The Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It is a contest among the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball to determine who can hit the most home runs. The event is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance. Former sponsors have included Century 21 Real Estate and Service Merchandise.

[edit] Overview

Eight players, who are generally on the All-Star Game rosters are selected for the Home Run Derby and compete in a traditional playoff system where the players with the most home runs advance to the next round. Each player gets ten "outs" per round, where an out is defined as any swing that is not a home run in this case. Should a tie exist between players at the end of any round, there will be a five swing swing-off to determine who will advance. Until 2006, the home run count was reset after each round. However, a rule change was made for the 2006 Home Run Derby which causes the home run count for the four players advancing to the second round to carry over. The home run count for the final round is still reset to zero.

Prior to 1991, the Home Run Derby was structured as a two-inning event with each player receiving five outs per inning which allowed for the possibility of ties.

In 2000, a match play format was instituted for the second round. The player with the most home runs in the first round faced the player with the least among the four qualifying players, as did the players with the second and third-most totals. The contestant who won each matchup advanced to the finals. This format was discontinued after the 2003 Derby.

For the most part, the field of players selected consists of four American League players and four National League players. The first Derby in 1985 featured five from each league, and the Derbies in 1986 and 1987 each featured three and two players from each league, respectively. In 1996, the field was again expanded to ten players, five from each league, though in 1997, the American League had six contestants to the NL's four. In 2000, the field reverted to the four-player-per-league format, which it has remained ever since. The only exception has been in 2005, when Major League Baseball chose to change the look of the contest, still having eight players, but with the players representing their home countries rather than their respective leagues. This was commonly looked upon as a lead-in to the World Baseball Classic which was played in March 2006. Bobby Abreu, representing Venezuela, won the first International Derby with a record 41 home runs, including a then-record 24 in the first round, broken only by Josh Hamilton with 28 home runs in 2008. In 2006, the selection of four players from each league to participate in the Derby was resumed.

The 2009 Home Run Derby, the 25th installment, was held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri on July 13, 2009, while the 2010 event will be in Anaheim, California at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, and the 2011 event will take place at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

Since 2005, a gold ball has been used once a player reaches nine outs. If a batter hit a home run using the golden ball, Century 21 Real Estate and Major League Baseball would donate $21,000 (a reference to the "21" in "Century 21") per home run to charity (MLB donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Century 21 donated to Easter Seals). In both 2005 and 2006, $294,000 was raised for the charities, equaling fourteen golden ball home runs per year. State Farm continued this in 2007 as they designated $17,000 per home run (one dollar for each of State Farm's agencies), to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. In the 2007 event, fifteen golden balls were hit for a donation of $255,000, and ten ($170,000) were hit in the 2008 event. For 2009, State Farm added $5,000 for all non-Gold Ball homers, and $517,000 was collected.

[edit] Television and radio coverage

The derby was first nationally televised by ESPN in 1993 on a same-day delayed basis, with the first live telecast in 1998. Although two hours were initially devoted to the telecast, it hasn't been uncommon for the program to run over schedule. The 2006 through 2008 events, for example, lasted nearly three hours. Starting in 2009, three hours were devoted to the event.

The Derby has delivered consistent ratings for ESPN^[1], and the 2008 Derby was the year's most highly rated basic cable program.^[2]

Because of the game's TV popularity, invited players have felt pressure to participate. Notably, Ken Griffey Jr. initially quietly declined to take part in 1998, partly due to ESPN scheduling the Mariners in their late Sunday game the night before. After a discussion with ESPN's Joe Morgan and another with Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, Griffey changed his mind, and then won the Derby at Coors Field.^[3]

ESPN Radio also carries the event annually.

[edit] Complete scoreboard

[edit] The 1980s

[edit] 1985

[edit] 1986

[edit] 1987

[edit] 1988

Canceled due to rain.

[edit] 1989

[edit] The 1990s

[edit] 1990

[edit] 1991

[edit] 1992

[edit] 1993

* Lost in playoff to Gonzalez

[edit] 1994

[edit] 1995

* Beat Belle in finals

[edit] 1996

[edit] 1997

* Beat Walker in finals

[edit] 1998

[edit] 1999

* Lost to Burnitz in round 2

[edit] The 2000s

[edit] 2000

Turner Field, Atlanta -- N.L. 41, A.L. 21
Player	Team	Round 1	Semis	Finals	Total
Sammy Sosa	Cubs	6	11	9	26
Ken Griffey, Jr.	Reds	6	3	2	11
Carl Everett	Red Sox	6	6	–	12
Carlos Delgado	Blue Jays	5	1	–	6
Edgar Martínez	Mariners	2	–	–	2
Chipper Jones	Braves	2	–	–	2
Vladimir Guerrero	Expos	2	–	–	2
Iván Rodríguez	Rangers	1	–	–	1

