2011 Home Run Derby: The 10 Best Home Run Derbies Ever

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Ryan Howard won the Home Run Derby in 2006 and again participated in 2007 and 2009. He's since stayed away because he claims that the derby disrupts his swing.

I've continuously heard this from hitters, but my question is...don't MLB players have their own home run derbies in batting practice everyday?

Over the last decade or so, Bud Selig has used All-Star week as a way to showcase the new ballparks around Major League Baseball. As the combatants spray the baseball around to all parts of the yard, the Home Run Derby is a great way to tour all dimensions of the ballpark.

Sammy Sosa hit it to parts unknown in Milwaukee and Atlanta. Josh Hamilton did the same in New York, and Mark McGwire demolished balls in every Home Run Derby he participated in.

My pick for this year's derby...I think David Ortiz goes back-to-back, but I'm very interested to see Jose Bautista.

The only gripes I have is that I would've liked to see Justin Upton and Ichiro get a shot at it.

NOTE: The derbies on this list include ones since 1995, the first year of the multi-round format.

The Worst Home Run Derby Ever

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Out of all of the ballparks where I wanted to see a Home Run Derby, San Francisco was at the top of my list. I wanted to see which slugger could hit the most balls out and into McCovey Cove.

There were three lefties in the 2007 event: Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard and Justin Morneau. NONE put a single ball into the plethora of kayaks stationed in the Bay.

Vladimir Guerrero saved the competition somewhat due to a mammoth shot he hit when he peppered the giant glove in left field.

10. 2003 Home Run Derby

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I dozed off in this one until Jason Giambi stepped up as the final participant in the first round.

He smacked 12 out. From there we saw some of the most exciting semifinal and final rounds in Home Run Derby lore.

Albert Pujols and Jason Giambi went toe to toe in a head-to-head showdown that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Pujols tied Giambi's all-time single-round mark of 14 from 2001.

Even though Giambi had to tie or surpass 14, there was that inkling that he could pull it off. Instead he fell three homers shy at 11.

As Giambi and Pujols captivated the White Sox crowd, Garret Anderson quietly reached the finals.

Anderson routinely hit his home runs in the first or second row of right field. None of his shots went over 430 feet.

He led off the final with nine home runs. Pujols sat at eight home runs with one out to go. He stung one off the top of the wall to give Anderson the win.

2003: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
Player, Team	Round I	Semis	Finals
Winner: Garret Anderson, ANA	7	6***	9
Albert Pujols, STL	4*	14**	8
Jason Giambi, NYY	12	11	--
Jim Edmonds, STL	4*	4	--
Gary Sheffield, ATL	4	--	--
Carlos Delgado, TOR	2	--	--
Richie Sexson, MIL	1	--	--
Bret Boone, SEA	0	--	--

 * advanced due to higher season total     **defeated Jason Giambi in the semis     *** defeated Jim Edmonds in the semis

9. 2006 Home Run Derby

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The 2006 Derby marked the first year of the "carry-over" rule.

In the first round, David Wright deposited 16 balls into the seats but hit just two home runs in the semis. His total of 18 was good enough to get him to the finals.

Ryan Howard lived on the edge all night. He needed eight dingers to get past the first round and had just one with four outs remaining. Sitting at four with one out to go, Howard grooved four more out to make the semis.

In the next round, he hit 10 to set up an I-95 showdown between Howard and Wright.

The Big Bear edged Wright 5-4 and punctuated his win by hitting the "Hit It Here" sign, which won someone 500 free flights from Southwest Airlines.

2006: PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Player, Team	Round I	Semis	Finals	Totals
Winner: Ryan Howard, PHI	8	10	5	23
David Wright, NYM	16	2	4	22
Miguel Cabrera, FLA	9	6	--	15
David Ortiz, BOS	10	3	--	13
Jermaine Dye, CWS	7	--	--	7
Miguel Tejada, BAL	3	--	--	3
Lance Berkman, HOU	3	--	--	3
Troy Glaus, TOR	1	--	--	1

8. 1998 Home Run Derby

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Ken Griffey Jr. didn't want to be in the 1998 Home Run Derby, but when the fans started to boo him during the AL workout day, he changed his mind.

There was a ton of star power in the event, which included Griffey, Mark McGwire, a young Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Chipper Jones.

Jim Thome made a surprise run towards the finals but was bested by Griffey 3-2.

