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The unofficial halfway point of the MLB season is already here, and fans across the country will be tuning in to one of the baseball shows Monday night.
However, this year’s Home Run Derby could be the most watched ever, as it will stream on Netflix.
“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be really exciting. What they’re doing to our sport, getting basically worldwide recognition. Fans who maybe aren’t interested in baseball see it’s on Netflix and think, ‘Hey, I’ll watch that.’ So we have a really good opportunity to bring baseball to viewers who don’t necessarily see it on a daily basis,” Anthony Rizzo, a former All-Star and Derby participant who is a Netflix analyst for the event, recently told PK Press Club Digital.
THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA MAY HAVE LEAKED SOME MLB ALL-STARS HOURS BEFORE THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo bats during the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Elsa/Getty Images)
“They bring fame everywhere. Everything they do, Netflix is first class. So, I’m excited for the guests we’re going to have, the baseball players, the celebrities, the whole mess.”
In an era where All-Star Games have morphed into mere cautious scrimmages, baseball remains different, as 100 mph fastballs with devastating breaking balls are still constant.
“I think when you’re between the lines, it’s fun and games until the game starts. It’s always relaxed and fun, but when you’re in the box or on defense, it’s very competitive. You want to take the guy deep, you want to get a hit, you want to show off your All-Star talent on the national stage. If you go out, it doesn’t matter as much. If you get a hit, it doesn’t matter as much. But it feels good to play in the All-Star Game,” Rizzo said.
One of the All-Star phenoms of the NBA Dunk Contest has undoubtedly been watered down by the fact that the game’s stars simply don’t participate. But that’s not the case with the Home Run Derby, even with the exhaustion it brings.
Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs bats during the Gillette Home Run Derby at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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“I’ve been in the Derby myself and I was sore for a week because of how hard I was swinging. So you really have to evaluate where you are physically and mentally. It’s mentally grueling, too. The magnitude and emotion of the Derby and the All-Star Game is intense, and then two days later you’re playing again. So you just have to know yourself,” Rizzo said.
But Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Junior Caminero and Ben Rice are just some of the big names who will be in Philadelphia trying to hit as many home runs in 20 swings each round.
“The Derby brings an adrenaline rush that you’re just not used to in July,” Rizzo said.
“You always want big stars out there. It’s also great for younger players to shine. I don’t think the game will ever turn away from that, and the incentive to win now is higher than ever. Hitting a few home runs in a few hours and winning seven figures is a great result, that’s for sure.”
The break, according to Rizzo, has the potential to be one of the best of all time.
“I think it’s so hard to be an All-Star every year. What it takes to be an All-Star in Major League Baseball, especially as a position player, is you’re not just going to go out there and hit 20 to 30 home runs before the All-Star break and have a .280 to .300 average. There’s so much work to do,” he said.
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo looks on during batting practice before the 86th MLB All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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“Then you can enjoy and celebrate this moment with all of your peers who also had a great first half. The Home Run Derby is awesome. It’s in Philadelphia, and I feel like Philadelphia is on fire right now. The Phillies have completely turned their season around and look like World Series contenders again. It’s America’s 250th birthday, the World Cup is coming up, and everything is going great right now. Philly, the Home Run Derby over there, the All-Star Game, I would like to imagine that the city will move.”
