The Derby: Love it or leave it behind?

No, not Kentucky. We’re talking the Futures Collegiate Baseball League’s use of a home run derby to decide games that are deadlocked after the 10th inning.

Most Nashua Silver Knights fans had never seen it before since the rule came into play three years ago. The Knights had been involved in a handful, but they were all on the road – until Tuesday night.

Yes, they found themselves deadlocked with the Brockton Rox 5-5 after 10, both teams finding ways not to score despite having men on base in the 10th. Nashua was one out away from a win in the top of the ninth but nooooo, the Rox tied it.

After a 75 minute second inning rain delay, extras was not really looked at as a bonus.

Here’s how the Derby – basically baseball’s version of the hockey shootout – works: each team designates a hitter, and in the team’s turn that hitter has three minutes to hit as many batting practice type homers as possible. You can substitute hitters twice, and call three timeouts during that three minute span. If tied after each team’s three minutes, do it all over.

Ironically, it was Nashua’s second straight HR Derby game. The Knights lost 11-10 in the derby on Sunday at the bandbox known as Doyle Field in Leominster, pandemic season home of the Worcester Bravehearts.

And that was after getting nine runs in the seventh to rally from an 8-1 deficit.

Ouch. But after Dom Keegan hit a soaring shot over the lower left field billboards, just to the right of the brick wall on Tuesday night, Nashua took a game away that Brockton had rallied to tie.

It’s a tough call. We prefer what the Major Leagues will do this year with starting an inning with a runner at second, if you have to do something. But nothing can substitute for playing the game as is.

The reason for these quick fixes to shorten extra innings is to save the college arms, besides not having games extend into next month. The Silver Knights had two seasons in a row with an 18 inning game at Holman. Yikes.

Former Nashua manager B.J. Neverett despised the Derby, as the Silver Knights never did well. As first year skipper Kyle Jackson said, “Our team was never built to hit home runs.”

The Knights broke through last year and won a couple. And now this year they’re 1-1.

“We’re never a big fan of the Home Run Derby,” Jackson said. “But we appreciate the fact it saves pitchers’ arms. And it’s exciting for the fans. But, as the home plate umpire said, ‘It’s a great way to win, and a crappy way to lose.’

“You battle for 10 innings, and then if you’re guy’s not throwing well (behind the L screen) or your guy’s not hitting, it’s the luck of the draw.”

But there’s strategy. Managers are watching their players for fatigue; Jackson certainly had an impact when he called a time out so Keegan could take a breath and collect himself with things deadlocked at 10.

“I told him ‘All you’ve got to do is hit one, take a breath,'” Jackson said. “We did it with 18 seconds left. He was getting tired. It’s a long three minutes.”

See, who says baseball is without a clock. OK, we admit, it’s fun to watch. The few fans left at Holman just after 11 p.m. were on their feet. The players either grab chairs and sit near the dugout or are standing watching. It’s never, thankfully, used in the playoffs.

“It’s not how I want to win,” Jackson said. “And I know it’s how (Brockton) doesn’t want to lose.”

Yeah, it leaves you torn. The Knights celebrated with Keegan afterward, but no t quite the same as they did last Saturday night after a walk-off win.

It leaves the purists feeling guilty.

But these days, it’s probably for the best. Let’s just say we tolerate The Derby. It’s like that food you’ve wanted to try, finally do, you like it, but you’re not dying to try it again anytime soon.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.

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