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Yoenis Céspedes was the winner, repeating his winning performance in 2013 to join Ken Griffey Jr. and Pete Alonso as the only players to win consecutive Home Run Derbies. Rizzo made his first All-Star game last year and enters this year's event with 16 home runs. While the final result is largely lost to the ether the moment the Derby ends, the AL will be playing to continue its recent dominance in the contest. An AL player has won the contest each of the last four seasons and six of the last seven. Since the captain format was instituted, the AL has boasted five of the last six finalists. If all goes as expected, Blue Jays players will comprise half of the AL roster.
At just 6’0” and 205 pounds, his size can only produce so much power. That’s where the quickness of his swing and the fact that he keeps it close to his body make him so dangerous in live-game action. The excitement surrounding the 20th annual MLB Home Run Derby has baseball fans of every team anticipating which of the contestants will steal the show this year. Round 1 features five players from both leagues, and instead of the traditional 10 outs per batter, each man will now receive seven outs. After the first round is complete, the players will be seeded in a bracket-style tournament. Captains Jose Bautista and Troy Tulowitzki were in charge of assembling the squads, and personally invited the players to partake.
Home Run Derby 2014: Final Predictions and Participants to Watch
Also a possibility for the final NL spot is Tulowitzki's teammate and former Minnesota Twin Justin Morneau. Morneau is a candidate in the Final Vote to make the All-Star team. The hope is that Bautista will be able to translate his power to the softer batting practice-style pitching he will face during the Home Run Derby. Since 2010, he has hit an incredible 169 home runs and still looks to be going strong, even at 33 years old.
For the sake of baseball fans across the world, let’s hope Stanton finds a rhythm and starts hitting shots deep into the event and steals the overall victory. There are still a number of big announcements to come, such as the winners of the final vote, the starting pitchers for the all-star game, and some inevitable injury replacements. Stay tuned to Last Word On Sports as we will have complete coverage before, during, and after the 2014 MLB All-Star Game and throughout the rest of what is quickly becoming an exciting 2014 Major League Baseball season. The 2014 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby was a home run hitting contest in Major League Baseball between five batters each from the American League and National League. The derby was held on July 14, 2014, at the site of the 2014 MLB All-Star Game, Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
MLB
Orioles outfielder Nelson Cruz, White Sox rookie Jose Abreu and Red Sox slugger and Home Run Derby mainstay David Ortiz are among the high-profile players worth consideration. Seven of MLB's 10 highest home run totals come from the American League. Not among those leaders is 2013 champion Yoenis Cespedes, who may get selected as a nod to his amazing outing at Citi Field. Frazier is quietly one of the most powerful hitters in the league at the plate, hence his selection.
Given the National League's recent struggles, Tulowitzki better think long and hard about his selections. So it's clear that Cespedes performs under the spotlight of the Derby. Recent trends and momentum clearly go out the window at the event, at least for him.
Home Run Derby 2014: Giancarlo Stanton, Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig among 8 added to roster
Bautista's Toronto teammate Edwin Encarnacion is third in the league with 26 home runs, but is currently on the disabled list. Martinez might also bow out of the running as he's been held out of recent games due to injury. He is not an overpowering presence on the field, but he knows how to keep his swing short and turn the power from his hips to the bat without losing any of the momentum. Stanton is currently having the best season of his young career.
Here are the 2014 contestants, the updated format and the pick for the annual event. The MLB All-Star Weekend is one of the best traditions in all of sports, but the biggest highlight of the events is the 2014 Home Run Derby. Please take a moment to follow me on twitter @StelliniTweets, and our department, @MLBFB. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Many players, such as Mike Trout, Miguel Cabrera, Jose Abreu, and Nelson Cruz, publicly declined invitations or said they would not participate if invited. The size of the roster expanded to five players from each league, but the fifth players from each league will not be revealed until Thursday, with the winners of the Final Vote. He's not quite matching Stanton's power, but he's been very consistent, boasting a league-best .350 batting average while sending 20 balls out of the park. Five players from each league will get a chance at the plate during the first round with the top hitters from each side receiving a bye to the third round. The next two players from both sides with face off in the second round with the winners advancing to face the top seeds. Led by team captains Jose Bautista and Troy Tulowitzki , each squad possesses the ability to steal the show with elite power and consistency.
As announced by Major League Baseball, there were changes to the format of the Home Run Derby in 2014. Five players participated from each league, making ten total participants rather than eight in the past. The batting order for the first round was determined prior to the event, with hitter #1 for the National League hitting first, followed by hitter #1 for the American League, and so on until each participant has batted.
The MLB All-Star Game is one of the best traditions in all of sports, but the Home Run Derby the night before is an event that draws just as much attention as the battle between the National and American leagues. In the new bracket format, Pujols will take on Bryant in the opening round while Fielder will face off against Frazier, Donaldson will oppose Rizzo and Pederson will match up against Machado. Pederson has 20 homers on the season while Bryant has gone yard 12 times.
Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton leads MLB with 27 home runs, but suffered a broken left hand after getting struck on the wrist by a pitch on June 26. Detroit outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who has 12 home runs this season, won last year's event. Donaldson, who is best known for his defensive plays, broke the All-Star Game record for most fan votes after adding 21 homers so far to his repertoire. It’s time for the annual MLB All-Star festivity in which we get to watch baseballs get hit very long ways.
"More than that, I think they're good guys, got to know them throughout the years." While his offensive numbers have been impressive, it is the improving batting average and on-base percentage that has the veteran returning to his elite form. The Home Run Derby is set up perfectly for an effortless swinger like Bautista.
The semifinal winners from each league competed in the finals to determine the Home Run Derby champion. The flex ball, replacing the golden ball from past years, came into play after 6 outs. A home run hit off of a flex ball resulted in a $10,000 donation to charity by Gillette and MLB. Ties in any round were broken by a 3-swing swing-off, and if still needed, sudden-death swings until one player homers and the other does not. It's the fourth time Pujols, who has an AL-leading 26 home runs this season, is participating in the event — his first since 2009. Pujols' teammate, center fielder Mike Trout, says he'll eventually participate in the derby, but not this year.
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