Home Run Derby

Uh Oh.

We could have some bad blood between the two biggest sluggers in the NL Central.  And it’s all about how you wear your uniform.

Here’s a quote from St. Louis Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols in an interview with USA Today …

“I see teams take their jerseys out when the game is over,” he says. “To me, that’s not professional. I don’t care what you do when you get off the field, but don’t do it on the field.”

“You don’t want kids to see negative things.”

Intriguingly, Pujols didn’t name any of those teams who “take their jerseys out” … or even one team … so we’ll do it for you. 

It’s the Milwaukee Brewers, a team once again vying with the Cardinals for the NL Central crown.  And there was bad blood from the Cardinals last year about the untucking practice, too.  Last fall, Cardinals TV Announcer Rick Horton said it was the most disrespectful thing he’s ever seen (that’s from memory – I don’t have a quote). 

Keeping that in mind, let’s go back to last Monday’s Home Run Derby.  In Busch Stadium, home of Albert Pujols and his St. Louis Cardinals.

Who won that contest?  Oh yeah … Prince Fielder of the aforementioned Brewers … and known shirt untucker after game-winning Home Runs.

OH-NO-HE-DIDN’T just untuck his jersey … (more…)

Well yeah, Prince Fielder won the MLB Home Run Derby Contest … but who cares about him?

Congratulations to Wendy H, who won HomerDerby.com’s 2009 Home Run Derby Contest!! 

Her entry, Woo Woo Crew, had the most Home Runs (53) and won the contest on a tiebreaker.

Here’s her selections:

• First Round: Albert Pujols (7)*, Prince Fielder (11), Nelson Cruz (11), Carlos Pena (6)*
• Second Round: Albert Pujols (6), Prince Fielder (6)
• Champion: Prince Fielder (6)
• Tiebreaker – HR Derby Champ Total HR:  16

*Includes Bat-Off HRs.

It came down to the first tiebreaker.  Failcouer Forever also had 53 HR, but predicted a total of 37 Home Runs for the HR Derby Champion.  Prince Fielder hit 23 bombs.  Woo Woo Crew was off by 7.  Failcouer Forever was off by 14.  Woo Woo wins. 

Here’s the comparison of their teams  …

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So help me God, I LOVE THE HOME RUN DERBY.

• Even though it might be glorified batting practice. 
• Even though it might get boring after oh, 10 Home Runs. 
• Even though it might be “all that’s wrong with the game”
• Even though ESPN keeps trying to overhype and destroy it with its predictable coverage of the event. 

Wait … predictable coverage of a television event? 

You know what that means … DRINKING GAME!!

To celebrate this blog’s namesake, Home Run Derby brings you our Third Annual HOME RUN DERBY DRINKING GAME !! 

I’m going for three straight years that I don’t show up for work the day after the Derby.  (2007, 2008)

Get on your drinking jerseys and let’s get started.

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And MLB is finally starting to announce the Junior Circuit’s contestants for the 2009 Home Run Derby in St. Louis.  Took them long enough.  The National League contestants were announced four days ago.

Here are your American League 2009 Home Run Derby Contestants … the AL is certainly lacking in star power compared to the quartet of 1st Basemen the NL is rolling out there.

JOE MAUER – Minnesota Twins, C
15 HR, 15.3 AB/HR, .389 AVG, 1.112 OPS, 47 RBI

Perhaps since Justin Morneau (the other half of the M&M boys from Minnesota) isn’t going to defend his 2008 Home Run Derby title …  Mauer might try to do it.

Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire thinks Mauer will win the Derby …

“Joe, in the home run hitting contest? He’d probably win it,” Gardenhire said. “You know it and I know it — just to let people know he can hit home runs. Nothing would surprise me that Joe does.”

My guess is that Mauer has the highest batting average of a player to compete in the MLB Home Run Derby.

BRANDON INGE – Detroit Tigers , 3B

Brandon Inge barely made it to the All-Star Game (he was the winner of the AL’s Last Man Vote) … but less than 24 hours after finding out he was an All-Star, it was announced he’d participate in the Home Run Derby too.

NELSON CRUZ – Texas Rangers OF

Replacing the injured Torii Hunter on Friday morning, Cruz is the latest first time Home Run Derby participant for the AL. 

CARLOS PENA – Tampa Bay Rays 1B

Considering that the NL had four first basemen, I guess the AL needed one too. 

Pena replaced Dustin Pedroia on the Al Squad, and I wonder if it was because NO ONE else fro the AL would play in the Derby.

Make sure you check out the Wives and Girlfriends of the Home Run Derby Contestants !!

We’re having a Home Run Derby Contest just for the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby!! 

Free Entry !!! $250 to the winner!! 

Details right here

The MLB Home Run Derby is right around the corner (literally – it’s on Monday).

Some of MLB’s top sluggers will be hitting lots of Home Runs in the Derby … but we thought it would be fun to take a peek at who these guys will be hitting “Home Runs” with AFTER the Derby.  Namely, their Wives and Girlfriends (WAGs).

Wink-Wink, Nudge-Nudge.

Without further delay … the WAGs of the 2009 Home Run Derby …

 AMERICAN LEAGUE HOME RUN DERBY WAGs

Yes, I know that MLB still hasn’t officially announced who’s playing for the AL in the 2009 Home Run Derby … so we’ll just roll with the rumored players and update this when they tell us who’s in.

Shani Inge
wife of Detroit Tigers 3B Brandon Inge

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The MLB Home Run Derby is right around the corner (literally – it’s on Monday).

