NOW THIS IS VERY COOL: Home Run Derby Field is set......

[tigereye]

NEW YORK -- Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants and Hank Blalock of the Texas Rangers were added to next week's All-Star Home Run Derby, filling out the field of eight competitors.

Bonds, Philadelphia's Jim Thome, Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. and the Cubs' Sammy Sosa will represent the National League on Monday night in Houston.

The AL participants are Blalock, New York's Jason Giambi, Boston's David Ortiz and Baltimore's Rafael Palmeiro.

All four active players with 500 homers will compete: Bonds (681), Sosa (553), Palmeiro (540) and Griffey (500). Thome, who hit his 400th home run last month, connected for his major league-leading 28th of the season Thursday night.

[Nick]

Wow.... 7 leftys, and only 1 righty (Sosa).

You think MLB doesn't want any cheap crawford box HR's for this???:D :D :D

But, it doesn't really bode well for fans who are plannin on lining Crawford St. for some long-balls (even though Bonds, Griffey, etc. can hit them all over the place).

[Yao Wink]

I am still tempted to go out to Crawford Street to experience the event. I was hoping Vlad would be in it for the American League. Dunn would have been nice due to his area connection, but I cannot argue with any of the guys on the National League.

As a fan, which players would you like to see crush balls at MMP.
I would be in favor of the guys that crush the ball over those who get those squeekers over the fence. Here is my list of current players:

National American

Sosa Delgado
Bonds Vlad
Thome A-Rod
Dunn Ortiz
******** **********
Sexson Giambi
Griffey Manny

IIRC, Sexson has the longest HR at MMP after that blast to center half-way-up the flag pole last year. Mostly I am glad that Piazza is not in it. That guy might have been the worst HR exhibition hitter ever.

[MadMax]

Anybody else going to any of these events?? The game and/or the derby??

[lnghrn4life]

I will be at the game and derby,seats not that great but i am not complaining by any means, Section 425 row 2

[hjg877]

Wow, didn't know Bonds will be there!

I'll find out tonight if I'm headed to H-town, and if I do I'll be outside left field (along with the other 5,000 or so people with the same intention) during the HRD.

Boston in '99 had all of those people behind the Green Monster; can't imagine what it will be like in Houston! :eek:


Will it rain?

[Rocket Fan]

I assume they will keep the roof open for hr derby.. or will they think it's too hot for the "out of town visitors"?

[ron413]

Originally posted by Rocket Fan
I assume they will keep the roof open for hr derby.. or will they think it's too hot for the "out of town visitors"?

I was listening on 610 this morning and Jeremy Foster brought up this subject. He said they are planning to keep the roof CLOSED for some stupid reason.

If that is indeed true then the I can only think of a couple main reasons. It is either a major security issue where MLB/ Astros can not have the random 100's of fans blocking an important street, or they don't want to let the hot Houston heat cause the executives to complain for future All-Star game considerations, or they are just not thinking straight marketing wise to please ALL the fans.

[MadMax]

they had a disaster with texas heat at the ballpark in arlington. i would imagine MLB wouldn't want to repeat that.

[RiceRocket1]

I was afraid of that. Keeping the roof shut during the derby is ridiculous. I'm glad I know about it now though so I don't waste my time going down there.

[AsianBoy]

Do you guys know what event is on Sunday is it the homerun derby?

[Gortok]

Reported on 610 radio about 20 minutes ago.. roof closed for the derby...

[rrj_gamz]

I can't wait...

[Roc Paint]

I heard they going to be open it for the final round.

Man, I need to get my ass some more schooling.

[francis 4 prez]

couldn't believe when i saw this list on espn a few days ago. this is like the vince, tmac, kobe dunk contest everyone wants to see.


wanted bonds because he's so damn good and sosa because he hits them farther than anyone right now. and who can complain about thome and griffey. excellent field.

sucks that only one will be crawford boxing it (and that the roof will be closed at that) but watching balls smash way off the top of the closed glass part of the wall will still be cool.

[Kam]

Couldnt they keep a portion of the roof open?

[Nick]

Originally posted by Kam
Couldnt they keep a portion of the roof open?

The whole idea of keeping the roof closed would be the comfort of air-conditioning... that's it. For that to happen, the entire roof must remain shut.

