TBDS Late Night: Who Wants To See Some Dingers?

Albert Pujols is to hitting baseballs as Chris Brown is to ... what? Too soon?

Baseball's All-Star Break is the ultimate "gift and the curse" scenario. It starts with the Home Run Derby, which is usually more interesting than the game itself. The baseball slugging event features the game's best power hitters socking dingers that do not land until they land in a different time zone.

This year's event features a pair of hometown heroes. Everyone knows about Albert Pujols, his 32 homers, 87 ribbies and his .723 slugging percentage which is higher than Alfonso Soriano's current OPS.

But what about Ryan Howard? The St. Louis native and Missouri State University product has 22 homers in his first season coming off a world championship with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Last season, I correctly picked Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau as the home run champ. Even though ESPN would like you to believe that it was Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton who did the trick.

This year, I'm going out on a limb. Kind of. My pick to click tonight is Howard, who owns the following numbers at Busch Stadium Jr.:

• .381 batting average
• .536 on-base percentage
  
• .746 slugging percentage
• 1.282 OPS
• .436 BAbip (batting average of balls put in play)

I'm sold. But enough about me, who ya got?

Home Run Derby: Who Ya Got?

Gone are the days of McGwire, Sosa and Bonds juicing 'em out of the park.

It's time for a new generation of drug-free (I presume) stars to start launching the ball into the stratosphere.

Justin Morneau, Evan Longoria, Josh Hamilton and Grady Sizemore represent the AL and Lance Berkman, Chase Utley, Dan Uggla and Ryan Braun will be taking cuts from the NL side in tonight's Home Run Derby.

Tonight's the kind of night you want to put your mute button to good use, and your ears will thank you as Chris "Back, Back, Back" Berman and Joe "Banks Boulevard" Morgan will call the action.

As I whip out my crystal ball, Swami Lu predicts that Justin Morneau will take advantage of the infamous Yankee Stadium right-field short porch to win the derby.

But enough about me, who ya got?