A-Rod Endorses MLB Ending Tied Games With Home Run Derbies for Some Reason
By Adam Weinrib
"Why not?!" has been the reaction to essentially every MLB proposal floated during this wild, never-ending 2020 offseason.
And we totally get it -- after all, we want the game back more than anything whenever it's safe to welcome it. The league is highly interested in crafting a season, knowing that concessions must be made.
But we're going to veer into dangerous territory at some point. If a crazy idea gets enough momentum, you KNOW Rob Manfred is going to try to institute it far beyond just 2020. And THAT'S why we don't love Alex Rodriguez responding to Justin Turner's proposal to end games after 10 innings with a Home Run Derby with a tacit approval.
Alex Rodriguez Down To End MLB Ties With Home Run Derbies, 'Why Not?!' https://t.co/2RUhpa3Hqm
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) April 7, 2020
Of course you love the showy dinger-mashing solution, A-Rod. Of course you do.
The main issue with this proposal (other than its baked-in insanity) is that...we've seen the NHL essentially adopt this with the regular-season shootout. We know it worked for another league with waning viewership. This isn't necessarily pie-in-the-sky. We can totally see Rob Manfred falling for it if the right big names endorse it, and A-Rod has somehow become the face of baseball in recent years. He counts.
Justin Turner suggests a home run derby to decide games tied after 10 innings https://t.co/uFr2I6cGoD
— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) April 2, 2020
I guess it comes down to deciding what's worse: home run derbies or automatic-runner-on-second? Brace yourselves, because change is coming one way or another.