This is pretty self-explanatory.  A list of the eligible (not injured) players I would like to see compete in this year’s Homerun Derby.

National League

David Wright (Captain)
Season Home Runs – 13
Career Home runs – 217

Pedro Alvarez
Season Home Runs – 24
Career Home runs – 74
Reasoning – One of the best power hitting infielders in baseball, and he absolutely crushes balls when he actually his them.  He’s definitely streaky during the season, but I think I’ll be hot on Monday night.

Giancarlo Stanton 
Season Home Runs – 10
Career Home runs – 103
Reasoning – I know he hasn’t hit too many this year, but he hits the ball farther than any other player in baseball, and would easily be the most exciting player to watch, even if he only hit 4 or 5.

Bryce Harper
Season Home Runs– 13
Career Home runs – 35
Reasoning – He’s young, always brings a lot of hype, and would be going against his career rival Mike Trout in this one.  I tend to go for young, rising stars over older guys, and Harper fits the mold quite nicely.

NL Snubs

Carlos Beltran
Season Home Runs– 19
Career Home runs 353
Reasoning – If Wright wasn’t the captain I’d have Beltran in easy.  His career and season power numbers are great, and has had a bunch of meaningful post season bombs, but he participated last season and is an older player, which gave the other three the slight edge.

Domonic Brown
Season Home Runs– 23
Career Home runs – 35
Reasoning – I was Tempted to put him in over Harper, but the Trout Vs. Harper thing prevailed.  Plus Brown’s only been hitting home runs for 2 months, and there’s a chance nobody will care about him again in another 2 months.

American League

Robinson Cano (Captain)
Season Home Runs– 21
Career Home runs – 198

Chris Davis
Season Home Runs – 37
Career Home runs – 113
Reasoning – Do you even need to make an argument for this guy?  He’s got 37 already this year and has been one of the two or three best hitters since last season’s all star week.  He’s aiming for the record books, and might as well hit a few more that don’t count along the way.

Miguel Cabrera
Season Home Runs –30
Career Home runs – 351
Reasoning – He just won the triple crown, has hit 30 already, and hits for an incredible average, something I like out of my HR candidates.  He’s not just swinging for the fences, but for a mix of precision and power.  I put him over fellow teammate and reigning champ Prince Fielder any day, and could use a change from Fielder’s annual appearance.

Mike Trout
Season Home Runs – 15
Career Home runs – 50
Reasoning – If you’ve got Bryce in there, how could you not pick Trout?  He’s one of everyone’s top 5 favorite players in the league, and can hit for a lot more power than people give him credit for.  There’s almost nothing this kid can’t do, and he could win the competition easy.

AL Snubs

Jose Bautista
Season Home Runs – 20
Career Home Runs– 203
Reasoning – If Cano wasn’t the captain it be a really close race for the last spot.  I’d like to see Bautista in there for a second straight year after he made it to the finals last season, only to lose to Prince Fielder by 5 runs.

David Ortiz
Season Home Runs – 19
Career Home Runs – 420
Reasoning – Ortiz is great and fun to watch, but he’s participated and won in the past, and I’d rather see a fresh face in there as opposed to a 37 year old veteran of the game.