Here are your American League 2009 Home Run Derby Contestants …

JOE MAUER – Minnesota Twins, C
15 HR, 15.3 AB/HR, .389 AVG, 1.112 OPS, 47 RBI

Perhaps since Justin Morneau (the other half of the M&M boys from Minnesota) isn’t going to defend his 2008 Home Run Derby title …  Mauer might try to do it.

Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire thinks Mauer will win the Derby …

“Joe, in the home run hitting contest? He’d probably win it,” Gardenhire said. “You know it and I know it — just to let people know he can hit home runs. Nothing would surprise me that Joe does.”

My guess is that Mauer has the highest batting average of a player to compete in the MLB Home Run Derby.

BRANDON INGE – Detroit Tigers , 3B

Brandon Inge barely made it to the All-Star Game (he was the winner of the AL’s Last Man Vote) … but less than 24 hours after finding out he was an All-Star, it was announced he’d participate in the Home Run Derby too.

More AL Players as MLB announces them. 

But my guess is that Evan Longoria will be among them.

Make sure you check out the Wives and Girlfriends of the Home Run Derby Contestants !!

Some of MLB’s top sluggers will be hitting lots of Home Runs in the Derby … but we thought it would be fun to take a peek at who these guys will be hitting “Home Runs” with AFTER the Derby.  Namely, their Wives and Girlfriends (WAGs).

Wink-Wink, Nudge-Nudge.

Without further delay … the WAGs of the 2009 Home Run Derby …

 AMERICAN LEAGUE HOME RUN DERBY WAGs

Yes, I know that MLB still hasn’t officially announced who’s playing for the AL in the 2009 Home Run Derby … so we’ll just roll with the rumored players and update this when they tell us who’s in.

Shani Inge
wife of Detroit Tigers 3B Brandon Inge

Chelsea Cooley
Miss USA 2005
Ex-Girlfriend of Minnesota Twin C, Joe Mauer

Too bad for Joe that she’s married to some other guy now.

Kristen Bay
wife of Jason Bay, OF – Boston Red Sox

Jaime Hanna
Tampa Bay Bucs Cheerleader
rumored girlfriend of Tampa Bay Rays OF, Evan Longoria

When she’s not dancing on the sidelines, she works as a Dental Hygienist.  Open wide.

Be sure to check out the WAGs of the National league Home Run Derby Contestants !!

Some of MLB’s top sluggers will be hitting lots of Home Runs in the Derby … but we thought it would be fun to take a peek at who these guys will be hitting “Home Runs” with AFTER the Derby.  Namely, their Wives and Girlfriends (WAGs).

Wink-Wink, Nudge-Nudge.

Without further delay … the WAGs of the 2009 Home Run Derby …

 NATIONAL LEAGUE HOME RUN DERBY WAGs

Deidre (Dee Dee) Pujols
wife of St. Louis Cardinals 1B, Albert Pujols

Betsy Gonzalez
wife of San Diego Padres 1B, Adrian Gonzalez

Chanel Fielder
wife of Milwaukee Brewers 1B, Prince Fielder

There’s really not much known about Chanel Fielder, other than she’s the woman who converted the 260 pound slugger to vegetarianism. 

That is the only picture I could find of the elusive Chanel Fielder.

Shawna Carlos
Maxim Hometown Hottie
rumored girlfriend of Philadelphia Phillies 1B Ryan Howard

Be sure to check out the WAGS of the American League Home Run Derby Contestants !!

Welcome to Home Run Derby !!

Many of homerderby.com’s regular readers know that we run a fabulous season-long Home Run Derby contest (now in our sixth year). 

This season, we’re going to offer a new game just for 2009 MLB Home Run Derby which takes place on Monday, July 13, 2009.

It’s similar to an NCAA Bracket contest.  Out of the eight players in the MLB Home Run Derby, you pick which players move on in each round of the Derby.  From the First Round to the Champion. 

We’ve got a Grand Prize of $250 to the person who can put together a team that scores the most Home Runs in this contest.  And there’s no entry fee. 

Wait … what?  A FREE Contest?  Where do I sign up?  Read the rules below and then use the online entry form.

Only trouble is … MLB has only announced half of the Home Run Derby Participants.  So check back at homerderby.com when the rest of the Home Run Derby contestants are announced.

 2009 HOME RUN DERBY CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES

CONTEST ENTRY FEE –
None.  This is a free contest.

CONTEST PRIZE -
$250 to a single winner

CONTEST ENTRY DEADLINE –
Monday July 13, 2009 at 5:00PM EDT (No Exceptions)

CONTEST THEME –
There are eight players who will participate in the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby.
Predict which players will advance in the tournament and you could win!!

