Tag Archives: Home Run Derby

Stanton Hits Record 61 Homers to Win All-Star Home Run Derby

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Giancarlo Stanton is this year’s Home Run King…

The 26-year-old part-Puerto Rican baseball star put on a record display of power at Petco Park during the All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night, peppering every landmark from the left field corner to center field.

Giancarlo Stanton

Stanton hit 20 homers in the final round to beat out defending champion Todd Frazier of the Chicago White Sox. Overall, the Miami Marlins slugger hit a record 61, shattering the single-night mark of 41 by Bobby Abreu in 2005.

Stanton’s impressive shots hit the top level of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left-field corner and the top of the batter’s eye in center field.

He sent several balls just below the giant scoreboard high atop the left-field stands and several over the bullpens in left-center.

“For sure, being on the West Coast and taking the flight out here just for this, you know. I figure it’s a waste if I don’t bring this bad boy home,” Stanton said, hoisting the trophy.

The three-time All-Star is not on the National League roster for Tuesday night’s game after batting .233 with 20 homers and 50 RBIs before the break.

“I had a great time. I had a blast.”

His longest shot was estimated at 497 feet. He hit the eight longest homers of the competition and 20 of the 21 deepest drives.

“When I get a few in a row I would kind of bump it up 5 to 10 percent,” he said. “But most the time I stuck at 80-90 percent. I knew I could do it endurance-wise. I was just hoping my swing didn’t fall about.”

Stanton can defend his title at home next year when the Marlins host the All-Star Game.

“That is where I got my childhood memories, watching the Home Run Derby as a kid,” said Stanton, who’s from Los Angeles.

“Maybe some kids are watching me. I would like to return that.”

Stanton is baseball’s highest-paid player with a $325 million, 13-year deal. His new hitting coach is home run king Barry Bonds.

Stanton hit 24 homers in the first round to eliminate the Seattle Mariners‘ Robinson Cano (seven) and 17 in the semifinals to knock out Mark Trumbo (14) of the Baltimore Orioles.

Frazier hit 13 in the first round to beat Carlos Gonzalez (12) of the Colorado Rockies, and 16 in the semifinals to eliminate Adam Duvall (15) of the Reds.

Pujols to Participate in This Year’s All-Star Home Run Derby

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Albert Pujols is coming out swinging…

The 35-year-old Dominican professional baseball player has announced that he’ll take part in this year’s All-Star Home Run Derby.

Albert Pujols

Pujols, the Los Angeles Angels‘ first baseman, says he talked with Major League Baseball and confirmed he’ll be one of the hitters for the event Monday in Cincinnati.

The All-Star Game is the next night.

“I’m going to give it one last chance,” Pujols said Tuesday. “The good thing with Major League Baseball is they allow us to bring our kids onto the field on practice day so they’ll be able to enjoy that. They’ll have a great time and meet the players they get to watch every day.”

Pujols said he wanted to be a part of the competition after being picked for the AL All-Star team this week. He’ll start in place of Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, who went on the disabled list for the first time in his career with a strained calf.

Pujols declined to be in the Home Run Derby last year because he wasn’t playing in the All-Star Game.

“You want to be in the game,” he said. “That’s the most important thing because you want to be able to have a chance to help the American League have home field advantage.”

This will be Pujols’ fourth time competing in the Home Run Derby. He reached the semifinal in 2003, 2007 and 2009 but has never won the event.

He said he’s looking forward to the new format. Instead of being given a number of outs per round each player will have five minutes to hit as many home runs as possible. The clock will stop after home run balls land in the final minute.

Players can earn an extra minute if they hit two home runs that land 420 feet or more and 30 seconds for each blast that lands 475 feet or more. The maximum bonus time a player can get is 1:30.

“If anything it’ll be better because you don’t have to sit around so much like you did in the past,” he said. “If I hit in the first round we had to wait until everybody hit and sometimes you sat an hour and a half, two hours.”

Pujols entered Tuesday leading the American League with 25 home runs.

Cespedes Wins the Home Run Derby Crown for Second Straight Year

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Yoenis Cespedes’ reign at the Home Run Derby continues…

The 28-year-old Cuban baseball star, an outfielder for the Oakland Athletics, has become the first repeat winner of the All-Star skills contest in 15 years.

Yoenis Cespedes

Cespedes powered his way past the Cincinnati Reds’ Todd Frazier 9-1 in the final round Monday night to successfully defend his title.

Ken Griffey Jr. was the last back-to-back winner, taking the title in 1998 and 1999.

With a serious, determined look on his face the entire time, Cespedes finished with 28 homers. That was four fewer than last year, when he beat the Washington Nationals‘ Bryce Harper 9-8 in the final round.

Cespedes even told Athletics teammate Josh Donaldson he was doing this wrong.

“I knew he wasn’t going to win because his mentality was to take the ball out of the stadium, and I told him that is not the way you win this competition,” Cespedes said through an interpreter.

He added: “I’m somebody who’s very conscious of the power that I have. So I don’t need to put more of a swing or more of an effort in order to hit a home run. I just have to look for a good pitch and put a good swing on it, and it usually takes care of it.”

Cespedes saved his best for last, a 452-foot blast to the third deck above left field that officially measured as the longest shot of the night.

A’s third-base coach Mike Gallego again pitched to Cespedes, who went deep 32 times in last year’s derby at Citi Field in New York. Gallego’s arm looked nearly out of gas by the final round.

“Maybe next year I’ll put up a better showing at the end,” Frazier said. “Now that I understand, maybe I’ll do a couple of more push-ups.”

Cespedes topped Toronto’s Jose Bautista and Frazier surprisingly beat Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton in the semifinals.

Blacc to Perform at This Year’s MLB Home Run Derby

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Aloe Blacc has scored a game-winning gig…

The 35-year-old Panamanian-American singer, who recently announced plans to release an enhanced version of his latest album Lift Your Spirit, will perform during baseball’s big weekend.

Aloe Blacc

Blacc will take the stage during Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby on July 14. The event will air on ESPN.

No word yet on what song or songs Blacc will perform during the festivities.

Meanwhile, Tony-winning performerIdina Menzel will sing the national anthem at the MLB All-Star Game on July 15 in Minneapolis. She’ll also perform during the pre-game ceremony, including a cover of Bob Dylan‘s “Forever Young.”

The game at Target Field will air on Fox, where country singer Joe Nichols will sing “God Bless America.”

MLB All-Star week will also include a Saturday concert by Grammy-winning rockers Imagine Dragons at the TCF Bank Stadium. A day later, Panic! At the Disco will perform at the All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game at Target Field.

Anthony to Perform “God Bless America” at MLB All-Star Game

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Marc Anthony is preparing for an all-star performance…

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican singer will perform “God Bless America” during the seventh inning of the upcoming MLB All-Star Game, which will take place on July 16 and be broadcast live on Fox.

Marc Anthony

Anthony, whose salsa song “Vivir Mi Vida” has been No. 1 for the eight consecutive weeks on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart, has gained acclaim for performing the national anthem, including a show-stopping performance of the “Star-Spangled Banner at the 2011 NBA Finals.

Meanwhile, Anthony’s “Rain Over Me” co-collaborator Pitbull will also make at appearance at the big game.

The 32-year-old Cuban American rap superstar will warm up the crowd at the Home Run Derby, taking place July 15 and airing on ESPN.

Mr. Worldwide will perform his hits “Don’t Stop the Party” and “Feel This Moment.”

American Idol winner Candace Glover will sing the national anthem before the start of the all-star game.