A Modest Proposal for Making Over the Home Run Derby

Ok, just hear me out. As embedded as it is within the framework of American culture, I’m proposing some tweaks to MLB's Home Run Derby. I think it’s important that we approach the issue now, after having a chance to sprinkle some subjectivity on any strongly held convictions regarding the sanctity of the HR Derby's format. If you’re anything like me, you may have grown up watching the Mickey Mantle vs. Willie Mays, inning-by-inning battle royales, 1950s' style. This 1.0 version of the derby seems quite dated compared to the current version we saw just a couple of weeks ago. The baseball establishment did the right thing in growing the event into a commercialized event featured during All-Star Weekend. Antes are raised and events evolve. This is the natural order of things, especially with the advent of the sports-only media and 24/7 sports coverage. As such, I think we are due a mutation in the DNA of the event. There are two main directions to go: The stakes can be raised or ... (link)