CONTEST RULES -
Predict the players who will advance in the 2009 Home Run Derby.

• First, Select the Four Players in the first round (from the eight players in the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby) who you think will advance to the second round of the MLB Home Run Derby .  You will receive one point for each Home Run those players hit in the first round of the MLB Home Run Derby. 
• Second, Select the Two Players in the second round (from the four players previously selected in the first round) who you think will advance to the Final Round of the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby.  You will receive one point for each Home Run those players hit in the Final Round of the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby.
• Next, Select One Player (from the two players previously selected in the second round) who you think will advance to win the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby.  You will receive one point for each Home Run that player hits in the Final Round of the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby.

The Entry with the Most Points wins.  If there is a tie between two or more Entries, then Tiebreakers will be used to determine a single winner.

• Tiebreaker #1 – Guess how many total Home Runs will be hit by the 2009 Home Run Derby Champion.  Closest entry wins the tiebreaker.  Closest entry to the total number of Home Runs hit by the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby Champion wins the tiebreaker.
• Tiebreaker #2 – Guess how many total Home Runs will be hit in the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby.  Closest entry to the total number of Home Runs hit in the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby wins the tiebreaker.

If you select a player in a later round that was not selected in the prior round, your entry will be deemed illegal and immediately disqualified.

Example:  If you select Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez, and Albert Pujols in the First Round, your entry will be disqualified if you pick Jason Bay in the Second Round or the Final. 

Tiebreakers must be submitted at the time of entry.  If tiebreaker selections are left blank on the entry form, that entry will be disqualified from any tiebreaker.

Deadline for entries is Monday, July 13, 2009 at 5PM Eastern time.

You’ll have a blast whether you win or not.

The Home Run Derby is going to be a lot of fun this year.  No matter who the American League throws out there.

Here are your National League 2009 Home Run Derby Contestants …

ALBERT PUJOLS – St Louis Cardinals, 1B
31 HR, 9.03 AB/HR, .336 AVG, 1.200 OPS, 82 RBI

After a first half of hemming and hawing about whther he’d participate in the Derby … St. Louis fans get their wish.  Pujols will play in his 3rd Home Run Derby.

Hometown jinx?  Don’t mention it to Pujols. 

In the 23 previous Home Run Derbies, only one hometown favorite has hoisted a trophy at the end of the night.  That was Ryne Sandberg back in 1990 (I was at that one – you can be happy for me).  Mind you, there’s only been 14 players to participate in a Home Run Derby in their home ballpark.

ADRIAN GONZALEZ - San Diego Padres, 1B
24 HR, 11.8 AB/HR, .261 AVG, .963 OPS, 51 RBI

Quietly having an awesome season for the floundering Padres. 

Don’t let those 24 Home Runs fool you – Gonzalez plays in the spacious Petco Park, where he’s only cranked out 8 Home Runs at clip of 18.1 AB/HR.  On the road, he’s a Pujolsesque 8.5 AB/HR with 16 Homers. 

Gonzalez is my pick from the NL to win the 2009 Home Run Derby.

PRINCE FIELDER - Milwaukee Brewers, 1B
22 HR, 13.2 AB/HR, .313 AVG, 1.056 OPS, 76 RBI

Fielder is the first second generation Home Run Derby contestant.  his father, Cecil Fielder competed back in the early 90’s.  He never won … which gives estranged son Prince some motivation to show up his dad. 

No word if Prince will show off his Brewers underwear if he wins the Derby.

Ryan Howard – Philadelphia Phillies, 1B
20 HR, 15.7 AB/HR, .252 AVG, .841 OPS, 61 RBI

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is getting some flack for putting Howard on the All-Star roster, but we’re glad he did.  Because Howard can now partake in the Derby.

Howard is the most accomplished NL player in the Derby, having won the Derby in 2006.

BE SURE TOCHECK OUT THE WIVES AND GIRLFRIENDS OF THE HOME RUN DERBY CONTESTANTS!!

We’re having a Home Run Derby Contest just for the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby!!  Details right here

I’m disappointed.  Even though we increased the Home Run Derby contest from 2008 … there’s only two teams in the running for the Top Prize for the 1st half of the season.

Mind you, it cold be wonderful fun this last week before the All-Star Break as Aural Sects and David Wright Can Bite Me are knotted atop the leaderboard with 248 Home Runs apiece.  DWCBM holds the AB/HR tiebreaker. 

