New York’s only representative in the 2006 Home Run Derby was fan favorite David Wright. After a rush of sixteen home runs in the first round, Wright was only able to hit six more home runs over the course of the next two rounds, ultimately falling to the Phillies’ Ryan Howard 5–4 in the finale. Fortunately for the Mets, this will be the only time this season that the Phillies will win anything. Sitting 12 games behind the division-leading Mets, Philly Faithful may not have much to remember this season except for Ryan Howard’s home run derby title. Howard and the Phillies snap back to reality on Thursday, but for one day at least, they’re the champs.
Howard put in a big push to reach the final round, hitting 10 home runs in the second round for a two-round total of 18, tying Wright and beating David Ortiz and Miguel Cabrera. Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Howard was one of three players to hit a ball on a fly into the Allegheny River. Howard looks like he’ll be one of the league’s big hitters for a long time, as he’s hit 28 home runs during the All-Star break. As badly underperforming as his team may be, at least Howard and his teammate Bobby Abreu can take solace in the fact that they’ve won the past two home run derbies.
Although David Wright did not win, he did have a memorable experience at PNC Park. Wright’s 16 home runs in the first round were the third-most of any round in the derby’s 21-year history, though that was eight shy of Bobby Abreu’s record 24 last year in Detroit. Wright got to savor the experience with catcher Paul Lo Duca, as Wright selected Lo Duca to pitch for him. It was the first time in derby history that a player selected a fellow All Star, and teammate, to pitch for him in the home run derby.
Tomorrow we have the American League and National League All-Star Game, where the National League looks to end the dominance of the American League for the last decade or so. I’m a little nervous about Kenny Rogers starting in the American League, as I think even a lower National League hitting lineup will hit him pretty well. I’m looking for the National League to take an early lead against the AL, but the AL players will eventually pull away in the middle and late innings.