Home Run Derby participants

[DirtyKash]

My picks:


FIRST ROUND
Moving on: David Ortiz, Miguel Cabrera, Vernon Wells, Nick Swisher
Eliminated: Chris Young (haha), Corey Hart, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Holliday

SECOND ROUND
Moving on: Miguel Cabrera, Vernon Wells
Eliminated: David Ortiz, Nick Swisher

FINALS
Miguel Cabrera defeats Vernon Wells

[missionhockey21]

This derby mix is just so weird. Corey Hart FTW.

[Kingdom]

I'm going out on a limb with Ortiz or Holliday. No Votto, Dunn, Reynolds.. hardly any of the guys who not only hit a lot of homeruns, but hit sky shots, not present in the derby. No reigning champ to defend his title. No hometown hero (Hunter). This is a disappointing cast on paper. I hope they surprise us.

[Porter]

I want to see Branyan, Ichiro, Reynolds, Dunn, Ortiz, Bautista (just because), Pujols and Fielder. Sure Branyan, Dunn and Reynolds would strike out in a derby, but they would hit the ball a mile.

[realmofotalk]

Wouldn't Branyan have to make the All Star team in order for him to participate in the Derby?

[Porter]

I don't even care if they are in the ASG or not. Get some damn POWER HITTERS.

[realmofotalk]

In that case, Kemp should be in, as he's of the same mold as Branyan, Dunn, and Reynolds. Since the Derby is in essence batting practice anyway, I would think he wouldn't strike out swinging/looking or fly out as much as he would in an actual game with baserunners on.

[missionhockey21]

Officially, sluggers do not need to be in the ASG to participate in the derby, as I can recall, but it seems rare if ever non-ASG guys participate. I know in the past Dunn would say if he was asked, when not making the team, he would pass as it wasn't in the spirit of the event. Or something.

[redsfan28]

I think they should have an old-timer's home run derby. Lets see if Reggie Jackson can still turn on a BP fastball.

[Kingdom]

I know it's a different sport, but you don't have to be an all-star to be in the dunk contest or 3 point shootout. I think the field needs to be expanded. I don't care if Dunn, Reynolds, etc. combine for a 1,000 strikeouts- they're not going to whiff in the derby. This isn't Mike Piazza. They'd give us legitimate moonshots and a possibility to see guys crank a ball OUT of the entire park. This year's lineup, despite having good hitters, is uninspired. That to me is disappointing.

I think if it was Dunn, Reynolds, Votto, Branyan, Kemp, Fielder, Bautista, Heyward (if he had been healthy)... I think that would be pretty amazing, or anything like that would be a lot of fun.

I don't mind every once in awhile we have a Joe Mauer pop up in the field, or even Ichiro who we want every year. But I don't want a field of mostly .300 hitters who crank out 20-25 homeruns tops, typically. Or less. Remember an older Pudge in the derby? Eesh.

[Kingdom]

And hopefully this is one huge jinx to the derby, and it ends up entertaining.

[missionhockey21]

The derby, like the dunk contest, should not be players who can but players who specialize in the particular talent.

Put Matt Stairs in, with his uppercut swing, and I'm getting the popcorn.