Let's Get Nuts: Bryce Harper Wants Home Run Derby Participants To Swing Aluminum Bats When The Gold Balls Are In Play

Sam Hodde. Getty Images.

Maybe I'm the fool, but consider me excited for the upcoming HR Derby. It's like the one All Star Game event left in sports that's actually awesome. Three point contest as well, but it's a much shorter event. The Home Run Derby is a spectacle and at it's best provides you two hours of great entertainment. 

Thankfully the powers that be came to their senses and reversed the previous rules, doing away with the rapid fire characteristic of the contest. It became impossible to follow the home runs and where they landed. You didn't even know if fly balls were actual home runs because they had to pan back to the batter swinging at the next pitch. It was a mess. The beauty of the event should watching these majestic moonshots. I don't care that you can hit 28 homers in three minutes if I can't watch it properly. And sure the StatCast alternate broadcast was slightly better, but not close to good enough. 

This year we're doing swings, no timer or outs. I love it. 

I think it's going to be a big success, especially with the field consisting of Bryce Harper, Junior Caminero, Ben Rice, Wilson Contreras, Jordan Walker, Jac Caglianone, probably Kyle Schwarber, and one other person (maybe Juan Soto?). That's a big time showing. The NBA Dunk Contest could never pull that kind of talent. 

We'll see how the new rules work, but I have to imagine it'll be a breath of fresh air to see this format. And if we need another adjustment next year, Bryce Harper has an idea. 

Metal bats for the gold balls would be incredible. If those are for raising money for charity then all the power to it, right? Only issue I can think of is the potential countless deaths of the kids in the outfield and fans in the stands. These balls would be hit over 120 mph and almost certainly go through human beings in their path. There would be so much blood. But you know what? It'd be fucking awesome and people would watch. 

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We have simple brains. Just let us watch the big boppers blast moon shots. I'm not tuning in for line drives that barely get over the wall. I want balls reaching destinations that my brain can't comprehend. If we have to risk Zack Hample's life to make it happen then so be it.