Home Run Derby

For the third Mother’s Day in a row, Major League Baseball will be partnering with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Research by allowing players to take their whacks with Pink Bats while wearing Pink Ribbons, Pink Wristbands, Necklaces, etc..

From the Komen Foundation:

… an estimated 182,460 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women in 2008 alone.

Last year, about 200 Major Leaguers swung away with the Pink lumber provided by Louisville Slugger.  I’d expect that that number will be even higher this season. 

Home Run Derby loves this effort.  And so, for the third season in a row, Home Run Derby will go Pink. We’ll be making our annual pledge to the Komen Foundation - $10 per Home Run hit in MLB this Sunday (Mother’s Day, May 11, 2008) whether it’s hit with a Pink Bat or not.  And since Nick Swisher dyed his soul patch pink … we’ll up that pledge to $25 for every Home Run hit by Swisher on 5/11/08.

Last season, we donated $280 to the Komen Foundation for the 28 Home Runs hit on Mother’s Day 2007.  In 2006, we donated $150 – we only pledged $5 per Home Run and there were 30 hit that Mothers Day 5/14/06.

You can help the cause by donating at The Komen Foundation’s website.

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Mother’s Day is coming (May 11th, guys – don’t forget) … which means MLB will be going Pink.

Once again, MLB and the Susan G Komen Foundation will to raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer research.  So you can expect to see Pink bats (Louisville Slugger), Pink wristbands, Pink lineup cards, Pink ribbons on the bases, etc., on Mothers Day.  With auctions on the bats to raise money afterwards.

But this season … Chicago White Sox players Nick Swisher and Bobby Jenks might be upping the ante in Baseball Pinkdom.

From Swisher’s blog …

… here’s a little insider tip …we’ve got something — shall we say, colorful … brewing in the DirtyCat for Mother’s Day!

The “DirtyCat” is the name of the fake salon Swisher (nickname: Dirty30) and Jenks (JenksyCat) have established in the White Sox clubhouse where they dye and groom their beards.  Both Swisher and Jenks have sported the blonde goatee this season.

I think I have an idea where Swisher is going with this … and he might just take Jenks with him …

Those would be hilarious and hideous at the same time - and they’d stand out great against the White Sox’ black unis, which they usually wear on Sundays.  And they might just top Scott Spiezio’s red soul patch in the history of Great Baseball Beards.  Primarily because of the reason they might do it.

Too bad the White Sox will be on the road this Mothers Day. US Cellular might have been packed with fans sporting fake pink goatees.

Nick Swisher isn’t a stranger to doing things for women’s cancer charities.  Last season, he grew out his hair so he could donate it to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths foundation – which makes wigs for women with cancer – in memory of his grandmother, who passed away from cancer.

And Home Run Derby will once again pledge $10 to the Komen Foundation for every Home Run hit on Mothers Day. 

Last year, Home Run Derby donated $280 for the 28 balls that left the yard on Mothers Day 2007 – May 13, 2007.

It’s Over.  Fire Joe Morgan wins.

Fire Joe Morgan posted the Pink Bat post to end all Pink Bat posts for 2007 …

From their Worst Headline contest … and supposedly the MLB homepage …

Fabulous.  And keep up the good fight in getting Joe Morgan off ESPN.

As we approach the season’s Quarter Pole, we find another new team atop the Home Run Derby Standings.  This week, it’s The Master-Batters.  I’m not sure there’s a more fitting team name in the wake of yesterday’s MLB proceedings – which was basically a bunch of guys wielding their pink lumber for some breasts. 

Behind Master-Batters (113 HR), Empire of Dirt (111 HR) and Triple Crown (106 HR) round out the leaderboard in front of 17 teams in a scrum.  Half of the Derby broke the 100-Home Run barrier this past week.  Master-Batters and Dialing 8 led week six with 20 HR.

Who says HGH doesn’t make a difference?  Human Growth Hitters and Hitting Genuine Homers are both in the Top Ten. 

The Komodos are still in last place – but by Thursday, Nick the Greek might have someone new to pick on … as Shingo Takatsu is in complete and total free fall with a mere 16 Home Runs the past two weeks combined.  Art imitates baseball. 

Stud of the Week – Ken Griffey Jr. (3 HR) – The reports of Junior’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.  In the two weeks back from his stomach woes he has been playing dominating baseball – Batting .438, Slugging .833, On-Base .525, OPS of 1.359 with 6 Home Runs and a AB/HR Ratio of Eight (8).  Baseball is better when Ken Griffey Junior is playing well, don’t you think?

Hot Sluggers

• Lance Berkman (3 HR) – went crazy this week.  It’s about time, fatty.

• Adam Dunn (3 HR) – On pace for another 40+ HR season

• Justin Morneau (3 HR) - Hey Bob – About that MVP …

• Matt Holliday (3 HR) – Turned it on after a brief slump

• Torii Hunter (2 HR) – 2 HR and 7 RBI last night alone.  Contract Year Torii?

Cold Sluggers

• Adam LaRoche – Bleah.  I should have left him in Group E

• Raul Ibanez – I told you last year had fluke written all over it

• Grady Sizemore – The power’s been mostly off since the opening trip to US Cellular.  Heck his last HR didn’t even leave the yard.

Let’s see, thanks to Carlos Pena, Matt Stairs, Bill Hall, Damion Easley, Carlos Beltran, Mark Teahen, Gary Matthews Jr. (twice), Shea Hillenbrand, Michael Napoli, Brad Wilkerson, Hank Blalock, Ian Kinsler, N Cruz, Eric Chavez, Milton Bradley, Jack Cust, Bobby Crosby, Orlando Hudson, Scott Hairston, Freddy Lewis, Jeff Kent, Ken Griffey Jr., Magglio Ordonez, Michael Redmond, Michael Cuddyer, and Torii Hunter (twice) …

Home Run Derby has donated $280 to the Susan G Komen For The Cure Foundation.

Dear Homerderby.com,

I would like to thank you for your contribution of $280.00 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Your support helps Komen the Cure fulfill our promise to save lives and end breast cancer by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.

Since its inception in 1982, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has made great strides in the fight against breast cancer, funding groundbreaking breast cancer research, much of which has led to landmark discoveries in the quest to find a cure for and eventually prevent breast cancer. In addition to funding research, Komen works to increase breast cancer awareness and promote early detection through events like the Komen Race for the Cure Series. Proceeds from such events help fund community-based breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment projects for the medically underserved.

Again, thank you for your assistance and your confidence in our efforts. The success of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is made possible through the very generous contributions of corporations, organizations and individuals like yourself. Because of you, we are one step closer to finding a cure.

Once again, thank you for your support.

For all you other ballplayers who couldn’t leave the yard and the pitchers who didn’t groove them something to hit, I’m very disappointed in you in not making this donation larger. Go auction your bats or something.

As many of you know, Baseball Musings joined Home Run Derby in this $10 per Home Run pledge, and lo and behold, David beat me to posting about it this morning. Thanks to Baseball Musings for the matching grant.