1998: Coors Field, Denver
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Finals	Totals
Winner: Ken Griffey Jr.	Seattle	8	8	3	19
Jim Thome	Cleveland	7	8	2	17
Vinny Castilla	Colorado	7	5	--	12
Rafael Palmeiro	Baltimore	7	3	--	10
Damion Easley	Detroit	2	--	--	2
Javy Lopez	Atlanta	5	--	--	5
Moises Alou	Houston	7	--	--	7
Chipper Jones	Atlanta	1	--	--	1
Alex Rodriguez	Seattle	5	--	--	5
Mark McGwire	St. Louis	4	--	--	4

7. 2004 Home Run Derby

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The 2004 Home Run Derby honored the 14 living members of the 500 home run club, three of whom participated in the derby itself: Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Barry Bonds. Ken Griffey Jr, who stood at 501 career long balls, didn't participate due to a hamstring injury.

The two sluggers who wound up in the finals weren't even supposed to be in the competition to begin with. Lance Berkman replaced Griffey, while Jason Giambi missed the derby due to illness, and Miguel Tejada took his place at the last moment.

Houston opened up the roof in the semifinals. Over and over again, Tejada and Berkman sent balls flying past the railroad tracks in left field. Tejada's 15 bombs in the second round were a then-Derby record.

Tejada took out Berkman 5-4 in the final.

2004: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Player, Team	Round I	Semis	Finals	Totals
Winner: Miguel Tejada, BAL	7	15	5*	27
Lance Berkman, HOU	7	10	4	21
Rafael Palmeiro, BAL	9	5	--	14
Barry Bonds, SFG	8	3	--	11
Sammy Sosa, CHC	5	--	--	5
Jim Thome, PHI	4	--	--	4
Hank Blalock, TEX	3	--	--	3
David Ortiz, BOS	3	--	--	3

* Tejada hit the winning homer with five outs remaining in the round

6. 2005 Home Run Derby

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Going into this derby, I honestly wasn't interested at all. MLB was doing this all-world derby thing in an effort to promote the World Baseball Classic. 

In prior years there was always a big-name star like a Bonds, Sosa, Griffey or even a Giambi—not this year. I mean, Hee-Seop Choi was in this darn thing.

Within the first five minutes of the telecast though, my eyes were glued. Bobby Abreu, first to bat, had 10 home runs within seconds and still had six outs to go!

He finished the round off with 24 deep flies, eclipsing the previous single-round record by nine home runs. Abreu always had a smooth, sweet swing, but no one knew he had this sort of pop.

Later on in the round, David Ortiz drilled 17 over the wall, which would've been a record an hour prior.

2005 also marked the final year where the slate was wiped clean after the first round. Big Papi's 17 dingers weren't rewarded, as he hit just three in the semis.

Abreu beat hometown catcher Pudge Rodriguez in the finals. Abreu's 41 total home runs are still the most in Derby history.

2005: Comerica Park, Detroit
Player, Team		Round I	Semis	Finals	Totals
	Winner: Bobby Abreu Venezuela	24	6	11	41
	Ivan Rodriguez Puerto Rico	7	8	5	20
	Carlos Lee Panama	11	4	--	15
	David Ortiz Dominican Republic	17	3	--	20
	Hee-Seop Choi Korea	5	--	--	5
	Andruw Jones Netherlands	5	--	--	5
	Mark Teixeira United States	2	--	--	2
	Jason Bay Canada	0	--	--	0

5. 2000 Home Run Derby

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Ken Griffey Jr. headed into the event looking for a three-peat, but it was Sammy Sosa who wowed the crowd.

With Mark McGwire out of the contest, it was Sosa who provided the majestic firepower, hitting a few 500-plus-foot blasts. One went over the center field batter's eye, which was estimated at 508 feet, while he hit countless others in the second deck where the Braves' pennants are located. 

2000 marked the first year where a playoff was instituted in the second round. Essentially the person who hit the most homers in Round 1 squared off with the hitter who stood in fourth place. The second-place batter faced the third-place slugger.

Ken Griffey Jr. advanced to the finals hitting just three home runs, while Carl Everett hit six. Unfortunately, Everett went up against Sosa, who hit 11 in Round 2.

Sosa's 26 total home runs in the competition were more than Griffey and Everett combined.

2000: Turner Field, Atlanta
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Totals
Winner: Sammy Sosa	Chicago	6	11	9	26
Ken Griffey Jr.	Cincinnati	6	3	2	11
Carl Everett	Boston	6	6	--	12
Carlos Delgado	Toronto	5	1	--	6
Edgar Martinez	Seattle	2	--	--	2
Chipper Jones	Atlanta	2	--	--	2
Vladimir Guerrero	Montreal	2	--	--	2
Ivan Rodriguez	Texas	1	--	--	1

4. 2002 Home Run Derby

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Sammy Sosa put on a fantastic show in 2000, but he topped it with a jaw-dropping performance in 2002.

