For the 2011 MLB Home Run Derby to be held next Monday at Chase Field in Phoenix, site of the 2011 All-Star Game, the champions of the last two competitions, the Brewers' Prince Fielder and the Red Sox' David Ortiz, were named team captains and given the privilege of choosing up sides.
2011 Home Run Derby: AL, NL Captains Choose Rosters
This is a trendy concept; the NHL All-Star teams this past season were chosen like a pick-up game. How long until the All-Star Game itself is done this way?
Anyway, Fielder chose the Dodgers' Matt Kemp, the Cardinals' Matt Holliday and his teammate Rickie Weeks to round out the NL squad. Kemp is leading the league in home runs with 22 (tied with the Cardinals' Lance Berkman), but Holliday, having missed some time, has only 10. Weeks has 15, but passed over were the Reds' Jay Bruce (18) and the Cubs' Carlos Pena (17).
Ortiz will also joined by a teammate, Adrian Gonzalez, as well as the major leagues' home run leader, Jose Bautista (28) and the Yankees' Robinson Cano, who has 14 dingers. Left out were Yankees Mark Teixeira (25) and Curtis Granderson (23). Rules of the Derby are as follows:
All participants get 10 outs per round, with the four players with the most homers advancing to a second round. The two players with the highest cumulative number of long balls after the second round advance to the Championship Round, where first and second-round homers do not carry over.The Home Run Derby, which will generate charitable donations to Boys & Girls Clubs of America as well as charities chosen by Fielder and Ortiz, will take place Monday at 8 p.m. ET and be televised on ESPN.
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