Pete Alonso goes back to back, winning his second straight home run derby...
Leading up, the talk of the Derby was the Sho we were about to witness...
Shohei Ohtani was prepared to be crowned as Babe Ruth by the media tonight, chucking a 3.49 ERA as a pitcher, while leading the league in dingers at the All Star Break. UNHEARD OF!
But the streets of Queens, New York were buzzing... fully aware of the storm headed for Coors Field, Colorado; home of the Rockies, and this year's All Star weekend.
New York's Favorite Polar Bear, returning Champion of the Derby, and 2019's dinger king, Pete Alonso (53) was locked in from the moment he landed in Mile High City.
ROUND ONE: Pete Alonso vs. Salvador Perez (35-28)
In match 3 of the first round, the returning champion was ready to perform, after a 735 day Derbyless draught.
At about 8:57 pm, phones across the region began buzzing from a Polar Weather Warning... it read "BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR BASEBALL SIZED HAIL!!!!"
With Dave Jauss chucking pitches, Donnie Stevenson linked in on the bluetooth, and Francisco Lindor back home taking a shot of Cuervo per Alonso dinger.... the entire world would stop for one moment to watch the Polar Bear in his natural habitat.
Hitting 2 of his first 4 deep, Pete was aiming for the scoreboard, with 13 dingers at the half and a 514 foot bomb, Alonso used his timeout.
Taijuan Walker, Pete's only teammate in the building came out with a towel and a Gatorade... told the Bear "Get me too 35, and you got this in the bag..."
With the remaining minute thirty five, Alonso either took the ball to the JUASS, or didn't swing, a true derby masterpiece ending regulation with 25 heaters ripped, and finished bonus time with another 9 hitting Tai's mark of 35, and easily breaking Josh Hamilton's* first round record of 28. *10 out era
As Salvator Perez took his timeout at the half mark, with a measly 8 dingers, Pete said being interviewed on the broadcast, "I had a new strategy going in this year, I wanted to go first to set the bar.... I am the Bar... I am the standard... {I AM THE POLAR BEAR}" maybe not the last part, but dropping 35 definitely set the bar high for ol Salvy Perez...
But out of the timeout the big fella started ripping, and ended up sending 28 balls out of the stadium, which was the second most in the first round... unfortunate he was matched up against the polar bear to start.
"I thought it was a rumor, but clearly these balls are going really really far." - Pete Alonso on the Colorado Air
Shohei Ohtani vs. Juan Soto (31-28 Swing off)
Ending the first round with the Sho we came to see, Juan Soto was first to the box... Taking a timeout at the mid point, his bonus 30 seconds earned, with 9 dingers Soto was swarmed by Vladdy Jr, and the boys to get him juiced.
Knowing the monster he is up against Juan Soto locked in and wasted no time shelling 6 more baseballs out of the ball park.
After another 30 second drought, Juan ended the round ripping a few more heaters to score 18 in regulation; with 4 more moon shots in the bonus to make 22 total, it's SHO TIME.
Ohtani wasn't messing around, immediately delaying the entire derby to have his pitcher move the L screen, and the mound, to an ideal heater ripping angle.
A slow start, with a minute off the clock, and only 1 dinger ripped, it looked to be an early end to the Ohtani Experience... but a well placed time out, and a FaceTime from Mike Trout lit a fire under Shohei Ohtani.
With a minute twenty left in regulation, and only 5 long balls Ohtani was on the ropes, he turned it on with 3 in a row and scattered a few more over the next 30 seconds, dropping 4 or 5 to beat the buzzer, Shohei ended with a solid round at 16 dingers.
Adding 6 more in the bonus, the sho continued for another 2 overtime rounds, and ultimately ended in a 3 pitch swing off, where Juan Soto took all three deep, and Shohei hit a liner to start and end his turn.
Not the fireworks the world expected, and a Polar Pete vs. Shohei Ohtani battle would have broken the internet, but a double overtime swing off, and 28 dingers for shohei was some incredible television.
ROUND TWO: Pete Alonso vs. Juan Soto (16-15)
After the record breaking round one, and an incredible interview from Pete Alonso, he had some time to rest, got some tee work in, and a 15 dinger goal was set by Juan Soto leading it off.
Soto walking out of the box, knew his day was over when he made eye contact with the polar bear; Jaun took a ball 481 feet for his longest on the day.
Dancing and relaxed in the box, the Polar Bear wasted no time ripping 6 dingers before I could even look up, he barrled up 8 more moon shots, before taking a time out to get the crowd juiced up!
Back in the box, Polar Pete sent another 3 baseballs into outer space to end the second round with 17 dingers and 45 seconds still on the clock.
Trevor Story vs. Trey Mancini
Trey Mancini, is one of the greatest stories in the MLB this season, with a .256 batting average and 16 dingers after missing the entire 2020 season battling colon cancer.
Leading off, story took his first ball deep 30 seconds into the round, crossing the 1 minute mark with 2 dongers, he ripped 3 in a row and took his time out.
Pulling every single ball he hit, a majority of them hit the wall... would be a huge win if this was a warning track power contest. Story ended this round, with 10 squeakers and no extra 30 seconds, he was able too hit 2 more in the bonus round.
Mancini spread his dingers throughout the round, crossing the 2 minute mark with 8 dingers, and plenty of time to catch story, Trey ended the Trevor story with no bonus time and 26 seconds left on the clock.
FINALS: Pete Alonso vs. Trey Mancini
When the Polar Bear hits it, it goes a long way! -Francisco Lindor
With Just two minutes in the final round, Trey Mancini's pitcher came out firing, rattling off about 26 pitches in the first 10 seconds... having only 4 dingers almost at the halfway mark, Mancini used his timeout.
As Polar Pete bopped his head, listening to Jay Z, Mancini came out of the timeout firing with 4 straight in under 17 seconds... 9, 10, 11, 12...... 40 seconds left, and the bonus acquired, Ice Trey was heating up.
Trey Mancini ended the 2 minute round with 17 long balls, and was able to collect another 5 in bonus time for the score to beat... 22.
Pete pointed his bat at the score board like babe ruth or that chubster in sandlot... both men who know how to rip a heater, and took Dave Jauss' first pitch, to the HAUS, and about 20,000 feet into the atmosphere.
From there the blizzard started, and baseball-sized hail began to rain down on the upper deck of Coors Field, and 23 dingers later... the king of the Derby had successfully defended his belt.
Pete Alonso, New York Mets first basemen, full name Peter Morgan Alonso aka the Polar Bear has done it again!
He joins Ken Griffey Jr., Yoenis Cespedes, and Prince Fielder as the only multi-time Home Run Derby Champions.
Weather Polar Pete takes down King Griffey or not, he joined some elite company last night and is the back to back reigning Home Run Derby Champion.
Going into the All Star break, the Polar Bear has smacked 86 career home runs in 295 games over 3 seasons, leading the league with 53 in his rookie season, 2019.
A slow season on his standards, Pete has 17 home runs this year but in a slow offensive run the Mets have remained in first place for a majority of the season, even if it is in the sorry ass NL East.
Pete Alonso, in his third year is becoming Mr. Met, the face of the team, and the guy that gets the guys going; he is the engine that can drive this insanely talented team to heights we haven't seen in decades.
There is a new era in New York Baseball... I'm glad the Polar Bear is on our side!
Comments