MLB's Plan To Drain Every Last Ounce Of Fun From The Home Run Derby Takes Shape

Kansas City Royals fans were pissed off that Robinson Cano didn't pick Billy Butler for the Home Run Derby, so they booed him. Mercilessly. And each time he failed to hit a home run, compared to the zero times he successfully did, they cheered him. (Burke went ahead and isolated the crowd audio, so you can check that out above.) Whether you think it was classless or hilarious, you can't deny that it was a moment of genuine, communal emotion, and that really annoys Major League Baseball so they're aiming to fix all that.

Because of last night's Canogate—Derbygate? Boogate? Whatever—Bud Selig plans to put the kibosh on this kind of sentiment by possibly forcing a hometown slugger into the Derby wherever the All-Star Game happens to be.

"We'll talk about this [potential rule change]," Selig said during his annual session with the Baseball Writers Association of America. "While I understand [the feelings of fans in] Kansas City ... I felt very badly last night. I felt badly last year for Prince. This was tough."

When another questioner observed the heat — and boos — could even intensify next year with the game scheduled for Citi Field in New York, Selig again lamented Monday's episode.

"It won't be any worse than last night," he said. "You can only boo so loud. ... But let me just say, we'll think about that."

Don't you worry. The Home Run Derby has a glaring problem with fans caring too much about its participants, and the Commish is on it.

MLB could change HR Derby rules [ESPN]