Ortiz Selected To Homerun Derby!

[YanksHater213]

heres the article about the HRD

 

Derby to have a powerful flavor

Active 500-homer hitters invited to Home Run Derby

By Jim Molony / MLB.com

 

 

Three-time winner Ken Griffey Jr. will return to the Home Run Derby. (Al Behrman/AP)

 

 

 

Baseball's ultimate power summit is shaping up to take place next week at Minute Maid Park.

Not only is every living member of baseball's exclusive 500 Home Run Club invited to Monday night's Century 21 All-Star Home Run Derby, several of them will be swinging for the fences.

 

All four active players who have hit at least 500 career home runs -- Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr., Baltimore's Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs and the Giants' Barry Bonds -- have been extended invitations to participate in the Derby, to be televised live on ESPN.

 

Thus far, Griffey, Sosa and Palmeiro have accepted. Palmeiro will be the first non-member of the All-Star Game rosters to participate in the Derby.

 

"Well, I was planning to get a breather, but this is something I can't pass up," Palmeiro said. "I will just go there and enjoy the atmosphere. This has a chance to be something special."

 

Also confirmed for this year's event are Philadelphia's Jim Thome -- who leads the Majors with 27 home runs -- and 2002 Home Run Derby champion Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees, and first-time participant David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox.

 

"Yeah, it's going to be unbelievably exciting," Giambi said. "Having all those 500-homer guys there ... it'll be a lot of fun."

 

Thome, who hit his 400th career homer earlier this season, is also looking forward to the event.

 

"I just think that any time you're mentioned with those names and to be a part of that is an honor," Thome said. "You're talking about tremendous players, tremendous hitters who have accomplished a lot in the game. To be mentioned with those guys is very humbling, but you have to enjoy every minute of it."

 

This will be Thome's third Home Run Derby. The former Cleveland Indian competed in 1997 at Cleveland and again in 1998 at Colorado. He didn't hit any homers in 1997, but he made it to the finals the next season, when he was edged by Griffey.

 

"I remember the game in 1999 when Ted Williams came out," Thome said. "My dad was in the stands and to watch my dad and what players like Williams meant to him, and to be in the same game as the 500-homer guys, that's kind of a neat situation.

 

"You think you're going to wake up and it's all going to be a dream. But it's something you really cherish and I think it's something you really look forward to. I just want to have fun. Just grip it and rip it. That's what it's all about."

 

Sosa will making his fifth Home Run Derby appearance in the last six years. He did not participate last year, but he won the event in 2000 at Turner Field in Atlanta when he defeated Griffey, 9-2, in the final round.

 

"I'm happy to have the chance to enjoy the moment," Sosa said. "If you have a chance to put on a show for the fans, to pay them back, I want to do it."

 

The Yankees' Alex Rodriguez was given the option to participate, but he withdrew from consideration after straining a muscle Sunday against the New York Mets. Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero declined an invitation to compete.

 

"I was probably going to do it," Rodriguez said. "With this injury, I can't take any chances."

 

The final AL spot has not yet been finalized and could go to one of several sluggers, including Boston's Manny Ramirez or the Rangers' Hank Blalock.

 

Major League Baseball also has invited the 10 former players still living who hit at least 500 home runs during their careers, including all-time home run leader Hank Aaron (755), Willie Mays (660), Frank Robinson (586), Mark McGwire (583), Harmon Killebrew (573), Reggie Jackson (563), Mike Schmidt (548), Willie McCovey (521), Ernie Banks (512) and Eddie Murray (504), to attend the Derby.

 

Giambi is looking forward to visiting with McGwire, his former teammate in Oakland.

 

"He's the guy who took me under his wing when I first started out," Giambi said. "I usually see him a couple of times in the offseason, and we have a good time. But this will be a little different."

 

The format for this year's event remains the same, with four American Leaguers and four National Leaguers taking their swings on an alternating basis. The four winners of the first round advance to the semifinals, and the two semifinal winners meet to decide the winner.

 

Garret Anderson of Anaheim won last year after edging Albert Pujols of St. Louis, 9-8, in the finals at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. The next day, Anderson went on to win the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award in the All-Star Game.

 

Sosa was the 2000 winner. Griffey has won it three times, including back-to-back triumphs in 1998-99. Bonds won it in 1996.

 

The Century 21 Home Run Derby is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

 

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/ml...r2004&fext=.jsp

[Ortiz34]

holy s*** thats awesome... GO ORTIZZLE

[sarasoxfan]

DO! DO ! DO!

 

Ps: I hope manny gets in too?

[Ortiz34]

i thinkk only one person per team is allowed, so manny cant get it, sorry

[gosox613]

i dont think thats the case

[Zenny]

They listed Manny as eligible in the article, so it is not out of the question. Wow, I hope Big Papi wins.

[noonanberg]

To quell the Manny issue, he has said he has no interest in the derby cuz it screws up his swing. So he's out. But go Ortiz. My money's on him.

[Ortiz34]

I hate to say this, but i don't think Ortiz is going to win. I would love to see him do it, but he just doesn;t have the experience. Sosa has been in the derby 3 times i think, so hes got more epxerience. Still... GO ORTIZ

[elsrbueno]

Sorry guys, but I just wanna say about the derby:

 

I don't care. Ortiz could win or get shut out....The derby is just plain boring to me. I'm glad David gets to participate (He deserves it) but the derby doesn't interest me at all.

 

That being said, I don't think I'll catch the All-Star game either....

 

I'm just glad Mueller, Petey, Nomar, Nixon etc get 3 days of rest. The team seems a bit beat up....the 3 days off will be nice.

 

BTW, Manny DID say the Home Run Derby messes up his swing and declined to participate. I know someone else said that too...but they were saying it during last night's game also.

[Tek04]

Originally posted by elsrbueno@Jul 8 2004, 10:01 AM

Sorry guys, but I just wanna say about the derby:

 

I don't care. Ortiz could win or get shut out....The derby is just plain boring to me. I'm glad David gets to participate (He deserves it) but the derby doesn't interest me at all.

 

That being said, I don't think I'll catch the All-Star game either....

 

I'm just glad Mueller, Petey, Nomar, Nixon etc get 3 days of rest. The team seems a bit beat up....the 3 days off will be nice.

 

BTW, Manny DID say the Home Run Derby messes up his swing and declined to participate. I know someone else said that too...but they were saying it during last night's game also.

Boring? its the best part of the allstar break...better than the allstar game

[Ortiz34]

yeah i agree with tek, it is just as if not more exciting than the game. Cmon have some spirit man

[elsrbueno]

I just have no interest in watching these guys have batting practice, and giving trophies for who's best at batting practice.

 

Notice I said I wouldn't watch the All-Star game either....It's just a joke these days

[Ortiz34]

i just dont get it. Why do you think its a joke?

[Tek04]

Originally posted by elsrbueno@Jul 9 2004, 04:23 PM

I just have no interest in watching these guys have batting practice, and giving trophies for who's best at batting practice.

 

Notice I said I wouldn't watch the All-Star game either....It's just a joke these days

Its not a joke anymore...the allstar game actually means something now..

 

and how do you find it not interesting watchin the best having a contest hitting homeruns...its like a shootout in hockey...rarely happens...but its awesome when it does!

[Ortiz34]

Well i do ifnd Chris Berman's voice somewhat annoying. BACK BACK BACK BACK GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God calm down man. Haha. But, its still fun to watch nonetheless.