The T-Mobile Home Run Derby is coming up this Monday. The field features Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Miguel Sano, and Mike Moustakas for the American League representatives. The National League representatives are Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton, Charlie Blackmon, and Justin Bour.
The home run derby makes for some magical moments. Stanton set the record last season with 61 home runs, which was nearly 20 more home runs than the previous record. That was just one moment, but what happened during the last 10 winners of this contest. The team listed next to the player is the team the player won the derby with.
2007: Vladimir Guerrero, Los Angeles Angels
Despite hitting less total home runs than the second place finisher, Guerrero did enough in the finals to win. In the old format, home run totals were calculated for the first and second rounds to move on. The finals were their own category. Guerrero faced off against Alex Rios in the finals. Rios had 19 home runs compared to Guerrero's 17 home runs, but Guerrero hit three home runs in the finals compared to Rios who had two home runs.
2008: Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
The year of 2008 was the year of Josh Hamilton. The power hitter for the Texas Rangers hit a record 28 home runs in the first round. It was one of the most magical sights that a fan could watch.
Hamilton hit 35 total in the derby, but finished in second place. Morneau beat out Hamilton in the final round by hitting five dingers compared to Hamilton's three. Morneau finished with 22 home runs total.
2009: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers
This year was a tight race between Fielder, Nelson Cruz, and Ryan Howard. All three made the second round to make it a tough battle.
Fielder made the final round thanks to his 11 first round home runs. He would hit six in the second round to have the most with 17. Cruz hit 11 in the first round as well, but only five to finish with 16. Howard hit just seven in the first round, but surged with eight in the second to just miss making the finals. The finals were just as close as Fielder beat out Cruz in a 6-5 battle to take home the derby crown.
2010: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
Ortiz added on to his collection of awards by winning this against what would be a future Red Sox teammate. Hanley Ramirez and Ortiz would make the finals with 21 a piece from the first two rounds. Many though Corey Hart would make a run after hitting 13 home runs in the first round, but he would hit zero in the second. Ortiz would prove to be the better hitter as he crushed 11 home runs in the final round to take the win.
2011: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees
Many will remember Cano hitting home runs off his dad pitching to him. It was a great family moment for the two, and even better when Cano won. The Yankee-Red Sox rivalry carried into the derby as Red Sox slugger Adrian Gonzalez was right on his tail.
Both Gonzalez and Cano made the finals by hitting 20 home runs a piece in the first two rounds. In the finals, Gonzalez would hit 11, but Cano would nip him by hitting 12. The home run differential was just as narrow as Cano hit 32 total home runs compared to Gonzalez's 31.
2012: Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers
Fielder and Jose Bautista would make the finals in a battle of proven power hitters. Bautista used his 11 home runs in the second round to carry him to the finals, while Fielder used his 11 home runs from the first round. Fielder was too much in the finals. Fielder would hit 12 in the final round compared to Bautista's seven. It would be the second time that Fielder had won the derby.
2013: Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics
Cespedes was this new Cuban slugger that had only been in the league for one and a half years. He would face an up and coming superstar in Bryce Harper in the finals. Cespedes was a riot to fans as he belted 17 in the first round. The final would would be just as fun to watch. Harper had set the tone by smashing eight home runs. Cespedes would narrowly beat out Harper by hitting nine home runs to win his first derby title.
2014: Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics
In repeat fashion, out-slugged the competition. Cespedes hit 28 total in the derby. The second most home runs was by Jose Bautista with 14, and he didn't even make the finals. Todd Frazier was beat out by a score of 9-1 in the final round as Cespedes repeated as the derby champ.
2015: Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds
Frazier won the derby in his home ballpark which was a nice win for a bad team. The format was changed to the bracket format this season. The players were ranked by their home run totals and given seeds. Frazier entered the competition as a two seed. Frazier first took down Fielder in an epic first round battle. Frazier beat Fielder 14-13 in home runs to move on to the second round. In another tight contest, Frazier took down Josh Donaldson 10-9 to move to the finals. Then, Frazier beat out Joc Pederson 15-14 in the final round. It was a nailbighting night for Reds fans, but they got to see one of their favorite players win one of the closest contest in derby history.
2016: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
Stanton came into the derby as a five seed, but he would end up setting records. Stanton crushed 24 home runs in the first round to beat Robinson Cano 24-7. He would follow that with 17 in the second round to take down Mark Trumbo 17-14. In the final round, Stanton would take down the defending champion in Todd Frazier 20-13, and would set a new record for most home runs in a derby with 61.
