The Home Run Derby: A Swing And A Miss

But how many fans would love to see a match-up that may be as rare as a blue-moon? Let's put Johan Santana against Ichiro Suzuki.  Or bring on Francisco Rodriguez to face Derek Jeter.  One at-bat.  A hit or walk means the batter wins the match-up.  A strike out or out constitutes a win for the pitcher.  It's that simple.  It's not easy simulating pressure situations, but baseball can come up with some reward for the winners.  Hey, they came up with the idea that the winner of the All-Star game receives home-field advantage for their league in the World Series.

How about a base-stealing contest?  I would have loved to see Ivan Rodriguez in his prime trying to throw out the likes of Carl Crawford or Joey Gathright.  There's a few catchers out there who have cannons for arms that would make the contest interesting.

I know this idea would never fly, but how about putting hula-hoops down the first- and third- baselines and allowing the games best bunters to lay one down into the hula-hoop.  Now that's skill, and something needed in a baseball game with regularity.

All I'm saying is that if baseball wants to invigorate a few things, they should cut back on the home run hitting contest (less contestants, fewer outs allowed), and add some intriguing events, such as the one-on-one contests I outlined or ones that constitute using some skill. 

Yes, I understand the importance of the home run in a baseball game.  Yes, I know how fans appreciate balls flying out of parks.  But in my book, a 1-0 pitcher's duel is the same as a 10-9 slug fest.

Major League Baseball, it's time to show off the skill your league's players possess.  Put a little excitement into the events on the eve of your mid-summer classic. 

Be willing to try something new.  Now that idea could turn out to be a home run for fans.

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