Swing and a Miss: Alonso's Struggles Reflect Underwhelming Home Run Derby

This year's Home Run Derby, touted as one of the marquee events of the MLB season, unfortunately fell short of expectations. Overproduced and excessively drawn out, the spectacle struggled to capture the excitement and spontaneity that fans crave. Despite the star power on display, the event's pacing and over-the-top production elements detracted from the raw, exhilarating display of power hitting that has traditionally defined the Derby. The anticipation and buildup led to an underwhelming experience, leaving many fans yearning for the simpler, more authentic contests of years past.

Hernandez's Humor Falls Flat at the Derby

The pre-game introductions set the tone for the night, feeling more akin to a WrestleMania event than an All-Star showcase. Marcello Hernandez, a Cuban/Dominican stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who performs as a featured player on Saturday Night Live, somehow landed the gig. Hernandez, who has opened for comedy heavyweights like Jo Koy, Dave Chappelle, and Tim Dillon, was brought in to add his stand-up flair to the Derby. Despite his impressive resume, which includes hosting, directing, and numerous TV appearances, Hernandez's humor missed the mark. Lines such as "He loves home runs and leave-in conditioner" about Alec Bohm and the borderline racist quip about Pete Alonso, "He is known as the Polar Bear because he is as strong as a bear and also because he is a big white guy," were big swings and misses. This over-the-top introduction, lasting nearly seven minutes, set an awkward and misguided tone for the evening. As Albert Einstein said, “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

Controversial Choices: Ozuna's Derby Appearance

If the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are Major League Baseball’s chance to showcase the best the sport has to offer, then this year's event missed the mark in more ways than one. In a league where talented players like Trevor Bauer cannot find work due to off field transgressions , it's bewildering that Marcell Ozuna was chosen to represent the league in the Derby and that at one point ESPN refered to him as a 'big teddy bear ." Ozuna's history is marred by serious off-field incidents, including an arrest and charges of aggravated assault by strangulation and battery, which were witnessed by Sandy Springs Police. Though these charges were later withdrawn after he completed a diversion program, Ozuna still served a 20-game suspension during the 2021 season. This followed a prior incident where he was the victim in a domestic battery charge against his wife, which involved her hitting him with a soap dish. Adding to his troubled record, Ozuna was arrested again on August 19, 2022, for driving under the influence. With 40 non-pitchers on the All-Star rosters, surely MLB could have found a more suitable representative for the Derby, one who embodies the positive spirit and integrity the sport strives to uphold.

Anthem Mishap: Ingrid Andress's Off-Key Performance

Speaking of misguided tone, the national anthem duties fell to Ingrid Elizabeth Andress, a country music singer-songwriter. Her rendition of the national anthem was so off-key and scattered that "Ingrid Andress" quickly became the most searched term in Google’s Daily Search Trends. Andress struggled to find her notes throughout the performance, often singing off-key, which left some players looking like they were about to burst out laughing. Her performance may have wrestled away the title of #1 worst anthem from infamous renditions by Fergie and Rosanne Barr. This disastrous start added to the night's already shaky foundation, setting a disappointing precedent for the event. (Listen at your own risk.)

From Tradition to Misstep: MLB's Derby Dilemma

Over the last few years, baseball has successfully implemented rules to speed up the game. However, heading into this year, MLB decided to tweak the Derby format, and it's now clear that this was a misstep. The clock era's success was largely due to the thrilling close head-to-head matchups. By having the eight participants simply hit and then advancing the top four, much of that excitement and competitive intensity was lost. Each at-bat seemed to drag on forever and lacked real drama. The split screens and camera angles often left viewers feeling dizzy. Alec Bohm took his first swing at 8:22 pm, and 2 hours and 32 minutes later, Teoscar Hernandez won the Home Run Derby and a $1 million prize.

The genesis of the Home Run Derby comes from the 1960 television show held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, where top sluggers competed in nine-inning home run contests. Each batter had nine innings to hit as many home runs as possible, with each inning consisting of three outs. Any ball not hit for a home run, including called strikes, was recorded as an out. If the batters tied, extra innings would be played until the tie was broken. It was a simple format. Why not take the nine starters from each team, give them an inning each under that format, and have the team with the most home runs divide the prize money? This approach would protect players from overuse, create excitement, and likely conclude more quickly, even with interviews between innings.

The Polarizing Polar Bear: Alonso's Derby Decision

As with every year, there's debate about which players truly deserved a spot in the MLB All-Star Game and who was snubbed. New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso has been a consistent presence in the Home Run Derby, having secured two titles in his career. Despite a downturn in his performance this year, which coincides with the final year of his current contract, MLB was keen on having Alonso participate in the Derby, where he had the opportunity to tie Ken Griffey Jr.'s record for the most wins with three competitions. However, Alonso issued an ultimatum: he would only participate if selected for the All-Star Game.

As a result, Alonso was named the Mets' sole All-Star Game representative, while shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Brandon Nimmo were notable omissions. Nonetheless, Alonso had the chance to validate his Derby invitation. Unfortunately, he was the first player eliminated from the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby after hitting just 12 home runs in the initial round. Under the new Derby format, Alonso had three minutes and 40 pitches to maximize his home run count to advance. Despite his efforts, even with the bonus round, his tally fell short.

The financial implications for Alonso as he approaches free agency remain uncertain, especially with advice possibly coming from his new agent Scott Boras, who had a challenging 2023-24 free agency offseason. Boras and his clients, including the 2023 NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, faced setbacks, such as Snell signing a two-year, $62 million contract with the San Francisco Giants, far from Boras's initial $270 million asking price. Similarly, Cody Bellinger sought a contract over $200 million but settled for $80 million with the Chicago Cubs, and Matt Chapman's price tag was set at $150 million but resulted in a $54 million deal instead. These outcomes have led some to question if Scott Boras has lost his negotiating edge in today's MLB landscape.

Back to the Future Key to Fixing Home Run Derby

As baseball looks to the future, it's clear that balancing tradition with innovation will be crucial in reinvigorating events like the Home Run Derby to reclaim their place as true highlights of the MLB calendar.