MLB’s single-elimination bracket format has revitalized the Home Run Derby—last night ruled—but can we do even better? As with game shows, the Japanese remain light years ahead of us in Home Run Derby technology.

A Home Run Derby field that was light on star wattage wound up producing a tremendous contest, with a climactic finish featuring exactly the outcome Major League Baseball would’ve scripted if they’d had the chance: Bryce Harper surging dramatically in the final round to win it with a majestic dinger in front of a…

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Three-time World Series champion and Angels hitting coach Eric Hinske burst into the clubhouse like a man possessed. Inside, the Angels relievers and a few other players, including Mike Trout, were decompressing before their May 8 game at the Rockies’ notoriously hitter-friendly ballpark.

Here are two facts. 1) MLB may struggle getting marquee players in the Home Run Derby this year, with many of the best sluggers and biggest names reportedly not interested.

Shohei Ohtani doesn’t think he’s ready for the home run derby. “I don’t think I’m at that level yet,” he told reporters yesterday.

Giancarlo Stanton took his timeout early on during last night’s Home Run Derby. He got off to a rough start, slapping a handful ground balls and liners rather than monster dingers, and he was clearly frustrated by the time he’d already eaten up.

Let me show you some charts.

This is the third year that the Home Run Derby has been structured as a race down against the clock rather than a trek up to a swing count, and this derby only emphasized what the last two established—this is so, so, so much better than what we had before.

Hey, we’ve got some Home Run Derby beef! It’s thin and dry as far as beef goes, but these are the famine times. I will happily accept any and all life-sustaining beef to get us to and through next week’s sportless days, this long, sparse summer, and, of course, the inevitable heat death of the universe some time after…

Giancarlo Stanton, the finest masher of taters in baseball, won the home run derby last night with a record 61 total home runs. He hit 18 of the 19 longest homers of the evening, and his 61 dingers traveled a total of 5.1 miles.

Here’s a Barry Bonds interview from a few weeks ago that aligns eerily well with the baseball sensibilities of a few Deadspin staffers. There have been tales of Ichiro’s monster batting practice dingers for a few years, and Bonds here confirms that Ichiro can still slap ‘em all around the yard.

San Diego will host MLB’s All-Star Week in July, and a reader at the Padres’ park today sent along a photo of a scoreboard graphic for the Home Run Derby. We asked MLB if it was legit or just a plausible roster used to test the graphics, and you can decide whether or not you believe them.

The Home Run Derby was, from top to bottom, the best in the event’s three-decade history. (I want to hug the phrase “buzzer-beating home run.” We’ve finally perfected sports.) MLB is rightfully being universally praised for introducing new rules that increased the drama, excitement, and competition, and I don’t want…

We thought the new Home Run Derby format sounded good, and it turns out that it was. In a scene straight out of an MLB marketer’s daydream, longtime Cincinnati Red Todd Frazier won in bonus time over Joc Pederson, the most exciting Home Run Derby in years.

Severe weather is expected in much of the Midwest tonight, and that includes Cincinnati, home of the All-Star Game and tonight’s Home Run Derby. There’s the possibility of lightning, damaging winds, and downpours like the ones that rolled through this afternoon:

We are—dare I say—excited about next Monday’s Home Run Derby in Cincinnati. A radical new format promises more action in less time, and the eight participants, announced last night, don’t have a stinker among them.

MLB released the format for this year’s Home Run Derby today. It’s, uh, different.