[edit] 2001

Safeco Field, Seattle -- N.L. 41, A.L. 25
Player	Team	Round 1	Semis	Finals	Totals
Luis Gonzalez	Diamondbacks	5	5	6	16
Sammy Sosa	Cubs	3	8	2	13
Jason Giambi	Athletics	14	6	–	20
Barry Bonds	Giants	7	3	–	10
Bret Boone	Mariners	3	–	–	3
Todd Helton	Rockies	2	–	–	2
Alex Rodriguez	Rangers	2	–	–	2
Troy Glaus	Angels	0	–	–	0

[edit] 2002

Miller Park, Milwaukee -- A.L. 42, N.L. 31
Player	Team	Round 1	Semis	Finals	Totals
Jason Giambi	Yankees	11	6	7	24
Sammy Sosa	Cubs	12	5	1	18
Paul Konerko	White Sox	6	6	–	12
Richie Sexson	Brewers	6	4	–	10
Torii Hunter	Twins	3	–	–	3
Barry Bonds	Giants	2	–	–	2
Alex Rodriguez	Rangers	2	–	–	2
Lance Berkman	Astros	1	–	–	1

* Giambi defeated Konerko in a swing off

[edit] 2003

U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago -- A.L. 47, N.L. 39
Player	Team	Round 1	Semis	Finals	Total
Garret Anderson	Angels	7	6	9	22
Albert Pujols	Cardinals	4	14	8	26
Jason Giambi	Yankees	12	11	–	23
Jim Edmonds	Cardinals	4	4	–	8
Gary Sheffield	Braves	4	–	–	4
Carlos Delgado	Blue Jays	2	–	–	2
Richie Sexson	Brewers	1	–	–	1
Bret Boone	Mariners	0	–	–	0

[edit] 2004

Minute Maid Park, Houston -- A.L. 47, N.L. 41
Player	Team	Round 1	Semis	Finals	Total
Miguel Tejada	Baltimore	7	15	5	27
Lance Berkman	Houston	7	10	4	21
Rafael Palmeiro	Baltimore	9	5	–	14
Barry Bonds	San Francisco	8	3	–	11
Sammy Sosa	Chicago (NL)	5	–	–	5
Jim Thome	Philadelphia	4	–	–	4
Hank Blalock	Texas	3	–	–	3
David Ortiz	Boston	3	–	–	3

[edit] 2005

Comerica Park, Detroit -- N.L. 66, A.L. 42
Player	Team	Round 1	Semis	Finals	Totals
Bobby Abreu	Philadelphia	24	6	11	41
Iván Rodríguez	Detroit	7	8	5	20
David Ortiz	Boston	17	3	–	20
Carlos Lee	Milwaukee	11	4	–	15
Hee-Seop Choi	Los Angeles (NL)	5	–	–	5
Andruw Jones	Atlanta	5	–	–	5
Mark Teixeira	Texas	2	–	–	2
Jason Bay	Pittsburgh	0	–	–	0

[edit] 2006

PNC Park, Pittsburgh -- N.L. 62, A.L. 24
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Subtotal	Finals	Total
Ryan Howard	Philadelphia	8	10	18	5	23
David Wright	New York (NL)	16	2	18	4	22
Miguel Cabrera	Florida	9	6	15	–	15
David Ortiz	Boston	10	3	13	–	13
Jermaine Dye	Chicago (AL)	7	–	7	–	7
Lance Berkman	Houston	3	–	3	–	3
Miguel Tejada	Baltimore	3	–	3	–	3
Troy Glaus	Toronto	1	–	1	–	1

[edit] 2007

AT&T Park, San Francisco -- A.L. 42, N.L. 32
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Subtotal	Finals	Total
Vladimir Guerrero	Anaheim(AL)	5	9	14	3a	17
Alex Ríos	Toronto	5	12	17	2	19
Matt Holliday	Colorado	5	8	13	–	13
Albert Pujols	St. Louis	4b	9	13	–	13
Justin Morneau	Minnesota	4	–	4	–	4
Prince Fielder	Milwaukee	3	–	3	–	3
Ryan Howard	Philadelphia	3	–	3	–	3
Magglio Ordóñez	Detroit	2	–	2	–	2

Notes:
^a Recorded only seven of ten outs before hitting winning home run.
^b Advanced after defeating Morneau 2-1 in a swing-off.

