The Home Run Derby Participants Have Been Chosen

On Monday night the AL Captain, Robinson Cano of the Yankees and David Wright of the host Mets picked the players that will compete in the home run derby.

Cano, a previous winner of the derby with his own father pitching to him, selected his American leaguers. They are Prince Fielder of the Tigers and the majors leading deep threat this season, Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles. Cano left open 1 spot that he has called undecided.

Wright, who of course represents the host NY Mets, selected all 3 of his derby mates. They are Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and a pair of Colorado Rockies, Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer.

Wright explained his picks simply and succinctly, saying 1 leads the NL in home runs, that would be Gonzalez, who has 23 long flies, 1 led the fan poll, that being Harper, and   left him with another pick so he took his long time friend, Cuddyer. The Rockies OF has 15 bombs this year.

On paper this doesn't look close. Fielder trails of the 3 AL'ers with 15 homers but is also a past winner. Cano has 17 dongs and Davis leads baseball with 33, the 7th most in baseball history before the all star break.

I do find it interesting that Wright didn't pick Yasiel Puig, who through no fault of his own has sucked a lot of the life out of the all star break with  media and many fans already proclaiming him the greatest player of all time and that such nonsense and how hew should start the all star game, bat in every position, perhaps even pitch.

Course I jest a little with the Puig stuff. It just seems that way. The home run derby takes place in 6 days, then is followed the next night by the all star game from Citifield in Queens, New York.

Many players complain they don't want to be in the derby as they claim it messes up their swing for the remainder of the season. This should be interesting to watch as Citifield is a pitchers haven even after the fences have been moved in.