Who will win the Home Run Derby?

[IowaAngels27]

Let's forget about the first half of the season and make fun of players we wish we had...just because.

[gotbeer]

With Trumbo not in it.  I don't really care.

[disarcina]

Prince Fielder can put on a show when he wants to.

 

I agree with Scioscia's comments -- these derby events not good for most players.

 

I think it has no impact on a guy like Fielder but some of the other players --probably messes up their swing for a week or so starting the second half of the season,

 

Glad our guys are not in it.

 

On that list, why is Cuddyer is this ? (as the name implies , above). Yes, he's been really hot and is on a real hitting streak -- which is exactly why a guy like him should skip this event.

 

Cuddyer is the prime profile of a guy who comes into the All Star Break sizzling hot, has to deal with the break (which is bad enough when you are really in a hitting groove -- don't need any breaks! -- and then he's going to be swinging for the fences?) enters the HR derby and then starts the second half in a huge slump.........If he's under contract to my team, I'd try to discourage him from participating in the HR Derby -- on the other hand, for Cuddyer? Who's he?  If he does well and wins this thing, it's unexpected time in the spotlight and could land him a pay day contract based on that alone (sort of like the Angels signing GMJ to that huge contract which I remain convinced was partially influenced by that ONE highlight reel catch he made in the OF for the Rangers.....how misleading that turned out to be in terms of a true measure of GMJ's defensive skills...........) oh well.

[Count Orlok]

I'm going with Alvarez because he's been hitting them out like crazy for the last month. 

[DW711]

David Wright.

[Bashbrothers]

I don't really care.  

 

Would rather not see Cesspooldes win, though.  

 

That's probably the most clever name, yet.

[Bashbrothers]

Prince Fielder can put on a show when he wants to.

 

I agree with Scioscia's comments -- these derby events not good for most players.

 

I think it has no impact on a guy like Fielder but some of the other players --probably messes up their swing for a week or so starting the second half of the season,

 

Glad our guys are not in it.

 

On that list, why is Cuddyer is this ? (as the name implies , above). Yes, he's been really hot and is on a real hitting streak -- which is exactly why a guy like him should skip this event.

 

Cuddyer is the prime profile of a guy who comes into the All Star Break sizzling hot, has to deal with the break (which is bad enough when you are really in a hitting groove -- don't need any breaks! -- and then he's going to be swinging for the fences?) enters the HR derby and then starts the second half in a huge slump.........If he's under contract to my team, I'd try to discourage him from participating in the HR Derby -- on the other hand, for Cuddyer? Who's he?  If he does well and wins this thing, it's unexpected time in the spotlight and could land him a pay day contract based on that alone (sort of like the Angels signing GMJ to that huge contract which I remain convinced was partially influenced by that ONE highlight reel catch he made in the OF for the Rangers.....how misleading that turned out to be in terms of a true measure of GMJ's defensive skills...........) oh well.

 

 

Have you been to a baseball game?  Do you watch batting practice? Batting practice is basically a home run derby.  Shit, I watched Chris Davis last year at the A's game break one of the windows on mount davis.

 

The homerun derby has no effect on their swing.  They are swinging at 40 mph soft tosses.  That doesn't change how they hit 90+ stuff. 

[AZMike]

Have you been to a baseball game?  Do you watch batting practice? Batting practice is basically a home run derby.  Shit, I watched Chris Davis last year at the A's game break one of the windows on mount davis.

 

The homerun derby has no effect on their swing.  They are swinging at 40 mph soft tosses.  That doesn't change how they hit 90+ stuff. 

The whole "HR Derby ruins people's swings" perception I believe has to do with the fact that players often get into the derby (And all star game) as a result of having uncharacteristically hot first halves, only to return back to reality in the second half.

 

Example: Trumbo, Mark, 2012

 

I would not be terribly surprised to see Davis cool off a bit in the second half, and Cabrera to keep hitting at his current pace and actually win a second consecutive triple crown.

[Angelsjunky]

On a side note, while you might be joking I don't really get the Harper bashing, people always putting him down because he's not as good as Trout (yet). The kid is amazing. He's accumulated a 126 OPS+ in 197 games, 35 HR and 6.1 fWAR all before turning 21. Yes, Mike Trout is literally having one of the best starts to a major league career ever, but Harper is doing just fine and is going to be one of the best players of the next decade or so, along with Trout and Machado and maybe a few others.

[Angelsjunky]

Trumbo remained hot for a couple weeks after the ASB, including hitting 5 HR in the first 8 games back, and then tanked.

 

At the ASB: .306/.358/.608

15 games later: .306/.357/.604

 

Conclusion: The Home Run Derby had nothing to do with his decline.

 

Some posited it was due to an injury that never healed, but I think we can now see that Trumbo is just not a .950 OPS hitter - he is what he's been for the last three years, an .800 OPS hitter (and then only if we're lucky - his career line is actually .782).

[Jimmag]

My picks are Fielder or Cano. Went with Cano to win it all.

[mrwicked]

stanton should be in this.

[katie]

Hopefully Cano can actually hit one this year.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

The guy leading MLB in HR's.

[Kenny]

Davis.  He's already been doing his own personal derby in the regular season.

[halobob]

I'll go ahead and take Prince in this one.

[Kenny]

Everyone has officially lost the derby because we had to watch Pitbull perform.

[JAHV76]

That pitbull performance was pretty bad I hope he paid MLB.

[Tank]

Prince, although I think the dbag from Washington will probably put on a good show.

[Kenny]

Berman is horrible.

They need to ask Harper's dad, "Why did you name your son Bryce? Is it like a 'boy named sue' type of thing?"

[IowaAngels27]

On a side note, while you might be joking I don't really get the Harper bashing, people always putting him down because he's not as good as Trout (yet). The kid is amazing. He's accumulated a 126 OPS+ in 197 games, 35 HR and 6.1 fWAR all before turning 21. Yes, Mike Trout is literally having one of the best starts to a major league career ever, but Harper is doing just fine and is going to be one of the best players of the next decade or so, along with Trout and Machado and maybe a few others.

 

It's all in good fun.  I think everyone on this site knows how incredible Harper is.  Just joking around!

[jshep]

Everyone has officially lost the derby because we had to watch Pitbull perform.

 

They brought Chris Berman AND Pitbull because they apparently feel there hasn't been enough suffering at Citifield.

[Kenny]

Trout sitting next to Torii and Verlander. Get away from him! He's ours.

[Tank]

Berman has the amazing talent of making a 350 foot homer sound like its 700 feet.

And by amazing talent I mean nails on a chalkboard and paper cuts washed with lemon juice.

[2002_halos_II]

I picked Pedro

just because

I saw trouty - the white boy

he is SO pale