2012 Home Run Derby Contestants: Pegging Early Exits of Electric Contest

As we get set for the 2012 Home Run Derby on Monday night, there are eight powerful contenders vying for the trophy at Kaufmann Stadium in Kansas City.

You have Robinson Cano, the defending champion, as well as powerhouses Jose Bautista and Prince Fielder. Of course, you can't sleep on Matt Kemp, who has been injured for part of the season but has averaged a home run every 10.1 at-bats in 2012.

But who will disappoint in the grand showcase?

Let's take a look at some contenders to flop in the 2012 Home Run Derby.

Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Colorado Rockies

"CarGo" is hitting .330 for the season with 17 home runs, but he's actually averaged a home run every 18.5 at-bats in 2012, lowest among this year's Home Run Derby contenders (per CBSSports.com).

On top of that, Gonzalez hasn't had a home run since June 15, a span of 19 games. He also went 0-for-8 in his last two games.

Is Gonzalez a great hitter? Yes. But is he the best power hitter of the group? No, he isn't.

Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Andrew McCutchen is having a phenomenal season for the Pirates. In fact, he's leading the majors in batting average among qualified hitters (.362).

But while he's boosted his power numbers in 2012 (18 home runs), he's still not the definition of a power hitter. He's hit a home run every 17.2 at-bats this season (second-worst among HR Derby contenders), and his career high for a season is 23 home runs.

Carlos Beltran, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Carlos Beltran is in the company of McCutchen in that he hits a lot of balls to the outfield but isn't necessarily an elite power hitter. He has 20 home runs this season but still doesn't rank among tops in at-bats per home run (14.9). His career average is 21.9 at-bats per home run.

Beltran has had a bit of a resurgence in terms of home run numbers this season, but he's still an aging player who doesn't have the power he once did.

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