I enjoy watching the annual Major League Baseball Home Run Derby the night before the All-Star Game, but there are two things that usually come up regarding the players who compete in it that I am tired of hearing about. First is that competing in the derby ruins a player's swing. Professional golfers need to be able to hit a driver and a 9 iron and that's much more of a dramatic difference in a golfer's swing than one night of a baseball player aiming for the fences. The second thing I am tired of hearing about is that the winner of the derby is jinxed and will not have good power numbers for the remainder of the season. Players get hot, players get cold. It has absolutely nothing to do with winning the home run derby.
Home Run Derby
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Both issues are somewhat related, obviously. If the players, their managers, or their ownership think it really does affect their swing, either physically or mentally, then the should opt out. Of course then the players don't get some sort of bonus (and probably a payment from MLB to participate) and the team can't market that they have the "Home Run Derby Champion, 20XX" or runner up, etc.
A-Rod didn't participate because he thought the Derby would impact more than his swing.
He's already taking Viagra so why take a chance on being jinxed too?