In what was easily the highlight of the 2015 season for Cincinnati Reds fans, Todd Frazier took home the 2015 Home Run Derby crown in truly exhilarating manner in his home ballpark.
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Pressure? Sure didn’t show it.
Frazier became the first host player to win the slugging contest since Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs in 1990.
Not only that, Frazier is just the second player representing the home team in the history of the Home Run Derby to emerge victorious.
“When it went from five to four minutes, I was pretty happy”, Frazier said.
“I just kind of stuck my glove out there and felt it hit”, McKenzie told MetroNews Wednesday.
“To see the Frazier family, his brother was the biggest cheerleader, and to see his mom and dad and when he was holding his little son, it was cool”. Tied entering his 30-second bonus round, Frazier hit the first pitch for the title.
With the Great American Ball Park crowd behind him chanting, “Let’s go Frazier”, he stepped up to match Fielder’s total in his allotted time of four minutes and earned an extra 30 seconds by hitting four home runs of over 425 feet.
Previous year Frazier, 29, reached the finals, but lost to Yoenis Cespedes. He was so worn out that he could barely hit one, and planned to pace himself a bit better this time.
Frazier was the favorite in his home ballpark, aiming to make it an All-Cincinnati All-Star event so far.
It was the first year that Major League Baseball used a format that included time, not outs.
Still, it was quite a night for the 23-year-old Pederson, who will start in left field for the National League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile. He hit 25 homers and drove in 57 runs in the first half for the Reds. The New Jersey native didn’t know that the song would be played. He averaged 425-feet per homer on Monday evening. “When you get the opportunity, you just have to hit it out no matter where the ball’s pitched”.
Mark Teixeira is making his third All-Star appearance, but first since 2009, his initial season with the Yankees.
American League’s Brett Gardner, of the New York Yankees, Mark…
“Then mid-swing, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going up against Frazier.’ Good for them”.
In years past, I can remember getting so bored watching the event.
Manfred said during a town hall chat with fans Monday that he thinks if the league does anything dramatically different, it’d be better off shortening the schedule.
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Next year’s All-Star Game is in San Diego, where there will likely be significantly less threat of inclement weather.
