July 13, 2021
1. Pete Alonso wins his second-straight Home Run Derby
Last night, you sit down, eager to watch the Derby for the first time in years, nostalgic for those old days when it was a night filled with pure wonder, more than almost any other the whole year, genuinely up there just a few spots behind Christmas, the first snow, the Fourth of July, Halloween, school ending for the year —that one day a year when the All-Stars sat on the grass with their kids and marveled, holding camcorders and sporting big, amazed grins on their faces, when you’d watch at home in happy awe at these heroes launching baseballs through the warm evening air, on that summer celebration of that most American of spectacles: the home run.
And so last night, you’d like to think it’s just “getting older”, the feeling of it not quite being the same, when you decide to turn off the TV ten minutes into the whole thing. You think about it for a moment, and realize it’s not that. It’s not just getting older. And instead, your heart sits there a bit sullenly, filled with “why?”
Why did they screw this whole thing up!? Why the split-screen, with ten things happening at once? Why do I have a headache?
Why did you rob me, O Rob Manfred, of that great childhood joy?
I was there in 2002, Milwaukee, when Sammy Sosa hit one out of Miller Park, onto a rain-soaked parking lot. Just watch how he cranks one, steps back to admire it, the camera showing the entire thing, the fans soaking it in, everyone soaking it in, the spectacle on full display.
Last night, you see a glimpse of a 520-footer being hit. And about the very second it lands, the next ball is struck. No reaction shot of the fans in the seats leaping up to catch the ball, in a big happy mob, no reaction shot from the batter admiring his own work, no reaction from the All-Stars in the grass, with their kids on cloud nine.
If you watched it, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Early on last night, a fan took a textbook, classic tumble in the upper deck going for a home run ball, at the exact same moment Matt Olson was already taking his next swing. A would-be-perfect Home Run Derby moment, both the ball soaring that far, and the guy backflipping onto the walkway — neither of which could be fully absorbed. It’s like ten manic Robin Williams characters all doing a routine at once: You’d probably get a kick out of them all, but instead you’re just given a headache, as our eyeballs weren’t built for all this.
We need a zoom, a replay, a time to savor! But alas, before you can adjust, the camera cuts away and it’s on to the next.
In the end, there was still greatness on TV last night. There was Ohtani, hitting bombs to right field.
There was Mike Trout, calling Ohtani on the phone in the middle of his round.
There was Juan Soto, knocking out Ohtani in the first round, double overtime. Hitting one 520 feet, the farthest-ever home run at the Derby.
Now, we were deprived of even a millisecond to step back and appreciate it, or take in just how far it went, as the next pitch was already on its way to the plate — but hey, I’m trying here, to tuck in my sadness and find something to kind of celebrate.
There was Pete Alonso’s derby pitcher, who was just about perfect.
And then, there was Pete Alonso himself. With a machine gun rapid fire burst in the last round to win, like the finale of a fireworks show, and before you even knew it, he’d won the whole thing again.
Back to back Derby king, 2019 and 2021, Pete Alonso.
With his own very cool, very deserved “Derby Champ” swag chain.
And if you wonder what motivates a guy like him, the hunger, the drive to win, in a competition that’s just a fun thing for TV. Well — here’s your stat of the night:
2. Tonight, the All-Star Game will be Ohtani Night
It’s been a long time since an All-Star Game had this much hype around it, and all of it is completely deserved — for the American Leauge starting pitcher, and American League lead-off batter, Mr. Shohei Ohtani:
It’s going to be a great one.
3. The photo (and photographer) of the night: Ken Griffey Jr.
Griffey sees Ohtani, and out comes the camera.
And here he is, all those years ago — the original Home Run Derby superstar:
4. Rob Manfred holds a press conference before the All-Star Game
He had a few notable things to say about things happening in baseball now and over the next year, in a press conference today with the BBWAA:
5. Another look at that guy falling at the Derby
You admire the going for it, but not so much the botched catch.
And, of course, the other blunder highlight of the night, from Juan Soto’s batting practice guy on the mound:
6. A report from yesterday: MLB ratings are up this year
A great sign for the game, and with the end of NHL and NBA this month, the ratings should only pick up even more.
7. Making you feel old moment of the day: Dusty Baker’s son Darren is drafted in the 10th round
The youngest batboy in MLB history (I would have to think), now many years later signed by a major-league organization.
Remember him, the little kid from the 2002 World Series?
8. There’s an ’86 Mets documentary coming soon to ESPN
This should be a great one, coming out September 14-15th:
9. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are in a new T-Mobile ad
Part of that whole “signal cutting out” running joke, that debuted (I think) with a Super Bowl ad earlier this year. Pretty good stuff here:
10. Lastly: Trey Mancini had a very great, very meaningful night
From cancer, to coming back as a brilliant, at times dominant player with the Orioles this year, and to almost winning the Home Run Derby.
