The All-Star game is an exhibition wrapped in an identity crisis. The game should be a showcase for the players that fans want to see, without the lords of baseball trying to attach some sort of meaning to the result.
That is what makes the home run derby so much fun. There is no larger meaning. Swing the bat hard, hit the ball far, as many times as you can. This oft-jaded generation of players spills onto the field to watch, to tease their peers, and to enjoy the spectacle.
Within the next two weeks, Major League Baseball could enhance this year’s derby by inviting pitchers to participate.