New MLB Commissioner
Rob Manfred is nothing if not bold—a far cry from his predecessor's decades-long inertia. A good example of this is the
completely new (and better) rules for the Home Run Derby in this year's
All-Star Game. The biggest change is that the rounds will be on a "time" limit—not an "outs" limit. Each batter will get five minutes to knock out as many HRs as he can—with non-HR's and swinging misses
not counting against anything but the time allotment. Brilliant! Moreover, if you happen to hit two HRs more than 420 feet—you get a whole extra minute. Also, the clock will stop for any HR hit in the final minute of each round. Another good new feature is the seeding—which is based on
actual HR totals as of July 7th. Amazing! Head-to-head ties will get a 90-second "Swing-Off"—with no clock stoppage. We love it
all! Way to go, Manfred!
