​In April, I gave Netflix a hard time for its mishandling of Major League Baseball’s “Opening Night” game. And that was before the abomination — three-parts Netflix advertising event and one-part baseball game — even happened. (Some weeks later, I shared my unsolicited opinion of the spectacle with least one very high-ranking Netflix senior executive. That may have likewise been a misstep.)On Monday, Netflix gets its next MLB at-bat with the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Even a home run of its own, production-wise, would not make up for “MLB Opening Night,” but more tact would be a nice tip of the cap to baseball fans.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMore from The Hollywood ReporterNetflix Earnings Preview: Is the Stock an Ad Growth or an Engagement Challenge Story?’Monopoly’ Competition Series Based on Board Game Passes Go at NetflixMeet the 11-Year-Old Actress Leading Netflix’s New Take on ‘Little House on the Prairie’Back on March 25 on Netflix exclusively, the New York Yankees pounded the home team San Francisco Giants 7-0. I was thrilled with the outcome of the game, but appalled by everything but the on-field action. “MLB Opening Night” featured too much Bert Kreischer (shirtless, of course), goofy player entrances flanked by dancers and vehicles most associated with the teams’ respective cities (yellow cabs for New York and a trolley for San Francisco), and John Cena plugging his new Netflix film under the guise of explaining ABS (Automated Ball-Strike).It was one big Netflix ad with some baseball mixed in. After much criticism, even Netflix copped to its mistake.“Maybe with Opening Night, we were across that line a little bit too much,” Netflix’s head of sports Gabe Spitzer told the March and Sports Media Podcast in May. “Maybe there were a few too many Netflix promos. But at the same time, I think we also listen to what the fans say. We do a ton of surveys, you know, before and after, and what that sentiment was, and I think overall it was incredibly positive.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTonight, Netflix hosts the Home Run Derby, probably the only piece of America’s Past Time™ that could make do with some of the streamer’s spit-shine — “some” being the operative word here. What Netflix does best — beyond documentary programming, I’d argue — is eventizing. Netflix makes big deals feel like bigger deals. Its global audience has a natural interest in baseball and everyone digs dingers.This year’s blasts beyond the confines of Citizens Bank Park will come off the bats of Kyle Schwarber (Philadelphia Phillies, DH, 32 home runs at the All-Star Break), Ben Rice (New York Yankees, 1B, 28 HRs), Junior Caminero (Tampa Bay Rays, 3B, 27 HRs), Jordan Walker (St. Louis Cardinals, OF, 22 HRs), Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies, 1B, 20 HRs), Willson Contreras (Boston Red Sox, 1B, 20 HRs), Munetaka Murakami (Chicago White Sox, 1B, 20 HRs) and Jac Caglianone (Kansas City Royals, OF, 14 HRs).