For years, the Home Run Derby has been based on one format. Each player was given 10 outs per round, and each swing not resulting in a Home Run was an out. While it was still enjoyable to watch, there was no stress of time weighing down on the competitors to finish out their round. This year, each player was granted four minutes to hit as many home runs as possible, and found themselves pitted against another opponent one on one. The result? A dramatic finish that came right down to the wire. In the end, Cincinattti Red's Todd Frazier, the hometown hero, battled his way through the bracket to battle Dodger's rookie Joc Pederson in the final round, where Frazier hit his Derby clinching dinger in the bonus time, which was allotted to him because of his two home runs over 425 feet.
All in all, I loved the new format. The time constraints made the end of the matchup much more dramatic, because you would have seen one player race to the finish to beat the clock. I also like how each competitor had an opponent to take down, rather than have more home runs than everyone else to win. More drama was added to a previously less dramatic affair, and the result was a breathtaking battle between two young guns. I hope that the MLB continues with this format, because it can potentially bring up ratings even higher, and draw in new fans to the sport, all because of the drama.
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