-game hype, and the live music. And ESPN.
Really, these guys are going to have some pretty sore ribcages tomorrow, no matter what kind of condition they're in. That's a lot of hard swings in a row. Makes me hurt just thinking about it.
MLB is the correct tag, sir.
It's the LAST HR DERBY IN YANKEE STADIUM, EVER!!!!!1!!!!one!!!!
Morneau looks to have them all on height, so he's got that working for him. Which is nice.
aw, cr@p! HR Derby, and we still can escape Jeter.
And I would just like to thank Mr. Jeter for letting me know that "older" is spelled the same as "old" but with "-er" added. That was clutch spelling.
Derek Jeter teaches us spelling! Is there anything that man doesn't do? No wonder he's the captain!
/sarcasm
Josh Hamilton has an awesome story, but if he wins this competition, it'll be his power and not his story that will be the key. It seems pretty apparent watching these talking heads describe the reasoning behind their picks which of them should stick to reporting and which might make reasonable analysts.
heh - "but Berkman hits his HRs to left field when he bats lefthanded." "uh..."
I'm thinking Berman needs to be taken out to a super remote deserted island somewhere to never return. Then he could bakbakbakbakbak all he frickin wants and I wouldn't want to punch kittens.
Yeah, Berman is sporting a negative VOSB (Value Over Silent Broadcast).
+1 Mom's Basement
Dan Uggla is putting on a Show! Get that HR swing back before regular play starts up again!
Why in the heck didn't Justin get Bert to toss to him?
+50
"wow - who needs steroids?"
what an incredibly stupid remark to make. who said that? Nothing like bringing that up at an event like this.
We might as well just associate that comment to "all" and fire the lot of em.
Get Bert and John Madden in that booth! I'm not a scientist, but I'm pretty sure that would create a black hole.
seconded. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries.
That was Rick Rielly, formerly of Sports Illustrated
ESPN has too many talking heads to cover this event. Peter Gammons was there, but i think I heard one sentence from him all night.
Bad idea for a drinking game? Shots any time you hear someone say, "I mean..."
Or every time you see a baseball
The ESPN radio announcers aren't Chris Berman, so it's better. But they're spending way more time interviewing people than describing what's happening. They're announcing about four or five swings per batter. Too bad I don't have ESPN, or I'd mute it and simulcast
See, now if they'd do that for tv, I think it would be an improvement.
Best part of the TV coverage is the flatscreen TV here in the hotel room. Enough said.
Dammit, they're showing the George Brett thing. It reminds me that I could have bought an autographed picture of that for like $300. I had the money, but I passed on it.
Nice little finish by Berkman, who has a first-half VORP of about 10,000 or so.
I was going to correct you, but I realized you rounded it off.
Heads up folks -- Canadian Thunder on deck
Evening folks, I'm depressed to see that MLBtv is charging 2.99 to see this. A free sample would possibly have helped separate me from 39.99 for the rest of the season. Their loss.
Really? That seems extrememly short sighted.
Probably has to do with ESPN carrying the game.
Hope Varva has a sweet four seamer.
Morneau is not good enough for Rick Reilly because of his skin color.
Well, Rick Reilly is also a douchebag, if that helps.
Maybe it is just Canadians?
I love Canadians. My first project for my job was for Canadians, and I screwed it up pretty bad. But they're Canadian, so they didn't know how to yell at me.
Worse, he's Canadian white. That's Procol Harem territory.
What did he say that drew such ire?
He suddenly went on a big rant about how all the contestants are white guys this year, and what a crime it is that Junior (?) and Ryan Howard weren't invited.
I wasn't listening super carefully, but I think that all the guys he mentioned may have been NL guys, which would have made them ineligible for Morneau's spot anyway.
Rick Reily hates white people.
Vavra wild high.
Morneau: Six pitches before they even tell us what's going on
Decent showing so far from Morneau--he's had acoupla nice upper deck shots.
And he's in the 2nd round!
this will get him into the next round.
Steve Philips is creepily obsessed with their legs.
Okay, dude! Did the team proud.
I hope when broadcasts all go digital next year, that they offer an additional audio channel without the commentary - just the stadium noise.
Boy, Ryan Braun looks like his old man.
Yes! I would absolutely watch that one.
They won't ever do that because they would lose too many advertising tie-ins without the announcers.
Question for the citizens. Are there players out there that you think would dominate a home-run derby, but just don't hit for much power in games because they're not good batters? I was just thinking that you could randomly pick eight guys from the majors and most would get between 3 and 8 homers in a contest.
Would Adam Dunn count? Or are you looking for someone lesser known?
He does hit for power in games. I mean guys who hit less than ten homers a season but could easily hit ten during a derby
Delmon. Probably wouldn't swing at the first pitch, though.
Let me take a look at some strat o matic cards and i will get back to you.
I remember David Ross' card in 06 was really, really great.
joe mauer?
Strat really likes Alex Escobar.
When I've seen Mauer in BP he hasn't driven that many over the fence, but if he was really trying for HR, he might be able to.
Rondell White had good pop in BP even when he was awful, but I don't know that he would "dominate."
Matt Stairs.
everytime I have seen him take batting practice at the Dome, his shortest hit is in the upper tank. ive seem him hit it parallel to the giant white curtain many times.
If you got Morgan Freeman to announce home videos, he could make "Baby's First Poop" sound awesome.
Super slow-mo HD replay thing is cool - love that you see the bat slow down at contact. Physics is a gas.
Another bad drinking game: shots when someone says "Josh Hamilton" and "story" in the same sentence.
Are you trying to get us all killed?
well, no, that's why they're BAD drinking games!
I'm surprised that you haven't started the shot when ever someone mentions "last all star game at this stadium", or 'biggest star here is the stadium". alcohol poisoning would abound.
Hamilton is a manimal!
JH = Pronk + (Thome / 2)
"He has everybody on his feet!" Ouch.
Well, it looks like Hamilton will be in the finals.
This is amazing.
It sure is a great story....
And selfishly, Hamilton helps none of the Boys & Girls Clubs by putting up a goosegg with nine outs
I can't believe him. What a jerk.
Maybe he's just a regular firejoemorgan reader, and heard Morgan saying how much he wanted to get to the gold ball? (for those subjecting themselves to the television version.)
I like your thinking. He just likes a lil' JoeBait.
*whoops, this was supposed to be a new comment*
The House That Josh Hamilton Tore Down.
Unbelievable. And to think I was stoked when Morneau hit 8.
Lets go Justin
baby jeebus sighting.
Not a great pitch for Morneau to end on, but a very respectable showing.
Agreed. I like when he said he's tired on camera. He looked tired.
Yeah, now we just have to hope he doesn't start hitting like Punto in the second half again.
If Rick Reilly says 'heroin' or 'cocaine' one more time, I'm going to seriously entertain thoughts that he has a drug problem himself.
Maybe he has money on Braun and is trying to work Hamilton into a tizzy?
Reilly really keeps sounding like a dick every time he opens his mouth.
Well now I have to stay up to watch it.
Joe!
Mauer's head of the MLB Players Association? Really?
Why is Hamilton hitting? His pitcher is 71. That arm is going to get tired reaaaaaaaaal fast.