Meet The B List For The All American Home Run Derby Contest

6) Carlos Delgado, 1B New York Mets (6-3/264 Pounds): Delgado should be considered an injury risk every year because he’s getting up there in age (37), but that shouldn’t scare you away from adding one of the most dependable Home Run threats in the game to you HR Derby team in 2009! Delgado went on a tear the second half of last season and hit 27 Home Runs in 84 games which allowed him to finish with 38 Home Runs in ‘08. Delgado is one of the all time best Home Run hitters that ever played the game & should have no problem hitting anywhere from 30 to 35 Home Runs if he can stay healthy all year long.

2009 Home Run Projection: 30 Home Runs

7) Ryan Braun, LF Milwaukee Brewers (6-1/210 Pounds): Braun is one of the games youngest and brightest stars! Braun is a natural born killer that has averaged 35.5 Home Runs in his first two years in the big leagues! The 2007 NL Rookie of the year is one of the top power threats in baseball and continues to evolve into a serious major league talent every year he takes the field! Braun is always going to his 35 + Home Runs because he plays in Miller Park and is well protected in a lineup that causes him to see a lot of pitches!

2009 Home Run Projection: 40 Home Runs

8) Miguel Cabrera, 1B Detroit Tigers (6-4/240 Pounds): Miggy’s 37 Home Runs, .567 slugging percentage & .292 batting average puts him in an elite class of major league talent. Cabrera’s Home Run totals continue to escalate every season and he’s considered one of the most premiere right hand hitters in the game today! He was the 2008 AL Home Run Derby champion and should have no problem defending his title if he continues to average over 157 games played like he did in his last 5 seasons!

2009 Home Run Projection: 40 Home Runs

9) Ryan Ludwick, RF St. Louis Cardinals (6-3/218 Pounds): “Lud” just obliterated good ‘Ol Mr. Rawlings last season by putting out 37 of them in 2008! Ludwick came out of nowhere during his ’08 tour with the Cards and should have no problem testing the 40 Home Run milestone in 2009! You can argue that he’s a risk because he strikes out a lot and lot & usually carries a low average, but I think Ryan should continue to flourish in a Cardinals lineup that protects him very well!

2009 Home Run Projection: 40 Home Runs

10) Manny Ramirez, RF Los Angeles Dodgers (6-1, 220 Pounds): Love him or hate him you can’t deny his brilliance with the baseball bat! The 37 year old 12 time all star displayed why he’s the greatest right handed hitter to ever play the game last season by batting a whopping .396 batting average & 17 Home Runs in 53 regular season games with the Dodgers last season! What’s even more impressive is that Manny had a sick .520 batting average with 4 homers in 8 playoff games during the 2008 playoffs. Manny’s bat has shown no signs of slowing down and should have no problem poking out 30 + Home Runs in 2009! Will age be an issue this season? Will his narcissistic view of himself prove to be a nuisance in the Dodgers club house? Will Manny’s recent $45 million deal make him lazy or hungrier in 2009? Only Manny knows the answers to these questions and he’ll never show you his cards, so you’ll just have to wait and see how he performs ’09 because that’s just “Manny Being Manny!”

2009 Home Run Projection: 33 Home Runs

11) Adrian Gonzalez, 1B San Diego Padres (6-2/220 Pounds): Any guy who can consistently destroy 35 baseballs a year in Pet Co park deserves to be looked at as one of the most dominating power hitters in the game today! A. Gonz has out of this world power, plays every day & his three year slugging percentage of .500 + are credentials that puts him amongst an elite class of MLB sluggers! He’s only 27 years old and continues to show why he’s the second best first baseman in baseball next to Albert Pujols!

2009 Home Run Projection: 38 Home Runs

12) Carlos Quentin, LF Chicago White Sox (6-1/230 Pounds): Do you think the D-Backs are kicking themselves in the butt for letting this “Beast” get away? Carlos Quentin had his coming out party in 2008 with his new team on the south side by hammering 36 Home Runs and finishing 4^th in the league with a .394 on base percentage! Quentin is protected by murderer’s row in Chicago and plays in a stadium that’s porches rival most high school ball parks! Quentin is only going to get better & I’m betting that he’s crowned the AL’s Home Run King in 2009!

