I just caught up with this post. I hate the Homr Run Derby and couldn't watch it, no matter how much I wanted Schwarber to win. The booing was lame, but at least it gave people something to root against. Haddonfield reference FTW!
Grumble if you will at the derby but I don't have Netflx and missed it -- first one in a long, long time. Seems weird to have what is supposed to be a marquee event be streaming only? Can MLB ever get anything right? What??
More people have access to Netflix than ESPN, who had the Derby for years. If one of the other MLB partners had the Derby (Apple or Peacock) it would have been even less accessible. FOX would have put it on FS1. You can't force NBC or FOX to air it on broadcast.
But do more people likely to watch the Home Run Derby have access to Netflix than ESPN? I doubt more than a nominal number of people subscribe to Netflix for their sports offerings.
I did notice a little bit of jumpy camera, and I ignored all their "pregame" stuff that some have complained about. But I enjoyed the actual broadcast still, and my Wife (not a home run derby person) did as well.
I loved that they went away from the clock. I actually did see the home runs, unlike those recent ESPN clock years where I either got to see the batter swinging again and again and not seeing many of the results, or seeing the ESPN anchors interviewing a different player or relative, with the camera focused on that, and missing player almost entirely. (In 2021, Salvador Perez had the 2nd highest homer total in a round that year. I think I saw two of them, with ESPN focusing instead on their own talent and an inane interview.)
I liked going back to watching the kids scramble after the ones that don't make it. Although, is it just me, or are these the most unathletic kids they can find? Some of them look as though it is the first time they ever had a glove on. It is amusing to me every year. (at least every year without the clock) I will say this - the most athletic kids on the field this year were female, and it was not close. Some of the girls had played before, at least.
Then Walker gave us the best ending possible. Right after I said. "Well, he has to hit 3 to tie and 4 to win now so it is pretty much over." oops.
It's like that every Olympics. I go in not even knowing the rules for short-track speed skating or curling or something, and within a week I'm saying stuff like "Ooh - that late curl left Canada without an easy double!" or cancelling dinner plans because Slovenia made the team handball semifinals.
I turned on the home run derby intending to watch. Then I saw Will Farrell on a mike and immediately turned off the TV. I guess it was my loss. I am happy for Jordan Walker. I hope his career isn't ruined by the Cardinals mismanagement.
Great column Joe and the McKay quote was the perfect coda to it.
I was texting with my baseball pals throughout it about how thoroughly bored I was, then Schwarbs last round got me a bit juiced and then Walker made it fun.
Two extra comments: Hunter Pence was excruciating to listen too.
The lead announcer was clueless to how it worked, always talking about about to be eliminated when in actuality no one is eliminated until they miss on the last ball.
Even Netflix couldn't ruin the home run derby. I wish they had shown more of the shots from the "behind the batter's feet" camera because those looked absolutely magical. After all if the point of getting rid of the clock was to let the broadcast have the time to admire each home run, then hey Netflix, let us admire the dang home runs? And while I thought the commentators were good... did we actually need them blathering on and on? Chris Berman had been terrible but at least he had enthusiasm for the moment and kept viewers "in the game" as it were? Give us someone who'll just shout "OH MY GOD" every once in a while and it'll be way more interesting and give Rizzo and Pence a podcast.
I hope Contreras and the other "non-Phillies" participants were able to enjoy being booed by the highly partisan crowd, given that it was so over-the-top. Watching the final rounds last night -- and that's the only part I watched -- I felt real gratitude that these sluggers were willing to participate... to create an otherwise meaningless spectacle for everyone to enjoy. There's not much upside for the participants. (My wife asked if the winner gets money. I didn't even know.) But with all the booing and cheering, in the end you had a few guys who were willing to give up their afternoon and do something for the fans. And I expect kids are talking about it at the park today, maybe even emulating Jordan Walker and Schwarber while doing so. Maybe replaying the event to see if they can get a different outcome. If I had one wish, it's that sports get back to that and run fast away from the short-sighted and dangerous embrace of gambling.
Thank you... I'll go back to yelling at the clouds now.
The Sklar brothers have often said that sports is the greatest magic trick in the world. It takes something that couldn't be lower stakes and makes it feel like the most important thing in your life.
I did not bother to watch the HRD (I figured Schwarber would win and as a Mets fan I did not want to see it) so it must have been a great climax there at the end. I love how you wrapped up your article with Jim McKay, I remember the WWOS very well.
Having been the SID at Dartmouth when Ben Rice attended and also being a Yankee fan, I was rooting for Ben, of course. But getting through that opening round was a slog, the camera angles (as you noted) were horrendous, the audio quality was terrible (but I kind of liked not being able to hear the announcers), and Ben finished last, though at least he did not embarrass himself like some guys in the past who have had trouble hitting one or two. The semis and finals were the best part of the event, and I was rooting just like Joe — needed Walker to stick it to the Philly fans. And I like Schwarber! But Walker found his groove and rhythm: take two pitches, hit the third, and he kept launching homers that way, and it was glorious. Plus, the $1 million prize meant A LOT more to him than Schwarber, that's for sure.
A few weeks ago, one of my friends had an extra ticket to a random group-stage World Cup game- Portugal versus Democratic Republic of Congo, to be precise. I'm an extremely casual soccer fan, so I accepted mainly because the World Cup is a bucket list sporting event and Houston (just five hours away by car!) is the closest it's ever going to get. I expected it to be a mildly fun novelty.
I was not prepared for the level of emotional investment I had in the Congolese men's national team. I would have bought a Yoane Wissa jersey if any had been for sale.
I just caught up with this post. I hate the Homr Run Derby and couldn't watch it, no matter how much I wanted Schwarber to win. The booing was lame, but at least it gave people something to root against. Haddonfield reference FTW!
