Major League Baseball is once again tinkering with All-Star Game's Home Run Derby. The following changes will be made this year, primarily eliminating the clock format:
• Eight players in Round 1, the top four totals advancing. • Round 1, each player gets 20 swings; all other rounds, 15 swings. • If a player homers on his last swing he can keep going until he fails to hit a home run. • Round 2 will be two pairs, head-to-head. • All ties will be decided by longest home run or a three-swing challenge
MLB said the decision was made to reduce player fatigue and have better quality with player's not feeling rushed against a clock.
The Derby, scheduled for July 13, and All-Star Game will take place at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
This is the first year the Home Run Derby will be exclusively broadcast on Netflix, which holds the exclusive rights to the competition through 2028. FOX will broadcast the All-Star Game.
My take: Whatever. Maybe it won't take three hours. There are 92 million Netflix subscribers. 5.3 million watched on ESPN and ESPN2 last year. I don't like the odds of matching those numbers. If they do, cable has a problem.
THE ASYLUM
MLB alters HR Derby
Major League Baseball is once again tinkering with All-Star Game's Home Run Derby. The following changes will be made this year, primarily eliminating the clock format:
• Eight players in Round 1, the top four totals advancing.
• Round 1, each player gets 20 swings; all other rounds, 15 swings.
• If a player homers on his last swing he can keep going until he fails to hit a home run.
• Round 2 will be two pairs, head-to-head.
• All ties will be decided by longest home run or a three-swing challenge
MLB said the decision was made to reduce player fatigue and have better quality with player's not feeling rushed against a clock.
The Derby, scheduled for July 13, and All-Star Game will take place at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
This is the first year the Home Run Derby will be exclusively broadcast on Netflix, which holds the exclusive rights to the competition through 2028. FOX will broadcast the All-Star Game.
My take: Whatever. Maybe it won't take three hours. There are 92 million Netflix subscribers. 5.3 million watched on ESPN and ESPN2 last year. I don't like the odds of matching those numbers. If they do, cable has a problem.
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