2009 Home Run Projection: 43 Home Runs

13) Jermaine Dye, RF Chicago White Sox (6-5/245 Pounds): Dye is MLB’s version of Rodney Dangerfield because he continues to get no respect. Dye was a victim of trade rumors this whole off season and should be on a mission to prove his worth to both the White Sox organization and other teams in the league this season! Dye has excellent vision and balance at the plate and his 35.2 3 year Home Run average validates that! Oh, did I mention that he takes his cuts 81 games a year in a child’s sand box?

2009 Home Run Projection: 34 Home Runs

14) Jim Thome, DH Chicago White Sox (6-3/250 Pounds): “Thome The Barbarian” is a guaranteed 1^st ballot hall of famer and continues to showcase immortal power numbers every year he takes the field. Thome hit 34 Home Runs last season, but his batting average continues to drop faster than the Dow Jones as he continues to get older. At age 39, Thome continues to show brute strength and should have no problems eclipsing 30 Home Runs in 2009 if he stays healthy!

2009 Home Run Projection: 32 Home Runs

15) Pat Burrell, LF/DH Tampa Bay Rays (6-4/235 Pounds): Burrell will be in for a role change with his new team, but that should improve his hitting numbers across the board. Burrell has all the skills and talents to hit continue to hit 30 + Home Runs in 2009! He’ll be well protected in a lineup that includes superstar Evan Longoria and Baseball Mauler Carlos Pena!

2009 Home Run Projection: 32 Home Runs

16) Jack Cust, LF Oakland Athletics (6-1/240 Pounds): Cust had his breakout season at the late with the A’s in 2007 when he hit 26 Home Runs. Last season he surpassed that number by hitting 33 Home Runs to put him amongst the games best power hitters. Cust is a safe bet to his 30 + Home Runs this season with the addition of new teammate Jason Giambi, but always at risk of under achieving due to his high strike out ratio & low batting average that he backpacks ever year!

2009 Home Run Projection: 30 Home Runs

17) Hanley Ramirez, SS Florida Marlins (6-3/200 Pounds): H. Ram is the new proto type for short stops in Major League Baseball these days! He’s big, strong, fast & durable! H. Ram added 25 pounds of muscle in the off season and that kind of bulk should bolster his power numbers in ‘09! Hanley will not be batting lead off this year and will join the ranks of the leagues most feared hitters by batting third this season! Ramirez has averaged 30 Home Runs over his past two years in the league and has all the tools to place an MVP trophy right next to his Rookie Of The Year Trophy he earned in ’09!

2009 Home Run Projection: 35 Home Runs

18) Grady Sizemore, CF Cleveland Indians (6-2/200 Pounds): Sizemore last year put together an impressive 2008 campaign by joining the 30/30 club. Sizemore has the ability to join a very selective fraternity known as the 40/40 club in 2009 with his rare power & speed combination that he possesses. Sizemore has averaged more than 158 games played over the past 4 years and has evolved into one of the leagues fastest rising young stars!

2009 Home Run Projection: 36 Home Runs

19) Chase Utley, 2B Philadelphia Phillies (6-1/200 Pounds): Utley is the biggest stud power hitting second baseman since Ryne Sandburg! His plate precision is rivaled only by some in the league and his bat speed is off the charts! Throw in that he’s protected by one of the league’s most feared power hitters (Ryan Howard) in the game & that he plays in a ballpark that yielded 2.33 Home Runs per game in 2009; You have a man that’s capable of clearing the fences 40 + times a year! The only down side to Utley is that he’s coming off hip surgery this off season & will constantly be at risk of re-aggravating that injury this season!

2009 Home Run Projection: 38 Home Runs

20) David Wright, 3B New York Mets (6-0/220 Pounds): Ladies & Gentleman…meet the Best 3^rd baseman in baseball! David Wright is not only a lady killer, but he also has built a strong reputation for killing the baseball too. Wright’s Home Run totals have steadily improved over the past three years and you can bank on it that D. Wright will do that again when this season is complete! Wright is one of the most powerful & consistent hitters in MLB and is in line to add an MVP trophy beside his two Gold Gloves that he won in 2007 & 2008! Expect BIG things from David Wright in 2009!

2009 Home Run Projection: 40 Home Runs

21) Mark Teixeira, 1B New York Yankees (6-3/220 Pounds): Most people thought Big Tex’s power numbers would take a major hit when he was traded to Atlanta midway through the 2008 season, but he proved to all of us that he could hit the big fly in any stadium by pounding out 33 home runs last season. The Yankees porches in both corners of their new stadium are shorter than most high school ballparks (318 In Left Field & 314 In Right Field) and that type of distance will make it much easier for Big Tex to clear the fences in '09. Expect Teixeira to hit anywhere from 35 to 40 home runs in his first season with the Yankees!

