Author Topic: Home Run Derby '08 Thread (Read 8729 times)

BBQ · « **Reply #25 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:11:39 pm »

Quote from: nats2playoffs on July 14, 2008, 09:54:07 pm

The entire crowd has been yelling "H-A-M-I-L-T-O-N!"

That really made me happy for him considering how far he has come.

nats2playoffs · « **Reply #26 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:32:43 pm »

Someone already updated Josh Hamilton's Wikpedia page to add tonight's record.

Hamilton finally got clean from drugs and alcohol after being confronted by his grandmother, Mary Holt. He frequently and publicly tells stories of how Christianity has brought him back from the brink and that faith is what keeps him going. To go along with the provisions of MLB's drug policy, Hamilton provides urine samples for drug testing at least three times per week.

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #27 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:34:54 pm »

Damn, they couldn't homer for that old dude. Pretty tough to hit 1 out on just 1 pitch though.

JMUalumni · « **Reply #28 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:36:51 pm »

Quote from: nats2playoffs on July 14, 2008, 10:32:43 pm

To go along with the provisions of MLB's drug policy, Hamilton provides urine samples for drug testing at least three times per week.

3 times a week, $&#%!

JMUalumni · « **Reply #29 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:37:38 pm »

Quote from: sportsfan882 on July 14, 2008, 10:34:54 pm

Damn, they couldn't homer for that old dude. Pretty tough to hit 1 out on just 1 pitch though.

To a specific side of the field no less, although, I thought Hamilton would have driven one out easily.

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #30 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:40:14 pm »

Damn, Hamilton only needs 6 to win it.

I think both are starting to feel fatigued though.

nats2playoffs · « **Reply #31 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:44:57 pm »

Quote from: JMUalumni on July 14, 2008, 10:36:51 pm

3 times a week, $&#%!

Rangers' coach Johnny Narron says of the frequent testing: "I think he looks forward to the tests. He knows he's an addict. He knows he has to be accountable. He looks at those tests as a way to reassure people around him who had faith."

Erin Andrews watches

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:47:53 pm »

I missed this earlier but apparently when they introduced Utley they booed him and he said "Boo? freak You."

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BBEnfGsLTHE

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #33 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:49:59 pm »

If Hamilton doesn't win this that would royally suck.

sportsfan882 · « **Reply #34 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:51:51 pm »

What a choke. His first round was great but he didn't win the entire thing so it definitely takes some of the buzz from it.

Wow. He just petered out.

nats2playoffs · « **Reply #35 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:53:35 pm »

JOSH HAMILTON AND HIS 71-YEAR-OLD BATTING PRACTICE COACH FROM THE AMERICAN LEGION FALL TO JUSTIN MORNEAU IN THE FINAL ROUND.

MORNEAU WINS THE 2008 HOME RUN DERBY!!!!!!!!!!

JMUalumni · « **Reply #36 on:** July 14, 2008, 10:55:02 pm »

Quote from: sportsfan882 on July 14, 2008, 10:51:51 pm

What a choke. His first round was great but he didn't win the entire thing so it definitely takes some of the buzz from it.

Wow. He just petered out.

That first round took too much out of him. Man, that old guy is going to be sore tomorrow, he threw around 90 pitches to Hamilton.

BBQ · « **Reply #37 on:** July 14, 2008, 11:00:42 pm »

The first round definetly made Hamilton and his 71 year-old pitcher tored and worn-out I am happy for Josh Hamilton and the whole Rangers' organization.

spidernat · « **Reply #38 on:** July 14, 2008, 11:30:14 pm »

Quote from: BBQ on July 14, 2008, 10:10:29 pm

Hamilton=AZ's next lovefest,

Wrong. Josh Hamilton does not fit the profile of an AZ wet dream.

Did anyone catch the shot of Erin Andrews walking past the backstop and the way all the guys showered her with cat calls?

Unlike MASN's Debbi Taylor who elicits this type of reaction

Air Zimmerman · « **Reply #39 on:** July 15, 2008, 12:03:28 am »

Quote from: BBQ on July 14, 2008, 10:10:29 pm

Hamilton=AZ's next lovefest, everyone in baseballs new favorite player. I would say the Rangers just gained around a million or two fans just because of what Hamilton did.

HELL NO.

DUKES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> HAMILTON.

there's no doubt in my mind Dukes could match/outdo Hamilton's first round. He'll get a chance to prove it next year when he has 25 homers at the all star break and gets invited to the derby/all star game.