[edit] 2008

Yankee Stadium, New York -- A.L. 66 , N.L. 39
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Subtotal	Finals	Total
Justin Morneau	Minnesota	8	9	17	5	22
Josh Hamilton	Texas	28a	4b	32	3	35
Lance Berkman	Houston	8	6	14	–	14
Ryan Braun	Milwaukee	7	7	14	–	14
Dan Uggla	Florida	6	–	6	–	6
Grady Sizemore	Cleveland	6	–	6	–	6
Chase Utley	Philadelphia	5	–	5	–	5
Evan Longoria	Tampa Bay	3	–	3	–	3

Notes:
^a New single round record.
^b Voluntarily ended round with four outs.

[edit] 2009

Busch Stadium, St. Louis -- N.L. 51, A.L. 31
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Subtotal	Finals	Total
Prince Fielder	Milwaukee	11	6	17	6	23
Nelson Cruz	Texas	11	5	16	5	21
Ryan Howard	Philadelphia	7	8	15	–	15
Albert Pujols	St. Louis	5a	6	11	–	11
Carlos Peña	Tampa Bay	5	–	5	–	5
Joe Mauer	Minnesota	5	–	5	–	5
Adrian Gonzalez	San Diego	2	–	2	–	2
Brandon Inge	Detroit	0	–	0	–	0

Notes:
^a  Advanced after winning bat-off. Pujols 2, Peña 1, Mauer 0.

[edit] Statistics by team

[edit] Most home runs in the entire tournament (Excluding Swingoff Playoffs)

1. Bobby Abreu (2005) - 41
2. Josh Hamilton (2008) - 35
3. Miguel Tejada (2004) - 27
4. Sammy Sosa (2000) Albert Pujols (2003) - 26
5. Jason Giambi (2002) - 24
6. Ryan Howard (2006), Jason Giambi (2003), Prince Fielder (2009) - 23
7. David Wright (2006), Garrett Anderson (2003), Justin Morneau (2008) - 22
8. Lance Berkman (2004), Nelson Cruz (2009) - 21
9. David Ortiz (2005), Iván Rodríguez (2005), Jason Giambi (2001) - 20
10. Ken Griffey, Jr. (1998), Larry Walker (1997), Alex Rios (2007) - 19
11. Sammy Sosa (2002) - 18
12. Jim Thome (1998), Barry Bonds (1996), Vladimir Guerrero (2007) - 17
13. Luis Gonzalez (2001), Ken Griffey, Jr. (1999), Mark McGwire (1999), Tino Martinez (1997), Albert Belle (1995) - 16
14. Miguel Cabrera (2006), Carlos Lee (2005), Mark McGwire (1996), Frank Thomas (1995), Ryan Howard (2009) - 15
15. Rafael Palmeiro (2004), Jeromy Burnitz (1999), Lance Berkman (2008), Ryan Braun (2008) - 14
16. David Ortiz (2006), Sammy Sosa (2001), Matt Holliday (2007), Albert Pujols (2007) - 13
17. Paul Konerko (2002), Carl Everett (2000), Vinny Castilla (1998), Mark McGwire (1992), Cal Ripken Jr. (1991) - 12
18. Barry Bonds (2004), Ken Griffey, Jr. (2000), Brady Anderson (1996), Albert Pujols (2009) - 11
19. Rafael Palmeiro (1998), Barry Bonds (2001), Richie Sexson (2002), Jim Edmonds (2003) - 10

[edit] Most home runs all time (Excluding Swingoff Playoffs)

1. Ken Griffey, Jr. - 70
2. Jason Giambi - 67
3. Sammy Sosa - 65
4. Mark McGwire - 56
5. David Ortiz - 54
6. Albert Pujols - 50
7. Barry Bonds - 47
8. Bobby Abreu - 41
9. Ryan Howard - 41
10. Lance Berkman - 39

[edit] Most all-time wins

1. Ken Griffey, Jr. - 3

[edit] See also

• Baseball awards
• List of MLB awards
• The National Classic (a high-school tournament, with a home run derby)

[edit] References

1. ^ pifeedback.com
2. ^ Multichannel.com
3. ^ Seattle Post-Intelligencer

[edit] External links

• MLB.com: 2006 Home Run Derby
• MLB.com: 2007 Home Run Derby
• MLB.com: 2008 Home Run Derby
• Baseball-Almanac.com: Home Run Derby Results and Analysis
• State Farm Insurance becomes title sponsor of MLB Home Run Derby