We have the guy (Alex Rodriguez) who is T5th in the MLB and 2nd in the AL in home runs. And he didn't even get an invite.

The country thing just doesn't appeal to me. I'm hoping that it's only a one year thing in promotion of the World Cup thingy. They may pick up viewers in South Korea and Canada, but they might have lost one here. The top 8 home run hitters (or the top 4 home run hitters from each league) that made the all star game (I guess, if they can only invite people that are there already) should be invited. Of the top 10 home run hitters in the MLB, only 3 are participating. Here is the run down:

Andruw Jones - 27 home runs
Mark Teixeira - 25 home runs
Carlos Lee - 22 home runs
David Ortiz - 21 home runs
Bobby Abreu - 18 home runs
Jason Bay - 16 home runs
Hee-Seop Choi - 13 home runs
Ivan Rodriguez - 6 home runs

How close were Tony Womack and Tino Martinez to making this team?! Seriously?

Baseball is an International game. You don't need to divide the participants of the MLB home run derby into countries. If this were the olympic or world cup home run derby - fine, cool. I'm with you. But, otherwise... this is the MLB home run derby. What they do in the MLB matters. Not just where they are from.

I might not completely skip it (as I boldly predicted to Seamus last night), but... I might. Will I be curious to see who won? Sure. It is fun to see the guys swing for the fences because they're having fun, laughing, etc... no matter who it is. So, I might watch a little bit - or I might just have other things to do.

All told, I'd rather watch the top 8 living career home run leaders. Or Royce Clayton against Tony Womack. (0 home runs between them - how funny would that be?)