By: Tyler Ward
The MLB announced today that the Yankees' Nick Swisher and Arizona's Chris Young would be the final two players elected to play in the 2010 MLB Home Run Derby.
Swisher won the final spot in the fan vote to represent the American League earlier in the week and now is participating in the derby. The Yankees told second baseman Robinson Cano not to compete in the derby, but gave Swisher permission to play in it. He is currently batting .304 with 14 home runs and 48 RBI.He said that he was asked to compete early Saturday and he could not decline the proposition. This will be Swisher's first time in the derby, and he told reporters, "I'm already nervous."
The Yankees outfielder joins Boston's David Ortiz, Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, and Toronto's Vernon Wells on the American League field.
Current Stats for the AL participants:
- Ortiz: .262 BA, 17 HR, 56 RBI
- Cabrera: .346 BA, 22 HR, 76 RBI
- Wells: .269 BA, 19 HR, 49 RBI
- Swisher: .304, 14 HR, 48 RBI
For the NL field, Arizona's Chris Young was chosen to round out their squad. Young, a lifetime .240 hitter, had his best season in his sophomore season when he hit 32 home runs to go along with 68 RBI. He is somewhat declined since that year and last season, he managed only 15 HR and 48 RBI in only 84 games.
Young is said to be a swing-or-miss player, but I think he can provide some excitement to this event. Although he plays on a subpar Diamondbacks team, he is still one of their best players and that's why he got selected to participate.
He joins Milwaukee's Corey Hart, Florida's Hanley Ramirez, and St. Louis' Matt Holliday to fill the NL portion.
Current Stats for NL participants:
- Hart: .289 BA, 20 HR, 63 RBI
- Ramirez: .293 BA, 13 HR, 53 RBI
- Holliday: .300 BA, 15 HR, 48 RBI
- Young: .262 BA, 15 HR, 61 RBI
Like every year, I'm excited to see the Home Run Derby, as I think it's a great event. There have been some interesting moments that have happened, especially when Texas' Josh Hamilton hit 28 home runs in the first round a few years ago. I usually look forward to the derby more than the actual All-Star game and I am feeling that way this year, too.
Even though Hanley Ramirez is one of my favorite players, I'm going to say he's going to get knocked out in the first round. I also think that Hart and Holliday will be gone in the first, along with AL member, Swisher. In the second round, I'm going to go ahead and say that Ortiz and Wells be done, which means that it will be a Miguel Cabrera vs. Chris Young final.
