Karl Ravech backs new Home Run Derby format: ‘The pacing is gonna be better’

Karl Ravech will be on the call for Monday’s Home Run Derby on ESPN, alongside Eduardo Perez and Todd Frazier. There will be changes when fans tune into the July 15th broadcast at 8 p.m. ET.

Each hitter will see a maximum of 40 pitches during each of their timed rounds, a significant reduction from what we’ve seen in some recent years where the pace has been much higher (and where that’s spawned injury concerns).

And while ESPN’s cast weighed in on a conference call earlier this week on the changes, Ravech also shared his thoughts on Awful Announcing’s Short and to the Point podcast.

“The Derby has kind of gone the way of the overall sport,” says Ravech. “The pacing is gonna be better. There’s not gonna be, hopefully, as physical demand on the players, which I think was a deterrent to those that would think about (doing) it…The (Aaron) Judges of the world to jump back into the pool. He’s done it before, and he’s won it before. I think you’re going to have to see how these rules play out. But the fact that there’s a limited number of pitches in a three-minute window to start — 40 pitches. Not 50, not 60, not 48, 40, or three minutes. Whatever comes first. That’s it, and you’re done.

The other part that I like is it used to be a part of a bracket format where (STTP host) Jessica (Kleinschmidt) was No. 1, and Karl (Ravech) was No. 8. We would face off against each other, and Jessica would hit 37 homers, and I’d hit 35, and I would be eliminated. But everyone else in the competition, no one else hit 35. I’m like, ‘Wait a minute. I hit 35, and that guy hit 30 and 28, and they’re moving on?’ And so, now it’s the top four from the first round; I think that’s great.

“If you put up 1, 2, 3 or 4 as far as totals, then you’re moving on. I think that’s cool. We’re gonna recognize those that hit a ball further. I think 425 (feet) gets you a bonus – that’s huge. Let’s play it out. Let’s see how it goes. But I think — and I hope — it encourages those that we’d all love to see to get back into it. It’s not gonna be that big a toll on your body that you may risk some type of injury or getting so tired.

“I hope it works that way. Clearly, that’s the intent. And it feels like Major League Baseball and the players, they listen to each other on what needs to happen to continue this, because it’s such a phenomenal event.”

Short and to the Point with Jessica Kleinschmidt is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.