
Aside from Yoenis Cespedes, the 2013 Home Run Derby left a lot to be desired. While seeing two young stars in Cespedes and Bryce Harper battle it out at the plate like that was fun, the contest could have been handled better. Players like Robinson Cano, Prince Fielder, Michael Cuddyer, and David Wright failed to impress.
My Home Run Derby selections will be based on a variety of factors. Iāll be looking at average home run distance, number of home runs, and park factors of the playerās home park. In my selection, Iāll be removing restrictions, such as that only All Stars can be selected (this isnāt necessarily a rule, but itās rare for a non-All Star to make the team), the captain system, injuries, media hype, etc.
National League Roster:
1. Justin Upton- .255/.353/.462, 15 homers (20 park-adjusted), 428ā² average distance.
My easy choice for the leader of the NL Roster is Justin Upton. Although his first season in Atlanta isnāt exactly going great, he can still hit the ball far. His 428ā² average home run distance is easily the best in baseball, and he has a solid 16 homers playing half of his games in a noted pitcherās park.
2. Carlos Gonzalez- .302/.370/.610, 25 homers (21 park-adjusted), 407.5ā² average distance.
Carlos Gonzalez, who was originally set to hit in the derby but was sidelined with an injury, is also an easy choice. He leads the NL in homers, and has been doing just as well on the road as in hitter-friendly Coors field.
3. Jay Bruce- .277/.325/.507, 19 homers (15 park-adjusted), 410.7ā² average distance.
Due to a slow start to the season (1 home run in April), Bruceās power numbers donāt accurately reflect his home run power. He plays in one of the smallest parks in baseball, but as his 410.7ā² average home run distance would indicate (4th best in the NL) he doesnāt need the cheap power boost. When he hits a ball well, it goes far.
4. Pedro Alvarez- .250/.311/.516, 24 homers (43 park-adjusted), 407.1ā² average distance.
Like Bruce, when Alvarez hits the ball- it goes far. His 24 homers come from playing half of his games in the most pitcher-friendly park in baseball.
American League Roster:
1. Mark Trumbo- .245/.312/.474, 21 homers (27 park-adjusted), 412.8ā² average distance.
Trumboās massive average distance speaks for itself. He clobbers the ball when he gets ahold of hit. His 21 homers in a pitcherās park is also great. He would be a huge benefit to the AL team, as heās been one of the premier power hitters in baseball over the past few years.
2. Mike Napoli- .259/.343/.448, 11 homers (14 park-adjusted), 421ā² average distance.
While Napoli hasnāt hit as many homers as his counterparts, he has hit them far. He can crush the ball, and taking the eye element out of the game would make him a dark horse favorite.
3. Chris Davis- .315/.392/.717, 37 homers (32 park-adjusted), 403.9ā² average distance.
While Davisā average distance isnāt quite up to snuff, the sheer number of homers he has hit, as well as the vast spread of landing spots, makes him an easy selection.
4. Adam Dunn- .213/.317/.474, 24 homers (23 park-adjusted), 407.1ā² average distance
Adam Dunn isnāt much of a contact hitter anymore, but nobody can deny his massive power output. It seems Dunn either walks, strikes out, or homers when he comes to the plate. Since itās pretty hard to strikeout in the derby and you canāt walk, heād probably do well due to his massive strength.