Baseball fans react to possibility of a Legends Home Run Derby at 2024 MLB All-Star Game: "I’d pay to watch Griffey Jr. swing at any age"
MLB fans are excited at the prospect of a Legends Home Run Derby as part of the 2024 All-Star Game festivities.
Jayson Stark of The Athletic reported Monday that the idea is being discussed among MLB executives and that several recently-retired players are already volunteering to take part.
According to Stark, Ken Griffey Jr., Albert Pujols, Jim Thome and David Ortiz are four players who have expressed interest in competing in the event should it take place during next season's All-Star activities at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers.
Per @jaysonst, there could be a "Legends Home Run Derby" at the 2024 All-Star Game, and these 4 former greats have already expressed interest 👀
Who would win from this group?? https://t.co/ba41qFIowk
Thome told Stark that he would love to swing for the fences with a group of MLB's historic home run hitters:
"I just think about Griffey’s swing. How pure. How special. I start with that. You know, I don’t know how many home runs any of us would hit. But, I mean, to watch another Ken Griffey homer? How cool would that be for someone in Seattle or in Cincinnati? Or with Albert Pujols in St. Louis. That’s what would make it kind of cool."
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst I’d pay to watch Griffey Jr swing at any age.
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst This would be incredible
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst Ortiz would win easily. His last year he hit .315/.401/.620 with 38 HR.
Griffey got the ball rolling on the idea a week ago while on MLB Network before the start of this year's Home Run Derby, which was won by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays.
When asked by Pujols whether he would be competing as a joke, Griffey responded that he would if Pujols would.
Griffey, now 53, already displayed his home run power during the World Baseball Classic. As hitting coach of Team USA, he was dared by players to show if he could still knock it out of the park. He took them up on the challenge and, after a few swings, blasted one over the outfield wall at Miami's LoanDepot Park.
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst Junior winning that with his hat on backwards, for sure!!!
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst Id love to see this , i think it’d rope a lot of the older demographic who kinda faded off from the new rules back to watching
Not all MLB fans are enamored with the idea of a Legends Home Run Derby. It has been several years since many of the players mentioned as taking part have played the game.
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst Current MLB players get worn out during the home run derby... are they going to have oxygen on stand by? Not much interest in watching grandpa swing for the fences.
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst Yes MLB, let’s fix our already boring home run derby by adding another one with 4 retired, probably out of shape former players.
Other baseball fans would rather see an "Old Timer's Game" as the league used to do years ago.
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst They should do a legends game at the Allstar break it would be more entertaining. Give them a year to get ready
@MLBONFOX @jaysonst This wouldn’t interest me. I wouldn’t mind seeing an old timer’s game comprised of Hall of Famers though.
MLB fans love their home runs
All the planning is in its infancy, but there is a groundswell of support in baseball circles for a Legends Home Run Derby next summer.
There has not been talk about when the competition would take place during the All-Star festivities or how the event itself would be organized.