In the early hours of July 15, baseball fans woke up to an unexpected throwback, one that had nothing to do with Cal Raleigh’s swing or Brent Rooker’s near-miss. Instead, it came from a former major leaguer who decided to ditch the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby altogether in favor of nostalgia. A former Red Sox infielder and longtime critic of today’s game trends, tuned into a replay of the 2008 Home Run Derby rather than watch this year’s event live. Why? In his own words, “That is no longer the case!”

Jeff Frye, who played eight seasons in MLB and is no stranger to big-stage drama, now goes by @shegone03 on social media, posted his blunt assessment on X: “The @MLB Home Run Derby used to be can’t-miss television. That is no longer the case!”

He continued by remembering the moment when he saw Josh Hamilton hit 28 home runs in a row at Yankee Stadium and how the crowd cheered with chants of “Hamilton!” Frye expressed his disappointment in his post. He openly shared his belief that MLB has lost its enchantment.

The timing of this statement wasn’t random. It dropped just hours after the Raleigh, Rooker tiebreaker controversy exploded across social media. Both players hit 17 homers in the first round, but Raleigh advanced because his longest home run was measured at 470.61 feet, barely edging Rooker’s 470.53. The difference? Less than an inch. Rooker appeared frustrated after the event. He also expressed doubts about the transparency of the tiebreaker rules when it was revealed that even decimal points down to the hundredths could make a difference.

Frye didn’t talk about the controversy directly, but many were quick to see the connection between the lines in his words. His remarks reflected the feeling that the Derby has turned overly technical and obsessed with statistics, losing touch with its thrilling nature.

It’s not just a personal gripe. Many fans and even players are questioning MLB’s handling of the event. From invisible decimal-based eliminations to under-communicated rules, the backlash is building. And in the midst of it, Frye’s message hits harder than any home run swing: maybe it’s not the players who’ve changed, maybe it’s the game that’s lost its way. As debates rage on, one thing is certain: this year’s Derby will be remembered less for who won and more for who got left behind and who chose not to watch at all.

Where’s the transparency? MLB players left in the dark?

Brent Rooker did everything right. He smashed 17 home runs during the round of the 2025 Home Run Derby in a thrilling showdown with Raleigh, where they matched each other’s swings stride for stride until a single statistic on paper altered the course of events entirely. Not one that appeared on screen, not something fans or even players could track in real time, just a decimal, quietly sitting behind the scenes.

The sliver of separation was enough to send Raleigh to the next round and eliminate Rooker on a technicality. The rulebook had the clause, sure, but few knew it existed. Even Rooker himself admitted he had no clue the exact distance of the longest homer would be the tiebreaker, let alone that it would come down to hundredths of a foot. “Maybe if they have it to the decimal point, they should display that during the Derby and not wait till everyone’s done to bring out that information,” Rooker said, clearly frustrated after learning the fine print had decided his fate.

The real issue wasn’t just the margin; it was the mystery. Fans inside the stadium and millions watching at home were left guessing. No real-time display of the longest home runs. No clear explanation of the tiebreaker process. Just a sudden announcement that Rooker was out, and Raleigh was in. In a competition built on drama and spectacle, the moment fell flat.

The Home Run Derby isn’t supposed to feel like a math problem; it’s supposed to feel electric. But when even the players don’t know what determines their fate, something’s off.