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2014 Home Run Derby: Start Time, Format, Participants, TV Coverage

By Matt Pelc

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May 23, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) connects for a solo home run during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Marlins Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

20th Annual Gillette Home Run Derby

National League vs American League — 8 p.m. ET

Target Field — Minneapolis, MN

TV: ESPN

Weather: 63 degrees, mostly cloudy

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Braves wisely avoided controversy with Juan Soto during All-Star Game /

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    • Contest Preview

    No Detroit Tiger will play in the Annual Home Run Derby on Monday night in Target Field. Nonetheless, if you like majestic, moonshot homers, this is the night for you. That is if you can put up with Chris Berman for three hours.

    Once equally known for both baseball and football at the Worldwide Leader, Berman pulls his weight and now does exactly one baseball event per year–the HR Derby.  So be prepared for an over/under of 374 mentions of the word “back,” as in Berman’s signature home run call of “back, back, back GONE!” It’s poetic, actually, because every time I see or hear Berman I think “back, back, back” to the mid-1990’s, the last time he was relevant.

    It will be fun to watch Giancarlo Stanton mash the ball around and see long-time Minnesota Twin Justin Morneau go back to Target Field in the competition tonight.

    Yoenis Cespedes is the defending champion.

    Format

    Like the slam dunk competition during the NBA’s All-Star Game festivities, MLB has tried to retool its main side attraction for several years now. This has led to many format changes over the years, and this year is no different.

    To help speed things along, the 10 players (five from each league) will each receive seven outs in the first round (an out constitutes a ball not hit for a homer) instead of the customary 10 outs. The player from each league that hits the most homers in the first round will receive a bye into the third round. The next two players from each league with the second and third most home runs will face off against each other (again with seven outs), with the winner moving on to the third round to face the top seed. After another round with seven outs, the winner of each league will advance to face each other in the final round.

    The final round will be head-to-head with another seven outs. If the two players tie, each player will get three swings (not outs) a piece.

    Participants

    Yoenis Cespedes holds the 2013 Home Run Derby trophy. Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

    (Homer totals as of Sunday)

    National League

    American League

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