For the second time in four years, Prince Fielder has crowned the victor of the All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night.
Fielder joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players to win the event on multiple occasions. Over the three rounds in the event, Fielder blasted 28 total home runs, including the four longest shots of the night, two of them at 476 feet.
The night took on some negative vibes for American League captain Robinson Cano, last year’s Home Run Derby champ. Cano, who hit a total of 32 homers last year, finished with zero this year and the Kansas City crowd booed him because he didn’t select the Royals’ Billy Butler to be a part of the squad after Cano had promised to take a hometown player.
Matt Kemp, Carlos Gonzalez and Andrew McCutchen were out with Cano following the first round. Carlos Beltran was out after the second round and Mark Trumbo exited as well after losing in a swing off with Jose Bautista 2-1.
Tonight is the All-Star Game itself with the San Francisco Giants’ ace Matt Cain taking the mound for the National League and the Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander throwing first for the American League.
By: Brandon Williams Member of the Football Writers Association of America