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David can’t kill Goliath

New York’s only representative in the 2006 Home Run Derby was fan favorite David Wright. After a rush of sixteen home runs in the first round, Wright was only able to hit six more home runs over the course of the next two rounds and ultimately fell to Ryan Howard of the Phillies 5–4 in the finals. Fortunately for the Mets, this will be the only time this season the Phillies will win anything. Sitting 12 games behind the division-leading Mets, Philly Faithful may not have much to remember this season except for Ryan Howard’s home run derby title. Howard and the Phillies snap back to reality Thursday, but for one day at least, they’re the champions.

Howard put in a strong effort to reach the final round, hitting 10 home runs in the second round for a total of 18 over two rounds, which tied Wright and beat David Ortiz and Miguel Cabrera. Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Howard was one of three players to hit a fly ball into the Allegheny River. Howard looks set to be one of the league’s great hitters for a long time, as he has hit 28 home runs during the All-Star break. Although his team may be underperforming, at least Howard and his teammate Bobby Abreu can take solace in the fact that they’ve won the last two home run derbies.

Although David Wright didn’t win, he had a memorable experience at PNC Park. Wright’s 16 home runs in the first round were the third-most of any round in the derby’s 21-year history, though that was eight short of Bobby Abreu’s record 24 last year in Detroit. Wright got to savor the experience with catcher Paul Lo Duca, as Wright selected Lo Duca to pitch for him. It was the first time in derby history that a player selected a fellow All Star, and teammate, to pitch for him in the home run derby.

Tomorrow we have the American League and National League All-Star Game, where the National League looks to end the dominance of the American League for the last decade or so. I’m a little nervous about Kenny Rogers starting in the American League, as I think even an inferior NL batting lineup will hit him pretty well. I’m looking for the NL to take an early lead against the AL, but AL players will eventually pull away in the middle and later innings.