The Home Run Derby

I write this before its conclusion, having only watched what seemed to be the interminable first round. I have a few observations:

1. It was way too long, taking almost 1.5 hours to complete.
2. You need "fun" announcers but not clowns. Joe Morgan is an announcing nerd who takes himself way too seriously. John Kruk in the booth would have been a much better choice.
3. Chris Berman is becoming a cliche.
4. Kenny Mayne played the role of the clown -- watching him in a kayak was painful and it wasn't funny.
5. It's much better to have these things at night than at twilight. Some hitters had to hit balls coming out of bright sunlight.
6. There's no drama unless a contest like this is held during the night.
7. There's no drama having a home run derby in a pitcher's park, which is what the park in SF is.
8. The whole thing seemed to lack energy, which is either because Northern Californians are too mellow or because Barry Bonds casts such a long (and bad) shadow over this game that his story dwarfs this contest.
9. The production dishonored the dignity of Willie McCovey, a class act if there ever was one.
10. There were way too many commercials and way too much studio analysis.
11. Yes, 40,000 people paid $175 apiece to watch this event -- they and the TV audience should get refunds.

Home run contests like this should be magical affairs.

This one, at least in round one, was a lead balloon.