2009 Home Run Projection: 41 Home Runs

22) Jason Giambi, 1B/DH Oakland Athletics (6-3/240 Pounds): Giambi has finally made his way back home to where he started his career. Giambi has never made it a secret that he’s a west coast guy & should fit it very nicely with a rebuilt athletics team. Giambi hit 32 Home Runs with the bombers last season and his migration to warmer weather and being surrounded by a strong supporting cast (Jack Cust & Matt Holliday) may lead to him joining the 30 Home Run Club once again. Giambi is getting up there in age, but he’s still always a threat to take a pitch deep every with his patented upper cut every time he swings the bat!

2009 Home Run Projection: 30 Home Runs

23) Josh Hamilton, CF Texas Rangers (6-4/235 Pounds): There’s a reason why people around the league call Josh Hamilton “The Natural!” Last year’s feel good story almost assured himself that a Hollywood script will be written about his life story when his career is over. Not only did he put on one of the most memorable displays of power in last season’s Home Run Derby contest, but he ended the 2008 season with some monster numbers across the board. Hamilton is responsible for launching 32 Home Runs into orbit last season with a .304 batting average & 130 RBI’s! Hamilton has joined the ranks of the league’s greatest power hitters and will show us this season that the best come to those who wait!

2009 Home Run Projection: 48 Home Runs

24) Aubrey Huff, 1B Baltimore Orioles (6-4/235 Pounds): For years Major League Baseball coaches & execs have been waiting for lightning to strike this bottle. Huff has been in the league for over 8 years now and it’s taken him a long time to produce Home Run totals like he did back in 2003 when he hit 34 dingers. Huff hit 32 Home Runs in 2008 and is a professional hitter when he’s on his game! You never know what kind of production you’re going to get out of Mr. Huff, but that shouldn’t stop you from adding a guy to your Home Run Derby team that’s very capable of hitting 30 Home Runs a year!

2009 Home Run Projection: 28 Home Runs

25) Mike Jacobs, 1B Kansas City Royals (6-3/215 Pounds): Jacobs had a career year with the Fish last season by crushing 32 Home Runs. Jacobs has solid power, but his career .262 batting average is a bit of a concern & he’s now playing in a park that likes to keep the long ball from clearing it’s fences! Still Jacob has enough power to hit 25 to 30 Home Runs and I’m expecting he’ll do just that with his new ball club this season!

2009 Home Run Projection: 27 Home Runs

26) Dan Uggla, 2B Florida Marlins (5-11/200 Pounds): Here’s a player that’s flown underneath the radar as far as power numbers go. Uggla may be small in stature, but his bat has packed a serious punch over his past three years in the league. Uggla’s 30 Home Runs a year average not only puts him amongst the elite power hitting 2^nd baseman in baseball, but will make you sleep well at night adding if you decide to add him to your Home Run Derby team. Scouts call him a free swinger & he looked awful the second half of the 2008 season, but I’ll take a guy on my Home Run Derby team any day of the week that has the ability to smash 30 to 35 Home Runs a year! Imagine what his numbers will be if he can improve his batting average?

2009 Home Run Projection: 33 Home Runs

27) Carlos Pena, 1B Tampa Bay Rays (6-2/225 Pounds): Carlos Pena made his mark on the league in 2007 when he pounded out 46 Home Runs. Pena’s power numbers took a .180 degree spin on him in 2008 when he ended the season with only 31 dongs. Critics will say that his 2007 season was a fluke and that his shaky batting average will be his Achilles heel throughout his career, but I believe that Pena has enough raw power to consistently hit 30 to 40 Home Runs every year! Pena’s been in the league 8 years now and that type of experience will eventually guide him to stronger numbers across the board.

2009 Home Run Projection: 37 Home Runs

28) Lance Berkman, 1B Houston Astros (6-1/220 Pounds): The “Big Puma” has been the driving force behind Houston’s offense and the Astros will only go as far as Berkman takes them! Berkman jumped out of the gates faster than Usain Bolt last season, but his power numbers rapidly tapered off as the season progressed! Still, Berkman ended his 2008 season with 29 Home Runs and a .312 batting average. Berkman has great bat speed and knows how to make pitchers pay from throwing meat at him. Expect his usual 30 Home Runs and maybe more if he sees a little more meat this year!

