Tex was selected to be in the 2005 All-Star Home Run Derby as the United States representative. They’re changing the format a little this year. Still has 8 players, but they’re from a different country.
Tex is the US rep. Apparently it was initially offered to Derrek Lee of the Cubs, who is having a spectacular season, but he bowed out as he just got hurt yesterday, so it falls to Tex, who appears to be really relishing the chance, according to this article over on the DMN site.
Pudge is in the Derby as well – hopefully Pudge will do better than the one HR he got the last time he did this back in Atlanta. I’m sure Pudge will be the favored guy, as the All Star game is in Detroit. Would be nice to see Pudge take it for the “local boy” factor of it.
The guys that I know of are Andruw Jones (ATL), Bobby Abreu (PHI), Mark Teixeira (TEX), Jason Pay (PIT), Ivan Rodriguez (DET), David Ortiz (BOS), Carlos Lee (MIL). That’s 7. Not sure who the other guy is at the moment – if you know, please add a comment. Thanks.
I think they said on the broadcast tonight it might be Ichiro from Japan.
I think they said on the broadcast tonight it might be Ichiro from Japan.
Or Matsui if he wins the Final man vote.
Final guy is Hee Seop Choi from Korea.