In the first round he hit 12 jacks, seven measured at 500-plus feet. He boinked one off the slide in center, caused damage to the center field scoreboard and frequently dented the windows.

When they opened the roof in the second round, he hit one out of the park altogether.

Jason Giambi's fine showing in the 2001 Home Run Derby foreshadowed what was to come in 2002. While he didn't scrape the rafters like Sosa did, he hit 11 in the first round, defeated Paul Konerko in a swing-off in the semis and polished Sammy off 7-1 in the finals.

2002: Miller Park, Milwaukee
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Finals	Totals
Winner: Jason Giambi	Yankees	11	6*	7	24
Sammy Sosa	Cubs	12	5	1	18
Paul Konerko	White Sox	6	6	-	12
Richie Sexson	Brewers	6	4	-	10
Torii Hunter	Twins	3	-	-	3
Alex Rodriguez	Rangers	2	-	-	2
Barry Bonds	Giants	2	-	-	2
Lance Berkman	Astros	1	-	-	1

3. 1999 Home Run Derby

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Earlier on in my slideshow, I stated that AT&T Park was my favorite ballpark to watch a home run derby. Fenway is my second.

In the first round of the 1999 edition, Mark McGwire hit a then-record 13 home runs in a single round. As he relentlessly hit shot after shot over the Green Monster, Boston patrons scrambled for souvenirs like a pack of vultures.

While it was McGwire who awed the fans, it was the consistent Ken Griffey Jr. who won his third and final Home Run Derby title over Jeromy Burnitz in the final.

Griffey hit just three dingers in the first round, which was just enough to get him by four participants who hit two. He hit 10 in the semis and three in the final.

The contest marked Sammy Sosa's first; he hit just one. And still to do this day, I have no idea why John Jaha was in this competition.

1999: Fenway Park, Boston
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Finals	Totals
Winner: Ken Griffey Jr.	Seattle	3	10	3	16
Jeromy Burnitz	Milwaukee	6	6	2	14
Mark McGwire	St. Louis	13	3	--	16
Jeff Bagwell	Houston	5	1	--	6
Larry Walker	Colorado	2	--	--	2
Nomar Garciaparra	Boston	2	--	--	2
B.J. Surhoff	Baltimore	2	--	--	2
Shawn Green	Toronto	2	--	--	2
Sammy Sosa	Chicago	1	--	--	1
John Jaha	Oakland	1	--	--	1

2. 1996 Home Run Derby

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The 1995 Home Run Derby was the first to use more than one round, but it was the 1996 exhibition that ultimately catapulted the Derby into the prime time marathon it is today.

This contest had star power, mesmerizing, towering home runs and plenty of drama.

Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds had themselves a little duel. Big Mac started off the second round with nine bombs only to be topped by Bonds' 10. Jay Buhner and Brady Anderson had no shot as they tried to follow the two gladiators.

In the finals, Bonds had one out remaining needing three home runs to claim the crown. Three swings later, Bonds won his first Derby.

1996: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
Player	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Finals	Totals	Longest
Brady Anderson	Baltimore	5	6	--	11	433
Jay Buhner	Seattle	6	2	--	8	426
Joe Carter	Toronto	2	--	--	2	433
Mark McGwire	Oakland	4	9	2	15	460
Greg Vaughn	Milwaukee	0	--	--	0	--
Jeff Bagwell	Houston	2	--	--	2	460
Barry Bonds	San Francisco	4	10	3	17	451
Ellis Burks	Colorado	1	--	--	1	405
Henry Rodriguez	Montreal	3	--	--	3	437
Gary Sheffield	Florida	0	--	--	0	--

1. 2008 Home Run Derby

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Does anyone even remember the winner of this thing?

On one special night, Josh Hamilton had New York in the palm of his hand. He WAS the guy everyone had an eye on...everyone knows the story and the obstacles he overcame fighting drug addiction.

In Round 1, Hamilton not only lived up to the hype, but he gave everyone goosebumps as well. He continually hit moonshot after moonshot, totaling an unimaginable 28 in all. At one point, he hit 15 in a row.

Not only was Hamilton's performance the best in Home Run Derby history, it's one of the greatest moments in baseball history.

Oh...Justin Morneau edged out Hamilton in the final 5-3.

2008: Yankee Stadium, New York
Player, Team	Round I	Semis	Finals	Totals
Justin Morneau, MIN	8	9	5	22
Josh Hamilton, TEX	28	4	3	35
Lance Berkman, HOU	8	6	--	14
Ryan Braun, MIL	7	7	--	14
Dan Uggla, FLA	6	--	--	6
Grady Sizemore, CLE	6	--	--	6
Chase Utley, PHI	5	--	--	5
Evan Longoria, TB	3	--	--	3