The final round of the Home Run Derby that preceded Game 1 of the NPB All-Star Series on Friday ended with a 4-4 tie and the player declared as the winner, via tiebreaker, looking around in confusion. It was yet another example that Japanese baseball needs to head back to the drawing board in its approach to the All-Star festivities.
The home run contests have grown stale. They're rarely beyond moderately entertaining, the exception being last year's Shohei Otani Invitational, mostly because of the format, which doesn't lend itself to a lot of home runs being hit, which is kind of an issue.
Japanese baseball's approach to the All-Star festivities before the games can feel business-like at times, and the league could do with an injection of energy and fun.