Home Run Derby

If you know the name of this blog, you’ll know that we here at Home Run Derby LOVE the Home Run Derby.  It’s the most wonderful day of the year.

• The best thing about the MLB Home Run Derby is that it’s all just fun. 
  No pretentiousness about the sanctity of the game. 
• No forced urgency about home-field advantage during the World Series. 
• Heck, even the incoherent ramblings of Chris Berman and Joe Morgan on ESPN can’t ruin Home Run Derby for me.

But if you can’t stand the ESPN telecast… maybe you need a little something to take the edge off … like Home Run Derby’s Second Annual Home Run Derby Drinking Game!! 

We did this last year for the Home Run Derby in San Francisco and it was so much fun I had to call in sick the next day.  My arm hurt from raising my glass so much. 

I’m always in need of a day off from work … so let’s do it again !! 

Short Version

• Put 911 on speed dial
• Take a drink every time Chris Berman says “Back” as in “Back-Back-Back”
• Take a drink every time Joe Morgan says something stupid.
• Wake up next week

Longer (and more fun) version

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So I guess a few weeks back (on May 19th) - The Simpsons were at Dodger Stadium to see the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Cincinnati Reds.

Homer Simpson (or at least a seven-foot tall facsimilie of him) got to throw out the first pitch.  I guess Universal Studios was hyping up the new Simpsons Ride at their Theme parks. 

All season long at Dodger Stadium, there’s a “Hit a Homer” promotion.  If the Dodgers hit a Home Run in the 5th Inning - Universal Studios will be giving kids (who are at the game) free tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood.  Mind you, you have to buy a full fare adult ticket for it to be valid - so it’s not exactly free … 

Lousy unfree “free ticket.”  D’OH !! 

At least you get a cool picture of a baseball-capped Homer Simpson on a popsicle stick. 

Then again - shouldn’t Homer be wearing a Dodgers cap? 

So far there have been only four games wherein the Dodgers have hit a Home Run in the fifth inning (4/15, 5/5, 5/6, and 6/24) at Chavez Ravine - and only one of those games occurred after the press release on May 15th (6/24).  I’m not sure if the promtion was live before the press release of May 15th, 2008.

Even if the promotion was in effect during April and early May - all three of those games were night games during the school year - where there are likely to be less kids than during the summer or on a weekend.  And none of the games have been sellouts.

So Universal Studios is making out like a bandit on this promotion if you ask me.

You can watch Homer throw better than most celebrities right here … video after the jump.

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It was Alyssa Milano’s 35th Birthday yesterday!

And Home Run Derby’s present to Alysa was a First Round Win in Busted Coverage’s Best Sports Blog Tournament !!

Alyssa’s going to celebrate Home Run Derby’s first round victory (408-287) by getting a little bit closer to wearing her birthday suit …

… just as we promised …

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Well, the fine upstanding blog Busted Coverage has gone out and put together a 2007 Best Sports Blog Tournament with what they consider to be the top 64 Sports Blogs.

It’s no surprise that FanHouse, Deadspin, Awful Announcing, and The Big Lead are your top seeds. These guys bring it every day. They deserve the honors.

Now, for some reason (namely a decent BallHype rating) Home Run Derby has been included in this tournament. HRD is the #8 seed in the West Region, versus the blog known as You Been Blinded.

We are humbled.
We are honored.
We want to win.

So in a shameless beg for your vote … we’re gonna give this a go …
“Major League” style.

Remember in the movie “Major League” when the Cleveland Indians’ manager (Lou Brown) brought out the cardboard cutout of the owner (Rachel Phelps) and said “every time we win, we pull off a section” ?

Well, for every win Home Run Derby gets in the 2007 Best Sports Blog Tournament …

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Dear Alyssa Milano:

This is not what real women wear to Dodger Games.

As I mentioned months ago, unless you’re consistently getting comped Club seats or are dating (read: boinking) the starting pitcher, you just don’t.

Because like I said … it’s going to get baptized by beer.

Speaking of Baptism by Beer … This is what REAL women wear to Dodger Games. 

Sometimes they even pour the beer themselves. 

Thank you to Lion in Oil …

Alyssa Milano is no stranger to Baseball. She’s dated MLB pitchers Barry Zito, Carl Pavano, and Brad Penny, her dad on Who’s the Boss was a former St Louis Cardinals 2^nd Baseman (okay that was a stretch), and she’s seen at Major League games all the time. And now, Alyssa’s teamed up with MLB to market womens’ juniors’ apparel emblazoned with MLB logos.

The line will be sold under the label TOUCH by Alyssa Milano, and will be unlike any ladies MLB apparel currently being offered. The juniors’ targeted product line will consist of sets, fashion tops, denim, and dresses designed utilizing high quality fabrics and body contouring silhouettes.

Milano explains, TOUCH by Alyssa Milano was born out of necessity. When I go to baseball games, I want to wear fan gear to support my team, but I’ve found that the product mix offered in the current marketplace does not address my everyday fashion needs. Women should be able to look stylish while cheering on their favorite team.

The clothes will cost in the range of $40-100 and will be available this spring. I understand there might be a need for women’s MLB apparel that reaches beyond slapping a Cub or Red Sox logo on a pink cap or baby-doll t-shirt, but I don’t see where these Kimonos hit the needs of Ms. Milano’s supposed target market of female baseball fans.

Personally, I think the first one looks like some of Hugh Hefner’s old pajamas which were shrunk in the wash and someone slapped a Yankees logo on them. Mind you - they look good on Alyssa. And unless Jane Doe sits in the Scout Seats like Ms. Milano, what woman in their right mind is going to wear a “body contouring silhouette” made of “high quality fabric” to a baseball game where there’s a one in three chance she’s going to get baptized by 16 ounces of flat, warm light beer anyway?

- Alyssa’s favorite team is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

- She was the guest of Major Leage Baseball at the 2006 All-Star Home Run Derby.

- She’s the namesake of HomerDerby participant The El Guapos first-born daughter (and don’t try to deny it).

- She’s wreaked havoc on the ERA and W/L records of her MLB boyfriends.

- And I don’t think she ever wears a bra. That ain’t a complaint.