This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.
Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball rarely do the right thing but by golly they’ve done it here with a new rule that will go into play for tonight’s All-Star Game and it’s something that should be used in regular season games moving forward because it’s pretty darn perfect.
In case you missed it, yesterday it was reported that if tonight’s game is tied after 9 innings each manager will pick three players to compete in a quick home run derby. Each batter will get three swings and the team with the most home runs wins the game.
Like I said, I can’t believe baseball actually came up with something as fun as this but they have done it and now we need it in all the games. Well, not playoff games, but the 162 games each team plays in the very long season.
I know what you’re thinking, Mr. Baseball Purist – this isn’t how a baseball game should end! They should go on forever until somebody finally gets a game-winning hit off an outfielder who had to come in to pitch after their team ran out of pitchers because that’s how real baseball is played!
Yeah, that format stinks.
Right now each team starts their at-bats in extra innings with a runner on second base, which leads to lame endings with sacrifice flies and other boring outcomes.
Home run derby > runner on second.
Forever.
Who wouldn’t want a home run derby after nine innings!? You’re telling me that if you’re at a game or watching one on TV and it’s tied up in the ninth you’re not going to be rooting for a home run derby to decide things!?
Of course you’ll be rooting for a home run derby to decide things because everyone wants fun things in their lives!
Come on, baseball. You got this. Make this thing official.
Quick hits: Ken Griffey Jr. becomes a meme… Home Run Derby contestants freaked out by fire… Ricky Williams weed stories… And more.
– Speaking of homers, Ken Griffey Jr. became a meme last night while snapping photos at the Home Run Derby in Los Angeles.
– There was a wild scene before the Home Run Derby when the contestants almost got burned by a fire during introductions.
– Ricky Williams shared with us two wild stories about NFL players’ marijuana use during his time with Saints and Ravens.
– Charles Curtis has his midseason MLB power rankings.