I expect smack talk in the comments now that I have Aural Sects’ correct email address.  But my money’s on the David Wright hater to win the First Half … because he’s got Aramis Ramirez coming back this week.

I suppose that The Heavy Hitters (243HR) could make a crazy run past those two and steal the top prize … but I wouldn’t bet on it.  There’s just way too much similarity between HH and DWCBM, who share nine players. 

There’s a better chance at Second place - because Hitters have  eleven differnet players than Aural Sects.

It’s probably to early to name anyone the leader in the July Monthly Standings …

But as of right now,  Todd’s Shadow leads everyone with 16 HR through 5 days.

From Minor League Dugout …

One of baseball’s unwritten rules, along with not talking to a pitcher throwing a no-hitter, requires major league players on rehabilitation assignments to furnish a post-game meal for their often under-funded minor league teammates. [snip]

Tradition holds that the big leaguer will approach the clubhouse manager about picking up something for post game on their last day with the minor league club.

MILB.com reported on this back in May in a piece about Rehab stints.

And the team’s players have the chance to suit up alongside an established star, who following established protocol, nearly always pays for a primo postgame food spread.

And why not?  The usual Minor League spread is akin to pasta, cold cuts, or peanut butter and jelly and typically costs the players $3-10.  MLB players get paid their normal salary even while they’re (usually briefly) in the minors.  Add to that the fact that they’re taking away playing time from a guy trying his heart out to make the bigs and the gesture is a small one that goes a long way.

Angels’ catching prospect Chris Rosenbaum blogged that minor league players look forward to them …

A tangible perk for the players of these assignments is that a post-game spread is usually purchased for us by the Major Leaguers.

“Nearly Always?”   ”Usually?”  

What Major Leaguer would stiff their rehab teammates on such a tradition?  The name should not surprise you.

Manny Ramirez. 

According to the Modesto Bee, Manny stiffed both his Minor League teammates at Albuquerque and Inland Empire of their traditional post-game meal during his little warmup stint before he returned to the Dodgers from his 50-game suspension for taking a banned substance.

Never heard of this tradition before?  Here’s some examples from the past couple years…

• In 2007, D-Backs pitcher Randy Johnson bought the Visalia Oaks a $3,000 dinner from a “national chain steakhouse.”
• Roger Clemens refurbished the Lexington Legends clubhouse with “four new black leather couches, two love seats, a 42-inch plasma television, a 20-inch television, a microwave, DVD and a VCR.”   In 2007 Clemens  bought the Tampa Yankees a post-game spread from Outback Steakhouse.
• Kei Igawa and Hideki Matsui bought the Tampa Yankees a spread from Lee Roy Selman’s.  It’s a barbeque joint.  Yum.
• Rick Ankiel bought a ping-pong table for a minor league clubhouse.
• Jose Valentin treated the St. Lucie Mets to Outback.
• Heck, fifteen years ago, Michael Jordan provided the Birmingham Barons with a tricked out bus. 

 And the big names aren’t the only ones who do it …

• Last season, Florida Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson bought dinner for the Jupiter Marlins.  The year before that he bought a flat screen TV for the Class-AA Carolina Mudcats.
• In May, the Colorado Rockies’ Ryan Spier and Jeff Baker (now withthe Cubs) each bought a postgame meal for the Modesto Nuts.
• In June, SF Giants’ rookie reliver Joe Martinez (the one who was hit in the head by a Mike Cameron line drive in April)  bought the spread for the San Jose Giants.

But Manny couldn’t do that. 

Perhaps someone forgot to tell Manny about the tradition.  Then again, Manny spent three seasons in Cleveland’s farm system and had Minor League rehab assignments in 2000 and 2002.  He would have known about that.

Of course, during his stint in the Minor Leagues, Manny was still officially under suspension and wasn’t being paid a dime (which raises a whole new question of why MLB players under suspension are allowed to play in the minors) … but that’s no excuse. 

Manny will be paid nearly $16.5 Million this season even after pulling out the cash ($7.4 million) he lost as a result of his suspension.

Maybe Manny’s just a big prima donna cheap ass.  He apparently tips about 10%.  Here’s another example when Manny made a producer from “Jimmy Kimmel Live” pick up a $860 tab after a night of drinking with David Ortiz and Johnny Damon.

Manny being Manny, I guess.  Now hit some homers so ESPN can blow their wad and we’ll go back to ignoring what a self-centered douchebag you are.

Funny thing about that MILB.com article about Major Leaguers doing rehabs in the Minors … Manny Ramirez’ picture is prominently featured.

