Giancarlo Stanton absolutely destroyed the Home Run Derby last night.
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Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton didn’t make the 2016 All-Star Game, but made for one of the most memorable Home Run Derbys in the history of the event.
SAN DIEGO – Giancarlo Stanton won Monday night’s Home Run Derby with a record 61 homers.
Stanton was asked earlier in the day about what motivated him to accept this invitation. Stanton hit bomb after bomb, the farthest going 497 feet.
Like Stanton, Abreu had a first round in which he hit two dozen home runs, a record at the time. Building in the left-field corner and the top of the batter’s eye in center field.
Have no fear: Just because your favorite player was in the Home Run Derby doesn’t mean that he’s going to have trouble hitting home runs in the second half. “He’s one of the most intense competitors that anyone’s ever been around, so I just knew he really wanted to win it”.
Both finalists, Stanton and Frazier, aren’t on the All-Star game rosters. Stanton reached the final by defeating the Orioles’ Mark Trumbo, who leads the majors with 28 homers. Trumbo called a timeout. Players had four minutes to hit as many home runs as they could, receiving a 30 second time bonus if they hit two or more home runs of 440 feet or more. His new hitting coach is the king of home runs Barry Bonds. Petco Park isn’t an easy place to hit balls out, but Stanton didn’t care. Don’t look now, but Stanton already has five home runs in July-more than he had the entire months of May or June.
“Taking a flight out here just for this, I figure that it’s a waste if I don’t get this bad boy”, he said, patting the silver trophy awarded to the Derby champion. Frazier, the No. 2 seed, edged his former Cincinnati Reds teammate Adam Duvall to set up the showdown with Stanton.
And he more than lived up to expectations, hitting 24 homers in the first round.
“That is where I got my childhood memories, watching the Home Run Derby as a kid”, said Stanton, who grew up in California.
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Good on them for coming through on their offer, though I’m not sure the Marlins thought this one all the way through. Stanton averaged 461 feet with those 17 homers. Cano, the No. 4 seed, mustered only seven and was routed by No. 5 Stanton’s incredible barrage.
