During the previous season, Fox had put "The Simpsons" in a timeslot that meant it was in direct competition with "The Cosby Show", which won the timeslot every time. "Homer at the Bat" had a 15.9 rating and 23 share to win its timeslot while "The Cosby Show" had a 13.2 rating and 20 share. This was the first time a new "Simpsons" episode beat a new "Cosby Show" episode. Former executive producer Sam Simon and current showrunner Al Jean named it as their favorite episode. Regular cast members Harry Shearer and Julie Kavner disliked the episode because of its focus on the guest stars and its surreal tone. They were particularly annoyed by the Mattingly sideburns joke.