I had zero expectations for the Home Run Derby this year and amazingly I was still incredibly underwhelmed. There was no passion from the players, the crowd, or even Chris "Back Back Back" Berman himself. Yes, Nelson Cruz impressed with his pure power and Prince's gyrating belly produced some laughs, but the demonstration as a whole did not impress. If given the chance to attend the derby, I think I would have declined the invitation and stayed happily at home. Outside of the slim chance of rubbing elbows, among other things, with Alyssa Milano, there is really nothing that I would have enjoyed at the derby in Busch Stadium.
This is becoming a scary trend of boredom that baseball needs to rectify in order to compete with the hip, new-age marketing of the NFL, NBA, and even the NHL. As the younger generations are being lured more and more to other sports dues to the glamorization of athletes in the NBA and NFL, the national past-time is becoming just that. Of the past. Who is the Lebron James of the MLB? Wade? Shaq? Brady? Even Vick? Arod is probably the most recognizable face in major league baseball, but that has to do more with his hookers, unclutchiness, and purple lipstick as opposed to being a hero to the masses.
Outside of the Josh Hamilton performance, when was the last inspiring HR derby? All the good ones were all a product of steroids. Obviously that is a thing of the past, and unless they start dispensing heroin, the Hamilton story will never be repeated. Was anyone taken aback by Bobby Abreu, Miguel Tejada, Ryan Howard? I will never forget the Big Mac performance of '99. Sammy Sosa in Atlanta and Milwaukee will stay with me for eternity. Steroids were the great marketing campaign for the MLB for 2 decades, now Bud Selig will have to wake up from him 10 year nap and maybe make a commercial outside of those Boy and Girls Club ads. All-star weekend should be the main national advertisement of baseball, but instead we get a bland production featuring Chris Berman. I hope you're psyched for Joe Buck tomorrow night. I know I'm not
problems with the HR derby galore
ReplyDelete1) Prior to this season, many of the home team sluggers do not participate -- bonds (07) and arod (08) come to mind most recently.
2) Not prodigious HR hitters are in the derby -- guys like Magglio last year, Mauer/Inge this year. Guys with some power (20 HR potential on the season), but nothing that makes them a "slugger"
3) No one is on steroids any more. Yes, Josh Hamilton's performance was electric last season, but we need more 500 FT home runs. Fielder had a pair, but i wanna see anyone (not just sosa) jack them way back routinely
4) Chris Berman didn't use his signature line very much. Back back back back back gone may be trite, but its like not eating turkey on thanksgiving.