Home Run Derby: Top 10 Greatest Performances

Regardless of the participants from year-to-year, the Home Run Derby is a must-watch event.

The Home Run Derby began in 1985.  Even though the formats have varied since then, the same main goal has remained throughout each derby: Hit as many Home Runs as possible.

The first derby winner was Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds inside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minnesota.  Parker finished his 19 year playing career with 339 Home Runs, so the derby is not necessarily all about the greatest Home Run hitters of all time.

Throughout the history of the derby, players have either been given a set amount of “outs” or a set amount of “time” to work with in their plate appearance.

The derby is about endurance within your alloted “outs” or “time” to perform.  This is a skill that not even the best in-game Home Run hitters possess.

For example, Alex Rodriguez hit 696 career Home Runs and Barry Bonds hit 762.  However, in the 2001 Home Run Derby, A-Rod hit 2 Home Runs and Bonds hit 10.  The winner of that derby?  Luis Gonzalez, a player who hit 354 career Home Runs.  Luis Gonzalez did hit a whopping 57 Home Runs in 2001, but he only averaged 22 Home Runs per season across his career.

This is what makes the Home Run Derby so much fun, it shows off a skill that a player may not be remembered for based on their career numbers.

The Home Run Derby is a taxing effort, so much so that big name players skip it in order to limit the risk it could have on the second half of their season.

The possible risks of performing in the derby make all of the performers efforts even more impressive regardless of their result.

As there have been so many great Home Run Derby performers, it is tough to narrow it down to just 10.  It is even more tough to pick an overall top performer, but here it goes.  The top 10 Home Run Derby performances of all-time: