MLB All-Star Skills Competition?

joeyt618 · Post #1 » by **joeyt618** » Mon Jul 9, 2012 2:41 pm

Like many others, I've always found the skills competition to an all-star weekend to be more enjoyable then the actual all-star game itself - whether it be in the NHL, NBA or even the NFL (although they've cancelled the Pro Bowl skills challenge in 2007).

Although the Home Run Derby can be entertaining, I've found that it gets dragged on for WAY too long. I usually end up flipping through the channels because I'm sick of watching commercials after every second batter. Instead of dragging out the HR Derby for 2 hours, why not have a full evening of skills competition like the other major sports?

Here are some ideas:

1) Fastest pitch: Simple and easy to judge. Get the hardest throwing fireballers in baseball and see who can throw the fastest on the radar gun. Who wouldn't want to see Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson duke it out on the mound during their heyday?

2) Pitching accuracy: A similar format to the NHL's accuracy shooting, have a wall of targets at home plate, and have the pitcher hit as many targets as possible in the fewest amount of pitches or in the shortest time.

3) Fastest runner: Have the player run from home to first and see who can record the fastest time. You can even time how long it takes for the player to round the bases.

4) Best fielder: Similar to the new skills challenge in the NBA, have 4 nets set up on each base. The best infielders of the game will participate. Designate them on a spot in the infield and have them take ground balls. They must then accurately throw them into each net. Fastest time wins.

5) Best outfield arm: Not sure how this will work, but one of the most exciting defensive plays in baseball occurs when there is going to be a play at the plate. Designate the player on a spot in the outfield, have a ball tossed in the air for them, and see how fast he can get it accurately to the catcher standing at home. Or to make it more exciting, have a runner tagging at third, and see how many times the outfielder can gun him out at home in 3 tries. I would surely tune in to a Bautista vs. Ichiro matchup.

What do you guys think of having a skills competition in baseball? To me, it's about time MLB expands its All-Star weekend festivities to spotlight the individual talents of its players.

GP2 · Post #2 » by **GP2** » Mon Jul 9, 2012 3:07 pm

Definitely a fun idea, but I don't see managers liking their guys gunning their arm in a skills competition. All it takes is one throw to injure a guy.

satyr9 · Post #3 » by **satyr9** » Mon Jul 9, 2012 4:54 pm

I'd prefer non-baseball skills. Fastest knitting, juried watercolour painting competition, a souffle bake-off, who can strip clean and reassemble an AK47 fastest. Those would be all-star skill competitions I'd watch. Otherwise I treat all all-star breaks as a week off from their sports, 'cause they bore me to tears.

MGD24 · Post #4 » by **MGD24** » Mon Jul 9, 2012 6:07 pm

although some cool ideas, there is no way teams would want their multi-million dollar investments participating in things like this. They are just injuries waiting to happen.

I don't even know if most players would even participate.

Hamyltowne · Post #5 » by **Hamyltowne** » Mon Jul 9, 2012 7:12 pm

satyr9 wrote:I'd prefer non-baseball skills. Fastest knitting, juried watercolour painting competition, a souffle bake-off, who can strip clean and reassemble an AK47 fastest.

Skin Blues · Post #6 » by **Skin Blues** » Mon Jul 9, 2012 7:13 pm

This would be way cooler than the HR derby. But yeah, injury concerns mean the hardest/longest throw wouldn't happen. Accuracy would be neat, though. And maybe hitting/bunting to targets on the field. I don't think those would cause injury concerns. And obviously could still include the HR derby.

jim todd · Post #7 » by **jim todd** » Mon Jul 9, 2012 11:30 pm

satyr9 wrote:I'd prefer non-baseball skills. Fastest knitting, juried watercolour painting competition, a souffle bake-off, who can strip clean and reassemble an AK47 fastest. Those would be all-star skill competitions I'd watch. Otherwise I treat all all-star breaks as a week off from their sports, 'cause they bore me to tears.

Put this man in charge! I would definitely watch that.

Hamyltowne · Post #8 » by **Hamyltowne** » Mon Jul 9, 2012 11:47 pm

jim todd wrote:
satyr9 wrote:I'd prefer non-baseball skills. Fastest knitting, juried watercolour painting competition, a souffle bake-off, who can strip clean and reassemble an AK47 fastest. Those would be all-star skill competitions I'd watch. Otherwise I treat all all-star breaks as a week off from their sports, 'cause they bore me to tears.

Put this man in charge! I would definitely watch that.

I heard Robinson Cano knits a mean Aran sweater, Carlos Beltran's béchamel sauce makes a wicked souffle, and Yadier Molina can make that army scene from Forest Gump look like disassembling a super-soaker.

That's what I heard.

SharoneWright · Post #9 » by **SharoneWright** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:12 am

Hamyltowne wrote:
satyr9 wrote:I'd prefer non-baseball skills. Fastest knitting, juried watercolour painting competition, a souffle bake-off, who can strip clean and reassemble an AK47 fastest.

The 'winner' gets an automatic demotion!

Hamyltowne · Post #10 » by **Hamyltowne** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:38 am

SharoneWright wrote:
Hamyltowne wrote:
satyr9 wrote:I'd prefer non-baseball skills. Fastest knitting, juried watercolour painting competition, a souffle bake-off, who can strip clean and reassemble an AK47 fastest.

The 'winner' gets an automatic demotion!

It took me a while to get that one. I had to read it over a few times. Could be your funniest line yet, Sharone.

Post #11 » by **spykelee** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 2:28 am

satyr9 wrote:I'd prefer non-baseball skills. Fastest knitting, juried watercolour painting competition, a souffle bake-off, who can strip clean and reassemble an AK47 fastest. Those would be all-star skill competitions I'd watch. Otherwise I treat all all-star breaks as a week off from their sports, 'cause they bore me to tears.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6VPEcj77v8[/youtube]

Hamyltowne · Post #12 » by **Hamyltowne** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 2:52 am

spykelee wrote:
satyr9 wrote:I'd prefer non-baseball skills. Fastest knitting, juried watercolour painting competition, a souffle bake-off, who can strip clean and reassemble an AK47 fastest. Those would be all-star skill competitions I'd watch. Otherwise I treat all all-star breaks as a week off from their sports, 'cause they bore me to tears.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6VPEcj77v8[/youtube]

Hamyltowne wrote:I heard Robinson Cano knits a mean Aran sweater, Carlos Beltran's béchamel sauce makes a wicked souffle, and Yadier Molina can make that army scene from Forest Gump look like disassembling a super-soaker.

That's what I heard.

Post #13 » by **spykelee** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 2:59 am

^^ Haha, admitedly, I didn't read the whole thread before posting, you know I'm always anxious to get the movie clips up there

Hamyltowne · Post #14 » by **Hamyltowne** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:07 am

spykelee wrote:^^ Haha, admitedly, I didn't read the whole thread before posting, you know I'm always anxious to get the movie clips up there

I was going to reply to you with a super-soaker clip. :lol:

kavan · Post #15 » by **kavan** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:11 am

Me and my friends have talked about it for years.

Managers not wanting the exhaust their players is like saying you don't want Blake hurting his knee or ankle during the dunk off. There are only a select few players that can participate not every player will be involved. A day off after the contest to rest must be also added if not two to help recover!