Baseball's best and brightest will face off Tuesday night in the 92nd midsummer classic.  The 2022 MLB All-Star Game is being hosted by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.  As always, the best players from the American League and National League will face off against each other; but there is a new wrinkle to this year's game — if the game is tied after nine innings the winner will be decided by a home run derby.  Joe Ceraulo, host of Ceraulo Sports talk on the Bleav Network, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.

Closing Bell

Baseball's Best to Face Off in 2022 MLB All-Star Game

Okay, let's turn to the biz of sports baseball's best and brightest will face off tonight in the 92nd midsummer classic 2022 MLB All Star game is being hosted by the L. A Dodgers at dodger Stadium and as per tradition, the best players from the american league and nationally will face off against each other. There's a new wrinkle to this year's game though. If the game is tied after nine innings, the winner will be decided by a home run derby. So joining me now is joe as star Ello host estrella Sports Stock on the belief network and the show is also broadcast nationally via sports map radio, joe. Thanks so much for coming on the show. What should fans be most excited about in tonight's game? Hey Kristen, thanks so much for having me. Well, like you mentioned, you know that new wrinkle to things that Home run Derby. If the game is tied after nine innings, that should be a blast. I think that the National League lineup that they've announced for, that shouldn't happen of Pete Alonso Ronald Acuna and Kyle Schwarber, all guys who were in last night's home run Derby will definitely deliver. But I think that the think Van should be most excited for is the first pitch that first matchup, Clayton Kershaw, the future Hall of Famer representing the Dodgers going up against the current phenom Shohei Otani of the Angels. It'll give dodger fans a reason to be in their seat for first pitch for a change. This is really exciting. I know a lot of L A Dodgers fans will be tuning in closely tonight, at least among my friend group they're gonna be watching closely as as well as all baseball fans across the board. But I know the addition of this home run Derby tiebreak are coming after several rule changes to the All Star game in recent years, after the game in 2002 ended in a tie due to both teams running out of pictures. And so what do you think of this edition? It'll be certainly an interesting one. Right? Oh absolutely, it's incredible. I mean, you know, after what we saw last night in the actual Home run derby to get a chance to see, you know, the 21 year old phenom Julio Rodriguez again, potentially out there, he's one of the American League's three players that they've announced it would participate right now. He's America's sweetheart, you know, the 21 year old, I saw a stat that he was just 98 days old when Albert Pujols hit his first professional home run. And so to see Rodriguez now and last night in the Derby together and Rodriguez now winning the hearts of America. I mean hopefully we do get to see this because I want to see more of Rodriguez in Los Angeles. Well, the MLB All Star Game has seen a decline, we know in viewership over the years, but last year's game, I did actually see a bump in viewers compared to the game in 2019. So do you expect another bump this year? And what do you think has led to the recent decline that we have seen of course before the pandemic? Yeah, well, you know, leading up to the pandemic in the past five years or so, the games become less important because it used to of course determine who would have home field advantage in the World Series. And I think after it was stripped of that, people decided you know, it wasn't worth as much anymore. But I think tonight that viewership is going to continue to increase, like we saw last year, I think that Kershaw Otani opening match up of the game is going to lead to that. I think the international superstars, you know, Jazz Chisholm, the first Bahamian all star starter, obviously he won't be playing because he's injured, but he was voted to the team. I think right now baseball is doing great on the global stage and I think that viewership is going to reflect that. Well, I'm just curious too, with the prospect of a home run derby now, at the end of the game, potentially if it is tied after nine innings, do you think that in and of itself could draw more viewers? I think it will certainly retain more viewers, you know, the big thing with the All Star game in recent years has been people tuned in to see the first pitch the first couple of innings because of course the starters leave after the third or fourth. But I think that with that home run Derby now the potential for that after the night that the game is tied, people will be tuned in the entirety of the game. Well, despite the decline that we had seen, I know last year's MLB All Star Game still attracting more viewers than the recent All Star Games of the major Sports League. So maybe it's kind of an All Star game problem, not necessarily an MLB specific one. Why do you think every league has struggled with these All Star Game viewership says? And how can the games perhaps be improved to entice more viewers? Well, you know, unfortunately as time progresses, All Star Games just mean less and less. Right. If you look at the NFL or the NBA All Star Games don't even mean that much in terms of personal accolades because when it comes to contract negotiations being an All pro selection in those two leagues actually means far more. So if you notice on that graphic, even though it doesn't determine home field in the World Series anymore, the All Star Game in Major League Baseball is still more successful than the others because it means more to the players than in any other league, you know, in baseball, being an All Star will help you whether you're going to arbitration with your team for a new contract or you're entering free agency. Whereas it just doesn't mean the same in football, basketball and hockey. Our commissioner rob Manfred choosing Miguel cabrera. Albert Pujols as legacy selections to this year's game to honor of course their legendary careers show how do you think the MLB will celebrate them tonight? I will say this, I really hope that something is done for us. You know, Miguel cabrera, this probably won't be his last season but we all know Albert's retiring and there really hasn't been much of a farewell tour thus far for him. Obviously the home run derby last night. It was incredible after his first round when all the players swarmed him. But I definitely want to see some acknowledgement because you know when you look at the record books Albert Pujols his name is right up there with Hank Aaron Babe Ruth, Willie Mays in terms of being one of the best hitters of his generation for over 20 years. So I definitely think he deserves his properties tonight. We'll be watching closely, joe I know you'll be watching as well. That's joe Morello host of Surrillo Sports talk on the Believe network joe. Thank you so much