HR Derby

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

What a show Hamilton just put on with 28 HRs/

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Posted By: Rob D.

Milo always could mash.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

that was ridiculous...

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Posted By: Bob

I know Hamilton is a great story, coming back from being a drug addict and having a magical season but you had to feel for Justin Morneau, one of the nicest guys in the game who was shoved in to a corner while everyone drooled over Hamilton. Even in the early going those stupid announcers talked all the way through his first at bat telling moronic stories and ignoring JM. It's not like the guy won the MVP 2 years ago or anything. He is from Canada but empitomizes "Minnesota nice." He went on and on about how lucky he was and what a great thrill just to be there and how Hamilton was sensational. Class personified. That's just not interesting enough nowadays. Maybe if he had slept with Madonna he would get more recognition

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Posted By: MVSNYC

Bob- very true...BUT, you can't ignore how sick hamilton's performance was...the only reason why anyone else even had a shot of winning, was because the totals reset for the final round, and hamilton & his 71 yr old pitcher were spent by then...as nice as mourneau is, his performance was simply nowhere near that of hamilton's...that's why he was overshadowed, not because of commentators.

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Posted By: Marty Kohler

Tbob I agree completely with your accessment.................. But if I were Morneau I would have given the trophy to Hamilton,....seriously ..... he was the clear winner...

GO YARD

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Posted By: Anthony S.

Tbob,

I'd have to double check the National Registry to be sure, but I'm pretty sure it isn't Justin Morneau's turn to sleep with Madonna until February of 2011.

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Posted By: david

i was there last night and hamilton deserved to win. the hr that hit the BOA sign was the longest HR i have even seen at yankee stadium. it was great to hear 55+K chear his name around HR 20 of the first round.

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Posted By: paulstratton

Freakish. It's not like Morneau doesn't get any respect Bob(he might win a 2nd MVP this year), it was just Hamilton's night.

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Posted By: rob

Morneau may have won but Hamilton is the story. To battle the demons like he did and does on a daily basis, his story needs to be heard loudly and broadly. There was no better venue to push his story onto a national scene than last night. If it saves one kid from going down that same road, it was worth every bit of publicity it received.

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

I may take some criticism for this but I believe after Morneau gives the home run derby trophy to Hamilton, he should call up Jeter and give him the MVP award too. Many may disagree but if it wasn't for that totally undeserved 4th and 6th?! place vote Jeter got, he would have been the MVP.

Player Club 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Points
Justin Morneau Minnesota 15 8 3 2 - - 320
Derek Jeter New York 12 14 - 1 - 1 306

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Posted By: Rhys

Jeter does not need to sleep with Madonna anytime soon. Every man and woman within a 100 mile radius of New York already want to have his love child.

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Posted By: Dan

Based on his stats, Jeter should thank his lucky stars he is even in the All Star Game this year.

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Dan - maybe so, but his stats in 2008 have no bearing on his stats from 2006.

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Posted By: Dan

Jon, I agree Jeter had an excellent year in 2006 as did Morneau which is why the vote was close. I don't think Morneau needs to apologize for winning the MVP though. Last night was an awkward situation and I think even Morneau was cheering for Hamilton to win it.

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Posted By: Jason L

as to how Mr. Hamilton achieved such long distances with amazing frequency last night - well above his peers?
Last performance I saw that was similar was Sammy Sosa a few years back...

PEDs anyone?
Everyone is aware that he knows how to take drugs.

justsayn

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Posted By: MVSNYC

As much as i love Jeter (and i am a HUGE Jeter fan), let's try to stay on topic here guys (last night's HR Derby).


Jason-

Re: PED's, i hope that is not the case, that would be sad...i just think that he & his 71 yr old pitcher were "locked-in" and were in the zone...

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Posted By: Jason L

Michael,
Actually, I am with you, and everyone else.
I want it all to be good and true.
Regardless of that were the case, I took true delight in watching his old coach enjoy himself.

And I hate that it is a product of what we have gone through over the past 6 years, but didn't it creep into your mind last night?
The guy is huge, his performance stood out a little too far from his peers, and it was just a sneeking suspicion that I honestly wish I didn't have. I just want to know that I am not alone. I just want to be accepted.

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Posted By: paulstratton

Come on...can't you even enjoy the moment. Before he was drafted a lot of scouts said he was the best player they had ever seen, that's why.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

Jason-

...you are alone...very alone.



my hope is that by now (2008), players are not stupid enough to still take PED's after seeing the downfall of iconic heroes, such as Sosa, McGwire, Bonds, etc...these guys, who were sure fire HOFers, are very doubtful now...so, for a young player to know the consequences and still do PED's...they're insane.

