The Major League Baseball Home Run Derby is in Florida next week, but it won’t have a Tampa Bay flavor to it. Rays’ first baseman Logan Morrison thinks it should… and it should be him.
LoMo told the Tampa Bay Times that the Yankees’ Gary Sanchez shouldn’t be in the Home Run Derby, with his 13 homers ranking 38th in the American League. Morrison said he would have accepted an invitation if asked, and he has a point.
Heading into Wednesday’s play, Morrison slugged 24 homers and is tied for 3rd in the AL with Mike Moustakas, behind George Springer’s 25 and Aaron Judge’s 28 which leads all of baseball.
“Gary Sanchez is a great player, but he shouldn’t be in the Home Run Derby,” LoMo told the Times. Sanchez responded Wednesday by saying, “It’s not my fault he (Morrison) didn’t get selected.”
So, they both have good points. Then, what’s the problem?
There are plenty of reasons for the snub, which affected Springer too since he has more homers than Morrison. Selection to the HRDerby is not an exact science. Baseball just doesn’t select the current top 8 on the home run list and hope they accept the invitation. Together with the Players’ Union, they consider player popularity, past HR performance, current All-Star status, and which city is hosting the contest. And then, the players have to accept, and that hasn’t always been the case in the past, especially if the player has won before.
On the popularity angle, Morrison can blame the Rays and their small market status. They’re among baseball’s have-nots, they don’t get national publicity, they’re not on network TV as much as the Yankees, Red Sox, and Cubs. LoMo knows and accepts this fact. Then again, Moustakas plays for small market Kansas City, and he was selected. Springer plays for big market Houston, has more homers but wasn’t selected.
Gary Sanchez is one of baseball’s brightest young stars, and the game wants to showcase him on a national stage. Yes, he only has 13 homers, but he did slug those 20 homers in less than two months last season. And Morrison probably won’t win the Final Vote to be named to the All-Star Team, even though he has the best power numbers of any first baseman in the AL.
So, he sits home with the other ASWorthy Rays like Steven Souza Jr, Chris Archer, and Alex Colome, who will all be watching Corey Dickerson play next Tuesday in Miami.
Yes, sometimes it sucks to be a Ray. You play before cozy hometown crowds where it’s so quiet you can hear fans’ conversations during the game. Criticized for unsteady play this season, they’re sitting in the second Wild Card spot right now.
The ultimate revenge for LoMo would be to keep hitting and finish with 40 homers and 120 RBI… and wind up in post-season play in October. No one would be talking Home Run Derby then! (Cover photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Through Thursday we can Vote for LoMo! One thing is for sure, it would be great if it happened! Click on this Vote LoMo link then hit the 'Website' button to cast your vote for the Tampa Bay Rays and let's be heard! Read more by Dave Wirth and connect to local sports events on our Sports Page.
