2012 Home Run Derby

[SkyBlues42]

Who is everyone going with for tonight's Home Run Derby?

[Poll above]

[Yontsey]

I went wild card and said Prince Fielder.

[SkyBlues42]

I've got Bautista (not just because he favored). Think he'll improve from last year and put on a good show. Anyone know which handed batter Kauffman Stadium favors?

Seems like most say it favors lefties, but judging from the amount of HR's and some of the distances over the years, it would appear that the opposite were true. Stadium has the same dimensions for both sides, so no clear advantage there. Wall height? General wind direction?

[Wiseguy]

I think Bautista too, my dog would be Gonzalez. Think his swing works well for this.

[spanishredeye]

I voted for Cano.

[illadelphia]

6 of the past 7 HR Derby winners have been left-handed batters, including the past 4 champions.

Kauffman Stadium Home Runs Per Game over last 6 Seasons
2012 - 1.02, 14th in majors
2011 - 0.71, 29th in majors
2010 - 0.92, 19th in majors
2009 - 0.76, 27th in majors
2008 - 0.79, 29th in majors
2007 - 0.90, 20th in majors


BAUTISTA Career at Kauffman Stadium: 2 HR in 64 AB
CANO Career at Kauffman Stadium: 3 HR in 115 AB
FIELDER Career at Kauffman Stadium: 0 HR in 24 AB
TRUMBO Career at Kauffman Stadium: 1 HR in 25 AB
KEMP Career at Kauffman Stadium: 0 AB
BELTRAN Career at Kauffman Stadium: 61 HR in 1,568 AB
GONZALEZ Career at Kauffman Stadium: 0 HR in 4 AB
McCUTCHEN Career at Kauffman Stadium: 0 AB


My Picks: Each year I like to pick one LH and RH guy.

Right Hander - Trumbo

Quote:"I'm a guy that cuts it loose most of the time anyway," Trumbo said, "so my goal is always to put myself in a position to drive the ball. So it's not a huge adjustment for me. I mess around every once in a while and try to launch balls. It's nothing that's terribly out of the ordinary for me."

"I'm going to treat it kind of like a normal batting practice toward the later rounds," said Trumbo, who sought advice from former Angel and 2003 Derby champion Garret Anderson. "I don't think it's going to be a big adjustment with my swing. I think if I just stay with my approach, I'll be just fine."

Left Hander - Cano

Great pull hitter. Knows what it takes to win HR Derby in terms of effort and timing.

[SkyBlues42]

Cano is another good selection, but honestly... I don't want to see a repeat winner. Would like for Griffey to be the only one on that list.

[Skating Tripods]

Robbie Cano. Effortless, line drive swings are the best for home run derbies. He's got, arguably, the prettiest swing in baseball. He's not going to get tired as quickly as some of the other guys will.

He's also won this before, so he won't get caught up in the moment or the pressure.

Ball really carries well at Kauffman when it's humid, so that may help the guys who hit the majestic tape measure shots, but I also think they'll be the ones that get tired quicker.

Gimme Cano.

[ChiefZilla]

(07-09-2012 01:01 PM)SkyBlues42 Wrote:  I've got Bautista (not just because he favored). Think he'll improve from last year and put on a good show. Anyone know which handed batter Kauffman Stadium favors?

Seems like most say it favors lefties, but judging from the amount of HR's and some of the distances over the years, it would appear that the opposite were true. Stadium has the same dimensions for both sides, so no clear advantage there. Wall height? General wind direction?

I don't think either side is really advantageous. Dimensions are the same, and wall height is the same everywhere.

In my head, I feel like the wind blows from right to left (which would favor right-handers) more often than the opposite, but that's about as unscientific as possible.

Right now it says the wind is blowing NE at 12 mph, which would be pretty much straight out to center field.

[Skating Tripods]

(07-09-2012 03:01 PM)ChiefZilla Wrote:  I don't think either side is really advantageous. Dimensions are the same, and wall height is the same everywhere.

In my head, I feel like the wind blows from right to left (which would favor right-handers) more often than the opposite, but that's about as unscientific as possible.

Right now it says the wind is blowing NE at 12 mph, which would be pretty much straight out to center field.

In any neutral ballpark like Kauffman, I'd give the edge to lefties because they generate more top spin when they make contact. That'll allow the ball to carry more.

Another reason I think lefties have so much success is because they're always facing a right handed pitcher. You don't see righties wanting to face a lefty throwing to them. Lefties have more time to be selective.