2009 Home Run Projection: 33 Home Runs

29) Jorge Cantu, 3B/1B Florida Marlins (6-3/200 Pounds): Cantu busted out on the MLB scene in 2005 when he hit 28 Home Runs with the Rays. Following that season Cantu looked like a sure one hit wonder until he got back on track in 2008 by hitting 29 yard bombs! Cantu has the ability to hit 30 Home Runs, but I’m going to temper my expectations this season because he’s got a young stud named Dallas McPherson that can take his job anytime.

2009 Home Run Projection: 22 Home Runs

30) Alfonso Soriano, LF Chicago Cubs (6-1/180 Pounds Soaking Wet): Hey…Two Thumbs up for “The Fons” for hitting 29 Home Runs in 109 games last season! Hey…Two Thumbs down for “The Fons” because his age and his ability to stay healthy crucifies his power numbers every year! We all know that Soriano has enough pop in his bat to bash 40 Home Runs a year, but it’s tough to take a chance on a guy that hasn’t played more than 150 games since the 2006 season! Soriano is the epitome of a high risk/high reward player, so you’re going to have to have a little gambler in you to take a chance on him in this year’s All American Home run Derby contest!

2009 Home Run Projection: 35 Home Runs

31) Kevin Youkilis, 1B Boston Red Sox (6-1/220 Pounds): “Youkon” is one of the smartest baseball players in the game today and is a throwback to the old school type of player that cares more about winning than his stats. Youkilis had a breakout season for the Bo Sox last year by hitting .312 with 29 Home Runs. Youkilis has only been in the big leagues for 5 years now and it looks like he’s ready to join the elite class at his position in the game.

2009 Home Run Projection: 30 Home Runs

32) Carlos Lee, LF Houston Astros (6-2/245 Pounds): El Caballo (The Horse) is one of the league’s mot powerful & reliable Home Run hitters the game has seen over the last 10 years. Lee sat out the last two months of last season, but not before he pounded out 28 Home Runs, a .314 batting average and 100 RBI’s. If Lee would have played the whole season, he would have easily hit 40 Home Runs in 2008. At 32 years old, Lee is still a Stallion at the plate and is always a safe bet to hit a minimum of 30 Home Runs every year he puts on the uniform.

2009 Home Run Projection: 37 Home Runs

33) Mark Reynolds, 3B Arizona Cardinals (6-2/220 Pounds): There’s no doubt that Reynolds possesses some major power and the 28 Home Runs he hit with the D-Backs last season proves that! The problem is with Reynolds is that he strikes out at the plate more than a band nerd does with high school cheerleaders. Reynolds whiffed 204 times at the plate last season and that has to be a huge concern for Home Run Derby owners that are considering adding him to their team. Reynolds needs to improve his plate discipline or he’s going to be at risk losing AB’s to Chad Tracy in 2009!

2009 Home Run Projection: 25 Home Runs

34) Carlos Beltran, CF New York Mets (6-1/220 Pounds): What happened to Carlos Beltran? He went from hitting 41 Home Runs in 2006 to 33 in ’07 to 27 in 2008. Beltran steady power outage over the past three years, no longer puts him amongst the games elite Home Runs hitters. He’s still one of the best players in the game, but he’s become a player that is always going to be at the top of every batting statistical category in the game, except Home Runs.

2009 Home Run Projection: 29 Home Runs

35) Troy Glaus, 3B St. Louis Cardinals (6-5/245 Pounds): Glaus made the decision to have arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder this off season to clean it out and repair a slight muscle tear. Glaus’s body is starting to break down and is always at risk of joining the DL for a certain period of time during the season. Still with that in mind, this veteran slugger clobbered 27 Home Runs last season in 151 games. Glaus is a streaky player that can hit Home Runs in bunches, but his Home Run stroke has been known to pull a David Blaine & vanish for long stretches too.

2009 Home Run Projection: 25 Home Runs

36) Vladimir Guerrero, RF Los Angeles Angels (6-3/245 Pounds): Guerrero received the nickname “Vlad The Impaler” because he punishes the baseball like the former ruthless prince of Wallachia’s (Romania) treated his enemies back in 1447. Vlad will be better protected at the plate this year with Abreu & Torii Hunter batting on both sides of him in 2009. His home run totals have steadily declined over the past 5 years, but you can count on him to hit 30+ dingers in 2009 if he manages to avoid taking a vacation on the DL at some point in the season.