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

sorry Jon, count me among the many who would disagree with you on the '06 MVP voting. Even if you change Jeter's poorest two votes to third place he loses. Even if you change them to a second and third he ties, and then by the same logic you have to wonder about the 2 fourth place votes Morneau received, which if either were higher would make Morneau the winner again. Hey there were only six other second place votes cast and one other first place, so I don't know why you think Jeter should have been given those any moreso than Morneau. If anything, the Twins split the vote, with Mauer finishing 6th overall and Santana 7th (garnering the only other first place vote), and Morneau should have won by more.

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Posted By: Bob

Not only did Erin Andrews snub Justin Morneau for Hamilton immediately post-Derby, but during the trophy presentation she clearly pronounces his name as "Mar-neau," Executive Vice President of MLB Rob Manfred goes with something like "Myrrh-neau," and Boys and Girls Club Giant Check Giver Guy just flat out insults him with "Jason." We get it, guys: Morneau didn't do heroin. So he's bo-ring.

Show Justin some love guys I know the 28 home runs was astounding but it wasn't like they changed the rules midway through the contest.
Jon- In 2006 Morneau put the Twins on his back and carried a very average team to the playoffs. He was unstoppable and deserved the MVP award. Was he the best player in the league and better than Jeter? maybe not, but he was the MOST VALUABLE and that's what the award is all about.
And what about Reilly's comment denigrating the contest because there so many "white guys" in it? Lord almighty can you hear the flap if someone had said on national TV that there were "too many Black guys" or "too many Hispanics????" Do we put an asterisk in the record book Rick? Too many of the Caucasian persuasion? That was the stupidest comment I have heard in a long time....

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Posted By: Sean BH

Amen Bob! You must like the Twinkies to.

Poor Justin, who knew winning the Home Run Derby would bring his MVP award into question.

Ya'll just haters on the Twins.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

"We get it, guys: Morneau didn't do heroin. So he's bo-ring."

Bob- i guess you're missing it...everyone had Hamilton on the brain & was ga-ga over him because he just DESTROYED IT in the Derby...not because he smoked crack...

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Posted By: paulstratton

Stories of redemption will always trump those of a plain vanilla steady Eddie. Not saying it's right, but most of us can relate to someone who has had problems at one point or another in their life.

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Posted By: Anthony S.

My favorite reaction shot of the night: Hamilton's jacking them out in the first round. Absolute moon shots. They keep cutting to player reaction shots, high fiving one another and shaking their heads in awe. Fan reaction shots, folks just going crazy. Then right around homer 21 (forget the exact number) they cut to a shot of Reggie Jackson standing by himself on the field looking extremely worried. It was as if at that moment it suddenly donned on him that he wouldn't be the focal point of attention that night.

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Posted By: D. Bergin

Congratulations to Morneau. I saw him play several games in the minors when he was with the New Britain Rock Cats.

I was also disappointed in the way ESPN treated him throughout the competition. Hamilton put on a show but the announcers had absolutely no problem expressing their disdain in having to announce Morneau as the eventual winner.

Watching Morneau in Hamiltons last round you could almost see him wishing Josh would pass him out and win the trophy because of the awkwardness of the situation.

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Posted By: Jason L

fair and square.
he deserved it

Hamilton was an idiot for not playing to the game in front of him. when you have a contest with rules that call for a clean slate final round, perhaps you should pace yourself!

Maybe if Hamilton had done a smidgeon less crack during his formative years, (and yes, I heard he was sorry, and that he even found JC somewhere at the bottom of his vials, too) he would have had enough brain left to figure that out.

enough.

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Posted By: J Levine

Just so you know...Mr. Hamilton is tested 3 times per WEEK for illegal drugs including narcotics, unprescribed medication, and PEDs.

Watching his swing last night you can see he was locked in...he rarely swung really hard...just smooth and quick. A beautiful thing to watch.

Joshua

PS 71 yo pitching 80+ pitches is impressive as heck as well.

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Posted By: leon

"PS 71 yo pitching 80+ pitches is impressive as heck as well."

I agree.....the other night I played a softball game (competitively) for the first time in a year. As I came into home and touched it I dry heaved I was so out of shape, but covered it so no one noticed ......I can't imagine pitching when I am 71...