JMUalumni · « **Reply #40 on:** July 15, 2008, 12:11:34 am »

Quote from: spidernat on July 14, 2008, 11:30:14 pm

Did anyone catch the shot of Erin Andrews walking past the backstop and the way all the guys showered her with cat calls? Unlike MASN's Debbi Taylor who elicits this type of reaction

I saw that too, Andrews is hot, although she was wearing some weird crap. How hard would it be to just go to 80% of the college campuses around the country and randomly pick some girl off the quad and put her on the Washington sideline. Debbi Taylor is hideous. The Lerners know how to act cheap, but they don't know how to BE cheap, if they did they would understand the art of distraction (specifically towards men). If you have a crappy product there is no better way to get the [male] fans to accept it than having a couple broads with nice tits and a formidable backside.

blue911 · « **Reply #41 on:** July 15, 2008, 09:04:11 am »

Quote from: nats2playoffs on July 14, 2008, 10:32:43 pm

He frequently and publicly tells stories of how Christianity has brought him back from the brink and that faith is what keeps him going.

Was he an Athiest when he was using?

tomterp · « **Reply #42 on:** July 15, 2008, 09:33:00 am »

Quote from: NatsAddict on July 14, 2008, 09:52:18 pm

In addition to the 2 that hit the facade during regular season games (one still going up when it hit the upper deck facade in RF), Mantle did hit 3 out during BP.

Do they still use non-regulation baseballs for the HR derby? They used to use smaller ones, they fly out better. IF so, you can't really compare to real home runs for distance.

blue911 · « **Reply #43 on:** July 15, 2008, 09:36:56 am »

Quote from: tomterp on July 15, 2008, 09:33:00 am

Do they still use non-regulation baseballs for the HR derby? They used to use smaller ones, they fly out better. IF so, you can't really compare to real home runs for distance.

They made an allusion to this last night but I don't remember them coming right out and saying it.

soxfan59 · « **Reply #44 on:** July 15, 2008, 10:00:40 am »

Quote from: BBQ on July 14, 2008, 10:10:29 pm

Hamilton=AZ's next lovefest, everyone in baseballs new favorite player. I would say the Rangers just gained around a million or two fans just because of what Hamilton did.

Another little known fact is that Hamilton was originally drafted by the Cubs. Anytime a player the Cubs discard becomes a superstar for another team, an angel gets his wings!

blue911 · « **Reply #45 on:** July 15, 2008, 10:08:09 am »

Quote from: soxfan59 on July 15, 2008, 10:00:40 am

Another little known fact is that Hamilton was originally drafted by the Cubs. Anytime a player the Cubs discard becomes a superstar for another team, an angel gets his wings!

He was rule V drafted by the Cubs. Tampa drafted him #1 in '99.

NatsAddict · « **Reply #46 on:** July 15, 2008, 07:27:59 pm »

Quote from: tomterp on July 15, 2008, 09:33:00 am

Do they still use non-regulation baseballs for the HR derby? They used to use smaller ones, they fly out better. IF so, you can't really compare to real home runs for distance.

Not only that, but the sign most of the home runs other than Hamilton's in the derby wouldn't have been home runs in the configuration when Mantle played.

Dimensions during Mantle's playing days (LF -> RF)

1951 - 1953: LF line 281 (but just a few feet to the right, 395), 456, 490, 429, 295

1954 - 1968: 301 (quickly to 402), 457, 461, 407, 296 (quickly to 344)

The HR that was still going up when it hit near the top of the facade was 374' horizontally from the plate, 108' in the air, and bounced upward (as the ball was still going up) and back to the infield dirt, nearly hitting second baseman Jerry Lumpe on the fly. Although home plate today is 30' to the facade (now lights) than is was then, balls that landed well short of where Mantle's blast would have landed were given distances of over 500'. In reality, if a ball were hit 500' to right-center, where the signs are, it would have left the park and crossed the tracks. In dead center, that wall is 505' from the plate

tomterp · « **Reply #47 on:** July 15, 2008, 07:39:12 pm »

Good point, I totally forgot how different field dimensions were then.

spidernat · « **Reply #48 on:** July 15, 2008, 08:30:07 pm »

Has anyone caught a foul ball at Nationals' Park this season? My nephew got one in one of the games against the Angels and it clearly feels softer than the ones from '05 and '06. I'm going to try to get people to handle both of the without knowing which is which to see if they can tell the difference.

nats2playoffs · « **Reply #49 on:** July 15, 2008, 08:38:50 pm »

Quote from: spidernat on July 15, 2008, 08:30:07 pm

Has anyone caught a foul ball at Nationals' Park this season? My nephew got one in one of the games against the Angels and it clearly feels softer than the ones from '05 and '06. I'm going to try to get people to handle both of the without knowing which is which to see if they can tell the difference.

I'd rather do a test on whether someone has implants or real ones...