2009 Home Run Projection: 30 Home Runs

37) Evan Longoria, 3B Tampa Bay Rays (6-2/210 Pounds): This guy left the Mysteria Lane of the minors last season & came up to the big leagues to capture the Al Rookie Of the Year in 2008. Longoria’s rookie campaign proved that he’s a killer at the plate and now belongs in discussions about being one of the top three 3^rd baseman’s in baseball with David Wright & Alex Rodriguez. Longoria hit 27 Home Runs in only 122 games with the Rays last season & I’m expecting him to flirt with 40+ Home Runs if he plays 155+ games in’09. He’s heavily protected by rising star B.J. Upton, Carlos Pena & the new addition of Pat Burrell will force pitchers to pitch to Longoria more this season.

2009 Home Run Projection: 38 Home Runs

38) Aramis Ramirez, 3B Chicago Cubs (6-1/215 Pounds): When you get past David Wright, Alex Rodriguez & Evan Longoria, Aramis Ramirez deserves strong consideration for being the 4^th best 3B in baseball. A. Ram has averaged 30 Homes Runs over hi past 3 seasons & will be better protected this year with newly acquired Milton Bradley batting in front of him. The only knock on Ramirez is that he visits the DL at least once a year & that limits his plate appearances every season.

2009 Home Run Projection: 32 Home Runs

39) Matt Holiday, LF Oakland A’s (6-4/225 Pounds): Matt was definitely on Holiday last season & couldn’t seem to get the same stroke going that he had with the Rockies in 2006 thru 2008. Holiday only hit 25 Home Runs in one of the most hitter friendly ballparks in baseball last season and was shipped to Oakland this year, so the Rockies could get rid Holiday’s huge contract. Holiday is now playing away from Coors field, so expect the 2007 Batting Champion’s numbers to stay consistent with what he did for the Rockies in 2008. He is protected well in a lineup that includes Eric Chavez, Jack Cust & Jason Giambi, so I’m anticipating that Holiday will hit a minimum of 30 Home Runs in 2009 with these Ogres protecting him.

2009 Home Run Projection: 31 Home Runs

40) David Ortiz, DH Boston Red Sox (6-4/235 Pounds): I don’t care what any so-called fantasy baseball expert says…I’m telling you right now that the pop will be back in Big Papi’s bat in 2009. The 37 year old aging slugger only hit 23 home runs last season, but that was largely due to Ortiz’s inability to avoid the injury bug in 2008. Papi looks like he’s back in shape and has been tearing the cover off the ball during spring training thus far. He’s protected by last year’s MVP (Dustin Pedroia), Kevin Youkilis & Jason Bay this year. Papi is now considered an injury risk because of his age, but he should have no problem pounding out 30 + chartered flights in 2009 if he can stay healthy!

2009 Home Run Projection (My Bounce Back Bomber Of The Year): 39 Home Runs

41) Jason Bay, LF Boston Red Sox (6-2/210 Pounds): Jay Bay is in a contract year, so look out for some big time numbers from one of the best outfielders in baseball. Bay had a horrible 2007 campaign power numbers wise by only hitting 21 Home Runs. He managed to hit 22 Home Runs with the Pirates before he was shipped off to Boston where he hit 9 more with the Bo Sox to close out his 2008 season with 31 jacks! Getting traded to Boston was the best thing that could have happened to Jay Bay because he’ll have better players surrounding him in the middle of the lineup and he’ll always be in contention for a World Series ring with this team!

2009 Home Run Projection: 36 Home Runs

42) Paul Konerko, 1B Chicago White Sox (6-2/215 Pounds): Pauly had an atrocious first half of the year in 2008 before bouncing back the second half of the season with 13 Home Runs & a .909 OPS. Konerko has been pounding the ball all over the place in spring training and should have no problem going back to hitting 30 + Home Runs in 2009 if he can stay on the field the whole season. One thing to consider before taking Konerko is that he’ll most likely get moved to a playoff contender before the trade deadline and a new change of address could hurt his Home Run totals because he won’t be playing at the Cell any longer.

2009 Home Run Projection: 33 Home Runs