Home Run Derby

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.

As a purveyor of a Home Run Derby contest … I have to admit I love Cincinnati Reds slugger Adam Dunn. 

Every time he steps to the dish, he’s a serious threat to put the ball in the seats. 

• He’s a lock for 40 Home Runs every season
• He has the longest current 40-Home Run streak (4 seasons) of any active player in baseball
• He’s on pace again in 2008 with 23 Home Runs already.
• Since 2004, only Alex Rodriguez (191) and David Ortiz (190) have more Home Runs than Dunn (189) - and I think he’ll surpass them by the end of the season.

What makes him even more fun is that he’s an certifiable adventure in left field - and not in a good way. 

He might be the worst left fielder I’ve ever seen - and I know something about bad fielding (ask Nick the Greek about my legendary anti-prowess in the field back in intramural softball).

Every time a ball is hit to left, he’s a serious threat to put the ball on the ground. 

• He has a .968 Fielding Percentage in LF since 2002 - which is the worst of any LF who qualified for at least two seasons in that span. 
• Since 2002 - he has 53 errors in LF - 17 more than any other player in that timeframe. 
• He’s already got five errors in LF this season. 

Here’s one of them right now …

So imagine my surprise to find out that Adam Dunn has a signature glove. 

Louisville Slugger makes that error-assisting machine.  What the Hell are they thinking?

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Okay … anyone who played along with our Drinking Game last night probably showed up late to work this morning with a wicked Home Run Derby hangover.  What?  It’s afternoon already?

Anyway, Chris Berman didn’t disappoint (but he did annoy), with hundreds of Back-Back-Back-Backs and other Bermanisms.  

If you missed it, here’s a great recap.

There were about 80 utterances of “Back” in that 1:42 clip.  Make the voices stop already.

Berman did a decent job giving some props to some Bay Area landmarks and communities with references to Alcatraz, The Presidio, Sausalito, Stinson Beach, and Half Moon Bay … but it was geographically impossible for a slugger to hit a home run to any of them even if they were on Tyrannosaurus Rex Growth Hormones…

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Vladimir Guerrero wins it for the Dominican.

The best drama of the entire Home Run Derby was Vlad’s performance in the second round. Followed by Pujols’ sequence in the second round.

First round, meh.  Championship round, meh.

Did he actually hit that freakin’ Glove in Right Center? Nice.

Bythe way, I think Dusty Baker had a little too much love for Guerrero dring the broadcast.

Hats off to Alex Rios …

For a guy almost everyone had absolutely written off in the Home Run Derby, that was impressive.

I haven’t seen so many line drive Home Runs … ever.

Ryan Howard will win his second consecutive Home Run Derby.

That 309-foot right field line is going to be very inviting for any left-handed hitter, but it’s been especially good to Ryan Howard. 

He’s got a 8.75 AB/HR ratio in the 9 games he’s played so far in the City by the Bay.

Howard seems to know how to “grip and rip” in this event without screwing up his swing like Bobby Abreu did in 2005 or injuring himself like Jim Edmonds did in 2003.

Tonight is the MLB Home Run Derby in San Francisco …  which just happens to be the inspiration for this blog’s name.

We here at Home Run Derby love the Home Run Derby.  It’s often more entertaining than the actual All-Star Game because it doesn’t pretend to matter.  No bogus “This time it Counts” slogan or a World Series home-field advantage decided by this one. 

Just lots of Home Runs … even Chris Berman can’t ruin that can he?  He can? 

Aww, crap.  Ken Griffey Junior’s not in it?  No Barry Bonds either?  Sissy.

What?  Joe Morgan’s gonna jabber through it too? 

You are seriously harshing my Home Run buzz over here … speaking of a buzz …

To deaden the effect of Berman and Morgan let’s have a Home Run Derby drinking game!! 

Raise your Anchor Steams!

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Justin Morneau crushes the first of his three Home Runs on Friday night.  It was his first career three-homer game.

I’m looking forward to seeing Morneau on Monday night in the Home Run Derby.

He’s been mostly indestructible this year.

First, in May he had his nose broken by a goofy hop of a relay throw. Played the next night.

Then, in June, he had a wicked collision with Miguel Olivo which left him with a bruised lung and a stay in the hospital. He played six days later.

I bet he played hockey growing up in Canada, eh?

Barry Bonds told everyone in the world yesterday that he’s a big f*cking coward. 

Okay, maybe not in those exact words, but he left no doubt about it.

Who could Bonds be afraid of?  What names strike fear into the heart of a man who is only five Home Runs away from breaking Baseball’s all-time Home Run Record? 

Let’s run down the list of suspects who could cause Bonds to soil his little panties …

Senator George Mitchell ? 

The former US Senator and the Grand Inquisitor of Major League Baseball’s futile attempt to find out what exactly happened during Baseball’s Steroid Era?

No.  The Mitchell probe is useless because players aren’t required to talk.  And Giambi is only going to talk about his own involvement.

Bud Selig ? 

The Baseball Commissioner who seems to want nothing to do with Bonds breaking the record of his boyhood hero Hank Aaron? 

No.  Bonds has dodged the wrath of the former used car salesman Commissioner so far and will probably just continue to do so.

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