Home run derby isn’t about home runs
Rays’ Morrison is missing the point about a television event designed to draw viewers
WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper said there was “no chance” he’d participate in this year’s MLB home run derby, despite being just four off the NL lead in that category.
Houston’s Carlos Correa, who has 15 home runs since May 1, says he’d rather rest up for the second half of the season. Rangers youngster Joey Gallo would rather not shine the spotlight on the fact that he has 21 home runs, but a .191 batting average. Defending NL MVP Kris Bryant says he was asked but declined, citing the need for rest and the fact that Marlins Park is “definitely not a hitter’s park.”
Despite all the no-thank-yous, MLB cobbled together an eight-player field for Monday’s exhibition: Giancarlo Stanton, Cody Bellinger, Charlie Blackmon, Justin Bour, Mike Moustakas, Miguel Sano, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez.
Which one of those players doesn’t belong? Let’s ask Rays first baseman Logan Morrison, who has 24 home runs (tied for third in MLB) but was not invited.
“Gary shouldn’t be there,” Morrison told the Tampa Bay Times. “Gary’s a great player, but he shouldn’t be in the home run derby.”
“I remember when I had 14 home runs,” Morrison continued. “That was a month and a half ago.”
Replied Sanchez on Wednesday, via the New York Daily News: “It’s an honour to participate in the event. It’s not my fault that he didn’t get selected. (MLB) gave me an invitation. The question should really be toward them and let them answer that. To me, it’s just an opportunity and an honour to be part of the Derby.”
Sanchez has 13 home runs, nowhere close to the MLB lead. He also plays for the Yankees. Morrison plays for the down-market Rays. Wonder if that has anything to do with it? Better check with Morrison again.
“I’m not disappointed. It’s par for the course. I play for the Rays. I get it,” he said. “They can’t even get my picture right. When they put my name up there they put Corey (Dickerson’s) picture up there ... on MLB Network.”
Morrison has something of a point here, but the big picture eludes him. The home run derby is, at its heart, simply a way for MLB and ESPN to get people to pay attention on a night in which the sports schedule is otherwise mostly empty (the event is being broadcast across three ESPN channels — the mother ship, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, and on Sportsnet in Canada — and the only other live national event at the same time is an NBA summer league game on ESPNU; even the WNBA is taking a midsummer break on Monday and Tuesday, with zero games on the schedule). And so we have two high-profile youngsters from the Yankees in Judge (MLB’s home run leader) and Sanchez, who isn’t exactly unworthy.
Plus, MLB wants to make sure the home run derby is well attended, which means two players (Stanton, the defending home run derby champion, and Bour, who has 18 homers) from the host Marlins. That leaves just four open spots and a host of worthy players to choose from in what’s been a homer-crazy season so far.
It’s not all that surprising that Morrison wasn’t among them.