Get off my lawn.
(I enjoyed it. The broadcast was a bit busy and not well directed but the performances were awesome.)
And now all your fans in Philly hate you! (Kind of)
Grumble if you will at the derby but I don't have Netflx and missed it -- first one in a long, long time. Seems weird to have what is supposed to be a marquee event be streaming only? Can MLB ever get anything right? What??
More people have access to Netflix than ESPN, who had the Derby for years. If one of the other MLB partners had the Derby (Apple or Peacock) it would have been even less accessible. FOX would have put it on FS1. You can't force NBC or FOX to air it on broadcast.
But do more people likely to watch the Home Run Derby have access to Netflix than ESPN? I doubt more than a nominal number of people subscribe to Netflix for their sports offerings.
I enjoyed the motorcycle ice racing on Wide World of Sports.
I did notice a little bit of jumpy camera, and I ignored all their "pregame" stuff that some have complained about. But I enjoyed the actual broadcast still, and my Wife (not a home run derby person) did as well.
I loved that they went away from the clock. I actually did see the home runs, unlike those recent ESPN clock years where I either got to see the batter swinging again and again and not seeing many of the results, or seeing the ESPN anchors interviewing a different player or relative, with the camera focused on that, and missing player almost entirely. (In 2021, Salvador Perez had the 2nd highest homer total in a round that year. I think I saw two of them, with ESPN focusing instead on their own talent and an inane interview.)
I liked going back to watching the kids scramble after the ones that don't make it. Although, is it just me, or are these the most unathletic kids they can find? Some of them look as though it is the first time they ever had a glove on. It is amusing to me every year. (at least every year without the clock) I will say this - the most athletic kids on the field this year were female, and it was not close. Some of the girls had played before, at least.
Then Walker gave us the best ending possible. Right after I said. "Well, he has to hit 3 to tie and 4 to win now so it is pretty much over." oops.
It's like that every Olympics. I go in not even knowing the rules for short-track speed skating or curling or something, and within a week I'm saying stuff like "Ooh - that late curl left Canada without an easy double!" or cancelling dinner plans because Slovenia made the team handball semifinals.
I turned on the home run derby intending to watch. Then I saw Will Farrell on a mike and immediately turned off the TV. I guess it was my loss. I am happy for Jordan Walker. I hope his career isn't ruined by the Cardinals mismanagement.
Great column Joe and the McKay quote was the perfect coda to it.
I was texting with my baseball pals throughout it about how thoroughly bored I was, then Schwarbs last round got me a bit juiced and then Walker made it fun.
Two extra comments: Hunter Pence was excruciating to listen too.
The lead announcer was clueless to how it worked, always talking about about to be eliminated when in actuality no one is eliminated until they miss on the last ball.
Even Netflix couldn't ruin the home run derby. I wish they had shown more of the shots from the "behind the batter's feet" camera because those looked absolutely magical. After all if the point of getting rid of the clock was to let the broadcast have the time to admire each home run, then hey Netflix, let us admire the dang home runs? And while I thought the commentators were good... did we actually need them blathering on and on? Chris Berman had been terrible but at least he had enthusiasm for the moment and kept viewers "in the game" as it were? Give us someone who'll just shout "OH MY GOD" every once in a while and it'll be way more interesting and give Rizzo and Pence a podcast.
I hope Contreras and the other "non-Phillies" participants were able to enjoy being booed by the highly partisan crowd, given that it was so over-the-top. Watching the final rounds last night -- and that's the only part I watched -- I felt real gratitude that these sluggers were willing to participate... to create an otherwise meaningless spectacle for everyone to enjoy. There's not much upside for the participants. (My wife asked if the winner gets money. I didn't even know.) But with all the booing and cheering, in the end you had a few guys who were willing to give up their afternoon and do something for the fans. And I expect kids are talking about it at the park today, maybe even emulating Jordan Walker and Schwarber while doing so. Maybe replaying the event to see if they can get a different outcome. If I had one wish, it's that sports get back to that and run fast away from the short-sighted and dangerous embrace of gambling.
Thank you... I'll go back to yelling at the clouds now.
The Sklar brothers have often said that sports is the greatest magic trick in the world. It takes something that couldn't be lower stakes and makes it feel like the most important thing in your life.
I did not bother to watch the HRD (I figured Schwarber would win and as a Mets fan I did not want to see it) so it must have been a great climax there at the end. I love how you wrapped up your article with Jim McKay, I remember the WWOS very well.
Having been the SID at Dartmouth when Ben Rice attended and also being a Yankee fan, I was rooting for Ben, of course. But getting through that opening round was a slog, the camera angles (as you noted) were horrendous, the audio quality was terrible (but I kind of liked not being able to hear the announcers), and Ben finished last, though at least he did not embarrass himself like some guys in the past who have had trouble hitting one or two. The semis and finals were the best part of the event, and I was rooting just like Joe — needed Walker to stick it to the Philly fans. And I like Schwarber! But Walker found his groove and rhythm: take two pitches, hit the third, and he kept launching homers that way, and it was glorious. Plus, the $1 million prize meant A LOT more to him than Schwarber, that's for sure.
A few weeks ago, one of my friends had an extra ticket to a random group-stage World Cup game- Portugal versus Democratic Republic of Congo, to be precise. I'm an extremely casual soccer fan, so I accepted mainly because the World Cup is a bucket list sporting event and Houston (just five hours away by car!) is the closest it's ever going to get. I expected it to be a mildly fun novelty.
I was not prepared for the level of emotional investment I had in the Congolese men's national team. I would have bought a Yoane Wissa jersey if any had been for sale.
Now I just am going to sit here and wait for Joe's post about Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives...
Before or after the iPad review?