Giancarlo Stanton will participate in Home Run Derby if asked
One of baseball’s biggest sluggers is prepared to participate in the 2015 Home Run Derby.
Before taking the field on at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Friday — which is this year’s Derby and All-Star game host — Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton made it clear that he’s willing to participate.
“If I’m asked, I’ll do it,” Stanton told the gathered media.
To which we say, somebody please ask!
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Of course, that will ultimately come down to who’s chosen captain of the National League’s home run derby squad. It should be safe to assume that role will go to Cincinnati’s own Todd Frazier, who actually bumped Stanton from the 2014 derby in Minneapolis during the semifinals.
Stanton currently leads the big leagues in home runs with 25 after leading the National League with 37 last season. Frazier isn’t far behind with 22. He’s coming off a two-game binge against Detroit in which he hit four home runs, so he’s clearly heating up.
The derby needs both, especially given the increasing likelihood that Bryce Harper will not participate. We’d already learned that Harper was on the fence due to a shoulder injury suffered by his father, who usually pitches to him during such events. Now Harper himself is dealing with a hamstring injury that always has the potential to linger.
As for Stanton’s declaration, he not only sounds ready to compete, he sounds ready to win, in part because of a calmer approach at the plate.
“I find myself trying to make too much of the little park in previous years,” Stanton said. “Last year I finally calmed down a little bit when I’m here. You get super-excited and by the time your three games are up, you have no homers and nothing hit to the wall. Then your next series you hit five balls that would have been out here — that’s what I feel like I used to do. I’ve kind of calmed it down a little bit.”
Of course, Great American Ball Park is one of those smaller, more-hitter friendly parks that Stanton could absolutely destroy with 50-60 swings.
As baseball fans, it’s our duty to make sure this happens.
#PleaseAskGiancarlo
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