Some of MLB’s top sluggers will be hitting lots of Home Runs in the Derby … but we thought it would be fun to take a peek at who these guys will be hitting “Home Runs” with AFTER the Derby.  Namely, their Wives and Girlfriends (WAGs).

Wink-Wink, Nudge-Nudge.

Without further delay … the WAGs of the 2009 Home Run Derby …

 NATIONAL LEAGUE HOME RUN DERBY WAGs

Deidre (Dee Dee) Pujols
wife of St. Louis Cardinals 1B, Albert Pujols

(more…)

Sweet Merciful Crap.

The Home Run Derby is going to be a lot of fun this year.  No matter who the American League throws out there.

Here are your National League 2009 Home Run Derby Contestants …

ALBERT PUJOLS – St Louis Cardinals, 1B
31 HR, 9.03 AB/HR, .336 AVG, 1.200 OPS, 82 RBI

After a first half of hemming and hawing about whther he’d participate in the Derby … St. Louis fans get their wish.  Pujols will play in his 3rd Home Run Derby.

Hometown jinx?  Don’t mention it to Pujols. 

In the 23 previous Home Run Derbies, only one hometown favorite has hoisted a trophy at the end of the night.  That was Ryne Sandberg back in 1990 (I was at that one – you can be happy for me).  Mind you, there’s only been 14 players to participate in a Home Run Derby in their home ballpark.

ADRIAN GONZALEZ - San Diego Padres, 1B
24 HR, 11.8 AB/HR, .261 AVG, .963 OPS, 51 RBI

Quietly having an awesome season for the floundering Padres. 

Don’t let those 24 Home Runs fool you – Gonzalez plays in the spacious Petco Park, where he’s only cranked out 8 Home Runs at clip of 18.1 AB/HR.  On the road, he’s a Pujolsesque 8.5 AB/HR with 16 Homers. 

Gonzalez is my pick from the NL to win the 2009 Home Run Derby.

PRINCE FIELDER - Milwaukee Brewers, 1B
22 HR, 13.2 AB/HR, .313 AVG, 1.056 OPS, 76 RBI

Fielder is the first second generation Home Run Derby contestant.  his father, Cecil Fielder competed back in the early 90’s.  He never won … which gives estranged son Prince some motivation to show up his dad. 

No word if Prince will show off his Brewers underwear if he wins the Derby.

Ryan Howard – Philadelphia Phillies, 1B
20 HR, 15.7 AB/HR, .252 AVG, .841 OPS, 61 RBI

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is getting some flack for putting Howard on the All-Star roster, but we’re glad he did.  Because Howard can now partake in the Derby.

Howard is the most accomplished NL player in the Derby, having won the Derby in 2006.

BE SURE TOCHECK OUT THE WIVES AND GIRLFRIENDS OF THE HOME RUN DERBY CONTESTANTS!!

We’re having a Home Run Derby Contest just for the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby!!  Details right here

If you know the name of this blog, you’ll know that we here at Home Run Derby LOVE the Home Run Derby.  It’s the most wonderful day of the year.

• The best thing about the MLB Home Run Derby is that it’s all just fun. 
  No pretentiousness about the sanctity of the game. 
• No forced urgency about home-field advantage during the World Series. 
• Heck, even the incoherent ramblings of Chris Berman and Joe Morgan on ESPN can’t ruin Home Run Derby for me.

But if you can’t stand the ESPN telecast… maybe you need a little something to take the edge off … like Home Run Derby’s Second Annual Home Run Derby Drinking Game!! 

We did this last year for the Home Run Derby in San Francisco and it was so much fun I had to call in sick the next day.  My arm hurt from raising my glass so much. 

I’m always in need of a day off from work … so let’s do it again !! 

Short Version

• Put 911 on speed dial
• Take a drink every time Chris Berman says “Back” as in “Back-Back-Back”
• Take a drink every time Joe Morgan says something stupid.
• Wake up next week

Longer (and more fun) version

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For the past 10 years …
… you simply couldn’t spell Home Run Derby without a D and an R. 

As in Dominican Republic.

At least one player from the Dominican has participated in the Derby every season since 1998.  And a player from the Dominican has been in the Home Run Derby Final for six of the last eight seasons, winning three Derby titles … including last season. 

Vlad Guerrero – 2000, 2007.  
David Ortiz – 2004, 2005, 2006.  
Miguel Tejada – 2004, 2006.  
Albert Pujols – 2003, 2007.  
Sammy Sosa – 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004.  
Alex Rodriguez (dual DR/US citizenship) – 1998, 2001-2. 

And either Manny Ramirez or Pedro Martinez have been there every year, waving little (or big) Dominican flags when their countrymen are up to bat.

But with the 2008 Home Run Derby roster consisting of seven Americans (Evan Longoria, Josh Hamilton, Grady Sizemore , Lance Berkman, Ryan Braun, Dan Uggla, and Chase Utley) and one Canadian (Justin Morneau) … there will be NO representation from the Dominican Republic in the Home Run Derby for the first time since 1997. 

Heck … there’s no one from South of the Border this year.

So that means we won’t see anyone waving the Dominican flag during Derby at-bats this year.  At least not anyone who has any reason to wave it. 

There are nine Dominican All-Star position players in 2008.  David Ortiz, Alfonso Soriano, Manny Ramirez, Aramis Ramirez, Hanley Ramirez, Cristian Guzman, Albert Pujols, Miguel Tejada, and Alex Rodriguez.  Ortiz and Soriano are injured and will not play in the ASG.

And on an unrelated note … the Derby is almost entirely lily-white and bereft of African-Americans as well.  Grady Sizemore is half African American.