The 2016 MLB Home Run Derby was a raging success in the second year of a new format, which featured timed rounds and a refreshing change of pace to an event that critics could argue tended to drag in the past.
Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton wowed fans at Petco Park in San Diego, taking down defending champion Todd Frazier in the final to claim victory.
Below is a glimpse at the results from all three rounds of Monday’s action, which featured a bracket-style setup of one-on-one duels:
Despite swatting 24 dingers in the opening round and 17 in the semifinals, Stanton still had enough in the tank to hit 20 homers in a head-to-head battle with Frazier. That gave Stanton 61 homers in total for the evening, but the quality of his swats was arguably more impressive than the quantity.
ESPN Stats & Info highlighted just how dominant Stanton was:
Yahoo Sports’ reaction was appropriate in light of the mind-boggling numbers Stanton put up:
At one point, BuzzFeed’s Lindsey Adler was essentially begging Stanton to show some mercy to his opponents, who were Robinson Cano, Mark Trumbo and Frazier, respectively:
A prominent theme was depictions of god-like muscle, as seen from Barstool Sports and CBS Sports:
Stanton is a dream Derby champion—and a Derby champion’s dream, if you will.
Still only 26 years old, he is already a growing legend and could bolster his legacy even further in the forthcoming Derby days, especially if he tries a little bit harder:
For those who have always loved the All-Star Game precursor featuring many of the game’s top sluggers, this revamped format has upped the stakes, sense of urgency and the sheer difficulty of the competition. It makes for a much more entertaining viewing experience.
But for such a format to work, it takes special athletes with a blend of strength and stamina like Stanton to make it pop for the casual fans.
Not to take anything away from the other seven contestants from this year’s showcase, but Stanton transcended the mundane. He set a new bar for what the Derby could be.
It’s up to Stanton to either continue showing off his legendary power every year or perhaps inspire others to rise to the occasion. In the short term, Stanton has created quite a tough performance to top.
The good news is, for those who spurned the event this year, such as Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, the prestige of the Derby stage and Stanton’s dominance may lead them to be warmer to the idea of participating.
No matter who shows up in 2017 and beyond, though, almost everyone who witnessed Monday’s Derby is bound to be clamoring for Stanton on an annual basis.
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