Every single lead that you’ll read regarding last night’s home run derby will probably include something about the mass of kayakers that get screwed by the lack of home run balls hit into McCovey Cove. That was my clever way of doing it and not sounding like the rest of the pack.
With four right handed hitters advancing to the second round, very few blasts came out towards the mass of sea-faring, souvenir snaggers. In fact, only a Ryan Howard foul ball made it into the bay.
The Blue Jay’s Alex Rios put up the biggest round of the derby with 12 jacks in the second round to put him the championship with Vladimir Guerrero. Too bad for Rios that he crapped the bed and could only knock two out the championship while Vlady easily hit three, tossing his bat in walk-off fashion after the last.
Much has been said in the past about the Derby messing with player’s swings but I think that’s garbage; has anybody ever complained that the NBA’s equivalent – the slam dunk competition – mess with their player’s game? Never. It just seems like the sluggers get lazier after the break, or won’t get as many good pitches because opposing teams will now recognize further that the a derby champ is big hitter. I would think Alex Rios will only be hurt by doing well yesterday.