Guerrero wins HR Derby
Jake Williams
Issue date: 7/11/07 Section: Sports
Some of the biggest sluggers in baseball were on display July 9 for the 2007 State Farm Home Run Derby, and Vladimir Guerrero shined the brightest.
Guerrero, right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, hit three home runs in the championship round to defeat Alex Rios from the Toronto Blue Jays. Rios was visibly exhausted during his final round, amassing only two home runs. Guerrero and Rios each hit in three rounds of competition.
The MLB Derby began with eight players slugging it out in the first round. The hitters with the top four performances moved on to round two. After another round of swinging for the fences, the two competitors with the highest sum from the first two rounds qualified for a championship swing-off.
Guerrero and Rios outperformed Colorado Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols from the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday and Pujols each hit 13 home runs in their two rounds of action, losing out to Guerrero's 14 and Rios' 17 long balls. The four players eliminated in round one were Justin Morneau, Magglio Ordonez, Prince Fielder and last year's champion Ryan Howard. Morneau actually tied Albert Pujols for fourth place in round one, but was eliminated after a short swing-off.
In addition to winning the Derby championship, Guerrero also gets bragging rights for hitting the longest homer of the evening, a 503 ft rocket that came in round two.
Noticeably absent from this year's Derby were recent headline athletes Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. Both declined offers to compete for personal reasons.
The Derby and Tuesday's All-Star ame were held in San Francisco, home of Bonds' Giants. State Farm, sponsor of this year's Derby, donated money to charity for every home run hit with only one out remaining for each batter. The total amount donated was $254,000.
Guerrero, right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, hit three home runs in the championship round to defeat Alex Rios from the Toronto Blue Jays. Rios was visibly exhausted during his final round, amassing only two home runs. Guerrero and Rios each hit in three rounds of competition.
The MLB Derby began with eight players slugging it out in the first round. The hitters with the top four performances moved on to round two. After another round of swinging for the fences, the two competitors with the highest sum from the first two rounds qualified for a championship swing-off.
Guerrero and Rios outperformed Colorado Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols from the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday and Pujols each hit 13 home runs in their two rounds of action, losing out to Guerrero's 14 and Rios' 17 long balls. The four players eliminated in round one were Justin Morneau, Magglio Ordonez, Prince Fielder and last year's champion Ryan Howard. Morneau actually tied Albert Pujols for fourth place in round one, but was eliminated after a short swing-off.
In addition to winning the Derby championship, Guerrero also gets bragging rights for hitting the longest homer of the evening, a 503 ft rocket that came in round two.
Noticeably absent from this year's Derby were recent headline athletes Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. Both declined offers to compete for personal reasons.
The Derby and Tuesday's All-Star ame were held in San Francisco, home of Bonds' Giants. State Farm, sponsor of this year's Derby, donated money to charity for every home run hit with only one out remaining for each batter. The total amount donated was $254,000.
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