Trivia Tuesday: Home Run Futility

A day after the Home Run Derby, I figured it was a good time to look at those that haven't quite left the park.

Since 2000, only 5 guys have finished an entire season with no homeruns while qualifying for the batting title. One of those guys, Juan Pierre in 2007, also has none in a league-leading 384 plate appearances in 2010. There are 6 other players who qualify for the batting title but are yet to knock one out of the park. Can you name them?

Bonus Question: Besides Juan Pierre, there is one other player who has zero home runs this year as well as in another full season they qualified for the batting title. Who is this person?

Put your answers in the comments below and I'll reveal the correct answers later on

Picture from LAist

Robinson Cano's troubling decision to participate in the 2010 Home Run Derby

MLB recently announced that the Yankees' All-Star second baseman, Robinson Cano, will be participating in the 2010 Home Run Derby.  He will be joined by Miguel Cabrera (20 HRs), Corey Hart (19 HRs), Vernon Wells (19 HRs), David Ortiz (17 HRs), and Matt Holliday (11 HRs).  In case you're wondering, Cano is currently 10th in the AL with 16 homers.

I am concerned about Cano's decision to participate, and I'm not the only one who feels this way.  Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News agrees with me, and so does Yankees' hitting coach Kevin Long.

Honestly, who could blame them?  Baseball history is rife with players whose power numbers dropped off dramatically after trying their best to purposely crush homer after homer in this exhibition contest.  Two of the best known examples of this phenomenon are players we know quite well.  Bobby Abreu launched a record-setting 41 home runs in 2005.  Before the Derby he had hit 18 HRs.  Afterwards, he hit only 6 homers the rest of the way.  In 2006, David Wright hit 20 homers before launching 22 in the Derby.  Then, like Abreu, he hit only 6 more in the second half.  (Photo Credit: NY Daily News)

Sure, there are players who kept their swing intact after the Derby.  Ryan Howard won the 2006 Derby with 23 dingers, but still managed to revert back to his old plate approach once the regular season resumed.  In fact, Howard hit more homers in the second half (30) than he did in the first half (28).  But there is a real risk that Cano might not be so fortunate.  His own teammate, A-Rod, participated in 3 Derbys (1998, 2001, 2002) and says he has declined invitations since then, believing that his participation took a toll.  "The effect in the second half might be more mechanics and potentially developing bad habits," A-Rod stated.

I just don't see what Cano has to win.  A trophy and some national attention?  Come on.  The guy is already an All-Star, he's 4th in the AL with a .337 BA, 5th in the AL with a .948 OPS, and 2nd in the AL with 110 hits.  People know he's a stud having a career year.  So clearly, he has a lot to lose.  His average has already dropped from .371 to .342 in his last 15 games.  Does he really want to take the (real, tangible) risk of declining further?

The All Star Game Is Upon Us

Some ideas I have for the All-Star Week:

• Stop having the game count for something. It's ridiculous. I rather it be rock, paper, scissors or heads or tails. How about this? Just make the best record have the advantage? With interleague play and an unbalanced schedule, it's not more unfair than having record decide who gets home field in the League Championship Series when those teams may play only two series during the year. And since the play different teams in interleague play and different strengths in their own division, it's not like those teams have an equal footing. Just give teams a reason to keep on winning at the end of the season even when they clinch. What could be better for baseball?
• Add a skills competition to the All-Star Week. Cycle competition. Imagine guys like Jose Reyes, Carl Crawford, Chone Figgins, Juan Pierre and, even Brett Gardner, racing around the bases to see who can score the quickest. Fastest Pitch. Warm them up and let them rip. 5 Pitches. Fastest ones advance. Fielding Competition. Have two guys from the other league alternate hitting hit groundballs to the fielder until they let one get passed them. I don't know which ones of these you could do. But there is much more skill than hitting a home run in baseball and you might as well bring it out if you can.
• Shrink the Home Run Derby. Two rounds. 4 from each league. Best in each league makes it to the final. Let it fly.
• Get rid of the pitcher hitting. I can sort of understand keeping this during real games, but you can't have it during an All Star Game. Who watches to see Roy Halladay or Dan Haren hit? What if one of these guys gets hurt hitting or on the basepaths? Just stupid if you ask me

A little All-Star Game version of the links before we get the Midsummer Classic started:

• Rob Neyer gives his all time AL All-Stars. Did we really need a Seattle Pilot? I think that some of these are a little bit of a stretch but I think overall, it was a nice job.
• The OC Register has a different type of All-Star team -- the all-tainted All-Star team.
• President Obama will throw out the first pitch with all the other living presidents there. Think security will be tough?
• The New York Times says that some players have prepared questions for the Commander-in-Chief
• Joel Sherman has some ideas on how to improve the Home Run Derby
• IIATMS has some thoughts on the Home Run Derby as well
• So does Shysterball's Craig Calcaterra (via NBC Sports)
• Bert Blyleven says that Bud Selig has given the All Star Game meaning again. I have to disagree. This sounds like a man kissing butt to feel like a Hall of Famer. What meaning does the game really have?
• The Star-Telegram says that Bud Selig can't have it both ways: meaning it can't be an exhibition and count for something (basically what I said above).

Enjoy!

A Note As You Watch The Last Round of the Home Run Derby

From Jordan: "Make sure to point out that ESPN will only show Erin Andrew's left side profile because she was hit on the right side of her face by a foul ball off the bat of Alex Cora last Wednesday"

Thanks!

Passing that along to you. Final round is just starting. I'll take Prince Fielder. He has hit some BOMBS. If they decide to trade him in the next few years as he gets closer to free agency, someone will give up a lot for that man.

I love the kids of the players at the Home Run Derby, especially all those rooting on Albert Pujols's on as The Machine tried to win this thing.

I always have liked the Derby. Unlike the Slam Dunk Contest (until the past two years) or the Hardest Shot, watching guys hitting balls out of the park never gets old for me. I just wish they would replace the announcers.