2013 Homerun Derby Open Thread

by 75 Comments

Sherman on the Yankees' plans for Phil Hughes
A-Rod goes deep in latest minor league rehab game

2013 Homerun DerbyThe Homerun Derby is one of those things that sounds better than it actually is. It’s fun … for the first 15 minutes or so. It has a tendency to drag and drag, and after a while even homers get boring. I remember seeing Buster Olney suggest adding a points system — so many points for hitting it here, more for hitting it there, etc. — to spice things up and I liked the idea because at least it adds some strategy. I dunno.

As usual, there are eight participants in the Derby this year. I continue to hope Adam Dunn, who was put on this Earth to swing away in an event like this, will one day get to strut his stuff in the Homerun Derby. Here are the eight participants, though I have no idea who will hit when. The order remains a mystery:

American League
Robinson Cano — captain
Yoenis Cespedes
Chris Davis
Prince Fielder

National League
David Wright — captain
Pedro Alvarez
Michael Cuddyer
Bryce Harper

Lots of intrigue here. You’ve got the two hometown captains obviously, then you’ve got another local guy in the Washington Heights-raised Alvarez. Davis leads the world with 37 (!) homers, Fielder is a two-time Derby champ (2009 and 2012), Harper is the young phenom, and Cespedes is the international man of mystery. Cuddyer is … Cuddyer. Not exactly a typical Derby candidate, but apparently Wright chose him because the two are close friends. Fair enough, captains get to do that sort of thing.

My official pick — which is basically just a guess — to win is Harper. It’s not just about raw power, it’s also about endurance. He’s by far the youngest and I’m assuming fatigue will be less of a factor for him. Who really knows though? That’s the fun. The Derby starts at 8pm ET and can be seen on ESPN, as usual. Talk about that or anything else you want right here. Enjoy.

Sherman on the Yankees' plans for Phil Hughes
A-Rod goes deep in latest minor league rehab game
  • Bob Buttons

    inb4 Cuddyer wins it all and pisses off everyone outside of Minnesota and Colorado.

  • Bob Buttons

    Super duper do or die HR derby team of all time:

    Rob Deer
    Mark Reynolds
    Adam Dunn
    Dan Uggla
    Harmon Killebrew

    I’m out.

  • Anthony

    Apparently some Sports talk program in Chicago is reporting the Yankees may be close to acquiring Alex Rios. Not sure how credible that report is but Rios is obviously a huge upgrade over Vernon Wells.

    • trr

      Not a Rios lover, but man do we need help!

    • Nuke Guy (Knoxvillain)

      I find that hard to believe, especially with Granderson coming back kind of soon.

  • vicki

    it’s a hundred frickin’ degrees out there. the ball will sail.

    on another note. did anybody see the feature in the times about rex ryan and strat-o-matic? my uncles played when i was a little girl; i dabbled a little. the article got me wondering if any of the old-timers around here ever played, and if the game was an introduction to stat love for anyone else.

    • vicki
    • Robinson Tilapia

      I gave it a whirl in the 8th grade. It was a lot of fun.

      • trr

        You old -timer Robby!

        Sure, we played it as kids. it was fun, a good way to pass a rainy afternoon it those pre-technology days..I remember another game similar to it called “Challenge The Yankees” It was pretty much the same idea, but more Yankee-centric. Naturally it was stacked in favor of the Bombers.

        Sorry, there was no “Challenge The Mets” or “Challenge The Red Sox” , LOL

        • Robinson Tilapia

          It was already pretty much past its time, but it was certainly a stat-geeky way, for its time, to have some fun.

          I was much more a Pure-Stat Baseball guy on the Commodore 64. Obsessed, actually.

    • David N

      I absolutely loved that game when I was younger. I thought about picking up a more recent copy a few months ago, but decided against it. But I might do so some years down the road.

      Unfortunately, they’ve stopped giving you cards for all the players in the league (well, most of them, at least – you’d get something like 30 players per team). You get a few teams and then get the rest online. It means the basic game is cheaper, but it’s more expensive overall if you want to get the full set. Oh well.

  • Alkaline2.0

    Well, the next 9 games after the break are pretty important to the season.

  • vinnie gagliano

    i got 8 to 1 odds on Wright to win it. Unlikely but the odds for a player at home to win it i like.

    • vicki

      you’d have to give me better than 8:1 for wright.

  • http://www.riveraveblues.com GT Yankee

    Would fat ass Chris Berman STFU! Never thought I’d be so eager to see pre-recorded Pitbull

    • WhittakerWalt

      Chris Berman + HomeRun Derby = Ice Picks in Your Eardrums

    • Lukaszek

      Pitbull was still worse, which is quite impressive

      • Robinson Tilapia

        He peaked at “Culo.”

  • Pasta

    I got Chris ( never used HGH or Steroids) Davis

  • Lukaszek

    Why was Cano booed? Come on Flushing, get your sh*t together

    • Robinson Tilapia

      Friendly rivalry. Wouldn’t have it any other way. We all have to live with one another at the end of the day.

  • Pasta

    Look at Davis face and body and tell me its not like a sammy sosa ,mcguire flashback.

  • Pasta

    Here is hopeing davis and the prince stain a muscle or two.

    • Pasta

      Strain, tear,

  • mustang (The Has Beens & Wannabes Bunch 2013)

    “With the Pirates, Melancon has posted a sterling 0.81 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 44 1/3 IP and earned his first All-Star appearance.”