[arzoman]

I like the lefties a lot! I'm on Gonzalez +650 and Beltran at +500

I'm also on National League player to win at +160

[arzoman]

(07-09-2012 03:01 PM)ChiefZilla Wrote:  

(07-09-2012 01:01 PM)SkyBlues42 Wrote:  I've got Bautista (not just because he favored). Think he'll improve from last year and put on a good show. Anyone know which handed batter Kauffman Stadium favors?

Seems like most say it favors lefties, but judging from the amount of HR's and some of the distances over the years, it would appear that the opposite were true. Stadium has the same dimensions for both sides, so no clear advantage there. Wall height? General wind direction?

I don't think either side is really advantageous. Dimensions are the same, and wall height is the same everywhere.

In my head, I feel like the wind blows from right to left (which would favor right-handers) more often than the opposite, but that's about as unscientific as possible.

Right now it says the wind is blowing NE at 12 mph, which would be pretty much straight out to center field.

Lol. I love it! Wind analysis on HR Derby. This forum is just awesome.

[BetATL]

I'm also on Cargo at +650.

Like the value with the lefty. I think he could surprise just as Cano did last year.

[Skating Tripods]

So, yeah, Cano was a stone cold lead pipe lock.

[SkyBlues42]

I'm not a supporter of the Yankees by any means, but the way the fans treated Cano was unfair. The Royals are fortunate enough not to have New York on their second-half schedule, especially if the series was in Yankee Stadium.

All three of his players made it to the final three of the derby. Billy Butler would not have. They got a better show that way.

[Skating Tripods]

Billy Butler has 90 HR in 775 games. STFU Royals fans. The event's already boring, stupid, overplayed, and irrelevant. Having guys like Butler in it just because it's in his park would make it more unbearable.

I used to love the Home Run Derby. When I was 12.

Turned it off after one hitter today.

[mount187]

(07-09-2012 11:54 PM)Skating Tripods Wrote:  Turned it off after one hitter today.

I took Cargo +800 for giggles; once he got eliminated, I turned it off. Berman is bad enough, but when you add him to an event that teeters on the edge of bearable, it's too much to handle.

[illadelphia]

(07-09-2012 10:37 PM)SkyBlues42 Wrote:  I'm not a supporter of the Yankees by any means, but the way the fans treated Cano was unfair.

I can't imagine the national outrage if this had happened in Philly at an all-star event. Oh wait, it did in 2002 and the national press was all over it (see here and here)

I am not calling for 24/7 round the clock "booing" coverage but I can't help feeling like when this happens in places other than Philly it gets very little coverage in the national press.

I understand when it happens in Philly, it is a lazy writer's dream -- dust off 1968 story about a drunk and underweight Santa being pelted by snowballs at Franklin Field, add a few current facts and details and....boom "new" article.

That aside, the best part of the (mostly boring) ESPN coverage last night was Berman being put in his place by a very tan George Brett. Berman claimed a HR was headed towards Omaha to which Brett simply stated "that's the wrong direction"

[Skating Tripods]

It was bullshit the way Cano was treated, but the media's able to blow this story way out of proportion because there's nothing else to talk about. The same reason why the Cain/Dickey story continues to be brought up even though most people don't care.

Now, Selig opens his mouth and says that there's very little support for replay and that he's thinking about proposing the DH in NL parks in interleague and the pitchers hitting in AL parks.

Good work, Bud. You're clueless as usual.

[RyanParrill]

(07-10-2012 10:56 AM)illadelphia Wrote:  

(07-09-2012 10:37 PM)SkyBlues42 Wrote:  I'm not a supporter of the Yankees by any means, but the way the fans treated Cano was unfair.

I can't imagine the national outrage if this had happened in Philly at an all-star event. Oh wait, it did in 2002 and the national press was all over it (see here and here)

I am not calling for 24/7 round the clock "booing" coverage but I can't help feeling like when this happens in places other than Philly it gets very little coverage in the national press.

I understand when it happens in Philly, it is a lazy writer's dream -- dust off 1968 story about a drunk and underweight Santa being pelted by snowballs at Franklin Field, add a few current facts and details and....boom "new" article.

That aside, the best part of the (mostly boring) ESPN coverage last night was Berman being put in his place by a very tan George Brett. Berman claimed a HR was headed towards Omaha to which Brett simply stated "that's the wrong direction"

I remember my history teacher in middle school wrote something on the chalkboard about Eagles fans cheering (or booing) when Michael Irvin was carted off the field. After the synopsis she put "Is this really the city of brotherly love?"

Guess you guys have quite the rep. Assholes.


Also, my-homer-self picked Fielder in this poll