|
The Home Run Derby is an annual home run hitting contest in Major League Baseball (MLB) customarily held the day before the MLB All-Star Game. Since the inaugural derby in 1985, the event has seen several rule changes, evolving from a short outs-based competition, to multiple rounds, and eventually a bracket-style timed event. It is currently co-sponsored by Gillette and Head & Shoulders, both Procter & Gamble based products. ==History== The event has grown significantly from its roots in the 1980s, when it was not televised. Prior to 1991, the Home Run Derby was structured as a two-inning event with each player receiving five outs per inning, allowing for the possibility of ties. It is now one of the most-watched events broadcast on ESPN. In 2000, a "match play"-style 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 competition. The field of players selected currently consists of four American League players and four National League players. The first Derby in 1985 featured five from each league, and the 1986 and 1987 events 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 AL had six contestants to the NL's four). In 2000, the field reverted to the current four-player-per-league format. The only exception was 2005, when Major League Baseball changed the selection criteria with eight players representing their home countries rather than their respective leagues. The change was believed to be in promotion of the inaugural World Baseball Classic, played in March 2006. In 2006, the selection of four players from each league resumed. Some of notable performances in the Derby include Bobby Abreu in 2005, who won the Derby with a record 41 homers, including a then-record 24 in the first round. The first-round record was broken in 2008 by Josh Hamilton, who hit 28 home runs. Though Hamilton's performance was notable for the length of his homers, he ultimately lost to Justin Morneau in a brief final round. In 2011, the format was revised so that team captains selected the individual sides. Leading the American League was David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox, while Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers led the National League. In 2012, the New York Yankees' Robinson Canó captained the AL side, while Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers captained the NL participants. In 2013, David Wright of the host New York Mets served as National League captain while Robinson Cano of the Yankees was chosen for the American League. The 2014 team captains were two-time Major League Baseball home run champion Toronto Blue Jays outfielder José Bautista for the American League and Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki for the National League. With these rules, it is possible for a captain to intentionally pick the competition that he thinks will give him the best chance to win the derby, meaning people who have hit no home runs or a small number of home runs all season and are not considered power hitters.〔(Bautista, Tulo named captains for reformatted Derby )〕 The 2014 competition was won by Yoenis Cespedes at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The 2015 Derby was planned for Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the 2016 event to be held in PETCO Park in San Diego, California. As of 2014 only one participant, Yoenis Cespedes, has won the Home Run Derby without being selected to the All-Star game itself. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Home Run Derby (Major League Baseball)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|