2016 MLB Home Run Derby Preview and Predictions
While the MLB All-Star Game is essentially the only thing that matters next week in terms of determining who has home advantage during the World Series, the Home Run Derby presented by T-Mobile is usually the more entertaining event of All-Star Week.
Not only has the new format catered to the younger demographic, but the vintage commentating by Chris Berman and his famous “Back, back, back, back…gone” call brings out the inner baseball childhood memories in all of us.
For baseball fans my age, you can’t help but watch the Home Run Derby and get deja vu of Ken Griffey Jr. launching a bomb that hit the warehouse across the street from Camden Yards in ’93, the 1998 Home Run Record Chase between Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds and Bobby Abrea going ballistic with a record 24 home runs in round one of the 2005 Home Run Derby at Comerica Park.
Flash forward to the 2016 Derby, and you have Chicago White Sox 3B Todd Frazier looking to repeat as Home Run Derby Champ, Wil Myers looking to put on a show at Petco Park in front of his home fans and 2016 Home Run leader Mark Trumbo (26) eager to win his first derby title.
The 2016 Home Run Derby Seeds were released by MLB.com on Thursday evening:
No. 1: Mark Trumbo, Baltimore Orioles, 26 home runs this season
No. 2: Todd Frazier, Chicago White Sox, 23
No. 3: Adam Duvall, Cincinnati Reds, 22
No. 4: Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners, 20
No. 5: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins, 19
No. 6: Wil Myers, San Diego Padres, 19
No. 7: Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies, 18
No. 8: Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers, 17
In bracket format:
So much power: Presenting the 2016 @TMobile #HRDerby bracket! 💪💪💪 pic.twitter.com/dwtD7Z9H7e
— MLB (@MLB) July 7, 2016
So who will win the 2016 MLB Home Run Derby? Here are my picks and predictions:
Next: 2016 MLB Home Run Derby Prediction: Round 1
Round 1.
(1) Mark Trumbo defeats Dodgers rookie Corey Seager (8) easily.
Mark Trumbo is absolutely scorching the ball this season for the AL East leading Baltimore Orioles, and he’ll have his way in the first round against 22-year old shortstop Corey Seager. Trumbo’s right-handed swing should play well with the dimensions of the spacious Petco Park, which is just 336 feet down the left-field line.
(4) Robison Cano will fall to MLB’s hottest hitter (5) Giancarlo Stanton
While Robbie Cano finally snapped his home run drought on Wednesday after going 17-straight games without a long ball, Giancarlo Stanton will enter Monday night’s Home Run Derby on another level. Over the course of his last 26 at-bats, Stanton has crushed a total of four home runs, including a long ball that traveled an estimated 470 feet – the longest in CitiField history. The only thing Stanton needs to worry about is pacing himself under the derby’s new rules, but I think he’ll be just fine.
(3) Adam Duvall falls to the hometown hero (6) Wil Myers
While Adam Duvall will look to add to his career year with a Home Run Derby Title, something needs to be said about the Derby and hometown advantage. Last season Todd Frazier rode the Cincinnati crowd all the way to the final round, and I believer Myers can do the same – at least in round one.. Also, 13 of Myers 19 home runs this season have impressively been hit at the pitcher-freiedly confines of Petco Park.
(2) Todd Frazier cruises to second round over (7) Carlo Gonzalez
Defending Derby Champ Todd Frazier undoubtedly has the recipe for success when it comes to the new Home Run Derby format, and if his brother is back throwing to him again, look for Frazier to cruise into the semi-finals over CarGo.
Next: 2016 MLB Home Run Derby Prediction: Round 2
Round 2
(1) Mark Trumbo ousted by (5) Giancarlo Stanton
Current MLB Home Run leader Mark Trumbo against the streaking Giancarlo Stanton. It’ll certainly be close, but I think Giancarlo Stanton will prevail against Mark Trumbo, especially if he keeps swinging the bat the way he’s been as of late.
(2) Todd Frazier uplifted by San Diego’s own Wil Myers (6)
As much as I believe Todd Fraizer has a great chance to take home the Home Run Derby crown in back-to-back seasons, I think the young Wil Myers backed by an electrifying San Diego crowd will upset the defending champ. Myers is coming off an insane month of June in which he hit .327 and scorched 11 home runs, so similar to my previous selection, I’m sticking with the hot bat to moved on to the finals.
Next: 2016 MLB Home Run Derby Prediction: Champ
Round 3
(5) Giancarlo Stanton spoils the home crowd and plays the role of villain, defeating (6) Wil Myers in the final round to win the 2016 T-Mobile Home Run Derby!
After watching his approach at the plate and seeing the way Stanton is starting to swing his bat over the last month, it finally looks he’s ready to put all his injuries behind him and return to true form. Before he was smoked in the face by Mike Fiers at the tail end of the 2014 season, Stanton was one of the premier home run hitters in all of baseball, but his production seemed to dip ever since. Sure he had a few injuries along the way, but now with 1996 Home Rub Derby Champ Barry Bonds as hit hitting coach down in Miami, the Giancarlo Stanton that broke into the league as a 20-year old and smoked a career high 37 homers at age 23 is back!
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Couple that in with a chip on his shoulder for not being selected to play in the 2016 All-Star Game as added motivation, and Giancarlo Stanton will be hoisting the crisscrossed silver bats at the end of the night!