Congratulations to our June winner  …

FLASH CARDS (77 HR)

Last night, Flash Cards scored 7 HR and literally came out of nowhere to knock Komodos (74 HR) off the top of the June leaderboard.   And take the $50 prize.

For almost all of  June, a certain lizard sat atop the monthly standings in out fair Home Run Derby contest.  But the Komodos learned the hard way that it’s only that last day that matters. 

Going into last night’s action, the Komodos had 72 Home Runs and a 2-HR lead over Flash Cards, RDRR, and Fletch.  The problem was that those three teams all had Albert Pujols and his two home runs … and Komodos didn’t.

RDRR finished second in June with 76 HR.  More on him later.

At the end of June … your First Half Leaderboard looks a lot like it did the rest of the month.

Seriously. 

Will someone knock these three off the leaderboard?  There are twelve days left in the First Half for someone to rise up and show some nards and win this thing.

Anyway, David Wright can Bite Me leads with 242 HR.  he’s followed by Aural Sects with 24 HR and Heavy Hitters with 239 HR.

And now we head into July … and guess who’s coming back? 

That’s right.  Manny.  And he’ll have the hopes and dreams of nearly 90 Derby teams on his back.  Not to mention the weight of that 50-game suspension monkey. 

Suddenly, thre are a lot of teams who will have a shot at the July monthly prize and the 2nd half Prize.  And a few teams who have done pretty well without Manny … and could be considered favorites to crash the leaderboard in the near future. 

The best team with Manny?  Gotta be ChiTownKaz ?  Tied for 8th Place overall right now with 226 HR.  And he’s getting Manny back.

Remember RDRR?  He’s in a 10th place tie with 225 HR.  Just missed out on the July prize by one Home Run.  And he did it with 14 players.

Yes, that Jeff Suppan … the Brewers pitcher who surrendered three Home Runs in three innings to the Phialdelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the 2008 NLDS. 

I didn’t have to wait until late August to find out.  Because Brewers fans would like to sell Suppan. With a Starting bid on eBay of a penny.

The seller will throw in Bill Hall for free.  What a bargain.

Gosh.  I wonder how much Brewers fans would pay someone to take David Bush off their hands.

UPDATE:  Bidding made it to $20.50 before eBay pulled it.

I wonder when Cubs fans will try this with Milton Bradley.

Bucky Dent.  Or if you’re from Red Sox Nation, Bucky F-ing Dent.

Well, at least a three and a half inch cardboard facsimile of him in near-Mint condition.

This is cool.  I like it.  But wait … WTF?

Dent showed up in a plain white envelope addressed with a computer-generated label … but no return address.  Postmarked from New York City on June 25th.  

Hmmmm.  NYC?  My first thought was that I had cheesed off some Yankee fan (who thought I was a Red Sox fan) in some post or another.  But that couldn’t be.  Because I haven’t written anything about the Yanks in a while – heck I haven’t posted at all in two weeks.  And besides, pissed off blog readers voice their displeasure immediately in the comments section – not via envelopes with mail-merged labels.

I bet other bloggers had Bucky Dent in their mailbox.  It had to be a publicity stunt.

I was right.

• Purple Row and Bronx Banter and Was Watching got a Dent card.  
• Dave Pinto at Baseball Musings and Rich Lederer at Baseball Analysts got George Scott cards.
• Will Carroll of ESPN got a Steve Swisher card. 
• Craig Calcaterra at Shysterball also got a Dent card … and led the charge to find out who else got them and who sent them.
  And to his credit – he figured it out.

It’s some viral marketing for a new book (I think it’s about about the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry) coming out from Josh Wilker, who runs the baseball card blog “Cardboard Gods.”

First of all, I’m honored to have been included in this list.   David Pinto, Will Carroll, Craig Calcaterra, and Richie Rich? 
Seriously – One of these things is not like the other.  One of these things just doesn’t belong.

Secondly, I love it when I get free swag as a result of this stupid website  – I now have seven books, two hats, and a baseball card. 
Even if the latest Beckett says a 1978 Bucky Dent is only worth 25 cents in Mint Condition.

Besides, this particular act of viral marketing thing is pretty cool.  It cost the publisher less than a dollar (44 cent stamp, 25 cent baseball card, 1 cent envelope) and the baseball blogosphere might get all a-Twitter about a book coming out by one of their blogging brethren.

It’s not like that Gatorade viral video of the ballgirl climbing an outfield wall to make a spectacular (but computer-generated) catch a year or two ago. 

By the way, I’m proud to say homerderby.com did not bite on that.