If they keep the thing shut all day (pumping the air in full blast), then as they're introducing the players, start opening the roof... there should be enough lingering air conditioning to keep everybody comfortable, and allow the fans outside to see some HR balls.

Honestly... I don't even know if the Astros have any say in this. This sounds like the Super Bowl all over again, where the NFL was calling all the shots.

Thus, they're probably not going to be familiar with how the roof operates (nor do they probably have the time to care to figure it out), and they're probably taking the simple/safe road and saying it should be shut.

[The Cat]

Speaking of the HR Derby, they released some more tickets this morning at ticketmaster.com for face value that are only on sale until 6 tonight. The only seats available together are in the upper deck, but if you want to go it does get you in the door. And there are still lower level tickets available if you would take singles. The prices seem to be between 50 and 100 bucks.

Home Run Derby Tickets (http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0C0038B5D3B7A5DE?brand=&artistid=922229&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=10)

I wasn't planning on going, but it's a really fun event (I went a few years ago when it was in Atlanta) and I may go since its now for face value instead of the ridiculous prices they want on ebay. Just passing the link along as it apparently is an "mlb.com subscribers" only offer - at least that's what it said in the email.

[Barfo10]

I picked up some tickets in section 434 on the 12th row. I figure its a once in a lifetime thing so what the hell. Too bad the roof will be closed. I bet these guys can really crush the ball over the tracks!

[RiceRocket1]

Thanks for the head up, I picked up a couple seats.

[francis 4 prez]

Damn, huge thanks for the ticket alert. Didn't think I had a chance of going to this thing. my seats suck, but what are you gonna do. bonds, sosa, griffey, sweet.

[codell]

BREAKING NEWS:

Junction Jack defends his mascot home run derby title!!

:)

[wstar]

griffey, jr just limped off the field in the reds sat mite game vs. brewers. diving for a ball may have pulled a hamstring but unspecified as of yet. he headed for the dugout before the training staff even got to him. obviously could affect his derby slot.

[codell]

Originally posted by wstar
griffey, jr just limped off the field in the reds sat mite game vs. brewers. diving for a ball may have pulled a hamstring but unspecified as of yet. he headed for the dugout before the training staff even got to him. obviously could affect his derby slot.

I wouldn't think so.

You can still swing a bat with a bad hammy.

Its not like he has to run to first. :p

[ChucklesG]

Griffey has a stressed hamstring. HR Derby is probable. AS game is 50/50.That's what the broadcasters said after the game.

[The Cat]

ticket update:

I'm not sure what the deal is here, but if you want to go and haven't yet, now is a good time to get tickets. Apparently they have released even more tickets than were available when I first posted. They now have pairs together in the lower level bullpen (where all the homers will go with the lefties) for 75 each - I just picked up a couple. They also have the first few rows in the terrace deck if you prefer those.

like I said, I have absolutely no clue why some tickets weren't available earlier, but there are even more available now. So if you want to go, there are still tickets left at the ticketmaster link I posted.

[Nick]

ESPN said Griffey is out of the HR derby.

Replacements?

I say go with Pujols... he put on a show in Chicago last year, and the only reason he wasn't invited was because MLB wanted the 500 HR hitters in there (and Thome, who leads the league in HR).

As for his replacement in CF, they might select Jim Edmonds, making it basically an all-star game of Yankees vs. Cardinals... but hey, those teams don't have the best records in baseball for no reason.

[RiceRocket1]

Anyone know why all the Ticketmaster info says the Derby starts at 4:00? I know the Derby itself isn't until 7:00, is there stuff going on before it? If so, what? I'm trying to figure out when to get to the park.

[The Cat]

RiceRocket,

I think it's just the team batting practices like before a normal game, but I'm not sure on that.

anyway, as far as the Derby, the last spot goes to... Lance Berkman!

Griffey plans to go to Houston to participate in ceremonies, but will not take part in the Home Run Derby or Tuesday's game, Reds spokesman Rob Butcher said. He will be replaced by the Astros' Carlos Beltran on the NL roster and Lance Berkman in the Derby.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1837903

I figured if an Astro was selected it would be Beltran as he has 21 homers to Lance's 16. But it's great to see Lance in it.

[Nick]

That's great to see Lance in it, although they didn't have many options. Pujols turned them down.

Who's replacing Giambi (out do to his parasites).

[RiceRocket1]

Thanks Cat. Glad to see Berkman get the nod. I hope he does well.