    That’s Mark Melancon !!!! WOW!!!

    Cashman you failed again..LOL

    • mustang (The Has Beens & Wannabes Bunch 2013)

      The Yankees haven’t develop to many aces, but their good with the relievers.

    • forensic

      I was always a big fan of his and wanted him to get more of a chance in NY, but unfortunately it just didn’t happen. He didn’t help himself by struggling periodically, but he also did have very sporadic work which is one thing for a long reliever, but tougher for a short reliever.

      • Robinson Tilapia

        There’s nothing that gets a young pitcher on my bad side quicker than coming up and being allergic to strikes. Melancon was particularly egregious in the way. Never been able to shake it with him.

        I like the interview posted with him by Chad, though.

    • pat

      Him and Burnett, NL bro’s.

  • forensic

    The bad: ESPN is out for me so I can’t flip over to the derby periodically.

    The good: Not having to listen to Berman at all.

    • Ethan

      I don’t know if it’s because I’m out of the country but mlb.com is broadcasting it.

      • forensic

        hmm, you’re right. Just found it, and in time to see Cespedes hit one into the upper deck…

    • mustang (The Has Beens & Wannabes Bunch 2013)

      You know what I think the good outweighs the bad.

      • forensic

        Yeah, I was kind of thinking that too.

  • Wheels

    This is almost as bad as the NBA slam dunk contest.

    • Wheels

      Yet I’m watching. I wanna see Cano

      • Robinson Tilapia

        I’ll watch the highlights. I can’t get myself worked up over any All-Star games in any sport anymore.

        With baseball, I’d just sit there actively pissed off at the whole homefield advantage thing.

  • vicki

    none of them towering but cuddy turning in a more-than-respectable 7.

    • forensic

      Just saw on their list that Fielder hit one 480+ feet?

      • Lukaszek

        It went into the third to last row in the Pepsi Porch

  • Lukaszek

    Cespedes is putting on quite a show!

  • The Real Grege

    Another could have been….

  • vicki

    everybody’s tweeting about arod’s homerun in trenton.

  • Kronk

    Speaking of Homers, A-Rod actually hit one in Trenton tonight

  • vicki

    okay, this is funny.

    Andrew Marchand
    RT @Lynchy96: @AndrewMarchand surprised someone didn’t ask Phil Hughes to pitch for them #HRDerby

    • Robinson Tilapia

      Bravo.

    • pat

      #lowhangingfruit

  • Pasta

    Mr steroid up

    • Nuke Guy (Knoxvillain)

      Steroids or not, I don’t care. He’s fun to watch. Plus if he is taking steroids, he’s making the right decision because it looks like a huge contract will be coming his way soon.

    • WhittakerWalt

      Unlike all the squeaky-clean guys on our team throughout the years, right?

  • Pasta

    He hit the truck

  • Wheels

    Nice hair Bryce

    • Betty Lizard

      Harper is too young to be so ugly.

      • Tom

        Hey, be nice to Future Yankee ™ Bryce Harper

        • Betty Lizard

          When he’s a Yankee, he’ll be handsome.

  • Betty Lizard

    Robbie, you don’t have to use a trainer for your crotch stretches. I’ll volunteer. . .

    • Robinson Tilapia

      Her broken heart has mended.

      • Betty Lizard

        There are many paths to healing . . . .

  • Crime Dog

    So, what’s everyone thinking about the team making a deal over the AS Break? I’m thinking its like 60/40 in favor of a move. Stupid Phillies don’t look like they’ll sell right now, so I’m thinking its either gonna be Rios, or an out of the blue move with Hughes/Joba going to Arizona or something like that.

    • forensic

      I put it around 90% or more against a move being made.

      • Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

        I think it’s over 90% that a deal is made, but under 10% that it’s for a major piece.

        • Robinson Tilapia

          Yeah. I agree.

  • http:/www.twitter.com/_swarlesbarkley Mark Teixeira – Ghostbuster (formerly Drew)

    I just went on Twitter and saw that Phil Hughes blocked me. A little puzzeling to say the least. I maybe tweeted him twice both encouraging after his latest start. Very odd.

  • Lukaszek

    Come on Cespedes, if Harper wins we’ll never hear the end of it from ESPN

  • Lukaszek

    Cespedes wins it with the most impressive homerun of the night!

    • Betty Lizard

      Nice! That was a beautiful display. And hooray for Captain Cano.

  • The Real Greg

    Cespedes was by far the most entertaining one to watch tonight. He made that upper deck his playground.

  • Frank

    Sure glad Cashman and Co. didn’t try to sign Cespedes.

    • Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

      Personally, I prefer players who don’t make outs in over 70% of their PA’s.
      (Yes, I know it’s only this season…so far)

    • Robinson Tilapia

      They should just sign everyone and let them fight it out for 25 spots. Then we can complain about Evan Longoria blocking the prospects in AAA and why Yasiel Puig is stuck in AA.

      It’s what Papa Bear would have done.

      • Fin

        Lmao, there are still people in most threads saying the Yankees are blocking “the kids” with all these shit players. Just trade em all and let the “the kids” play. The kids have been Romaine, Adams and Almonte. That’s the best the Yankees had close to MLB ready. People want worse players than that trio brought up. People want JR Murphy brought up after a good month.

        • Robinson Tilapia

          Lettuce pray.