Meet the men amongst boys of major league baseball, the big boppers, the show stoppers, the monsters of mash, the players that carry the biggest sticks in the league and the ones that can knock the cover off the ball every time they dig into the batter box! These are the players that have the multimillion dollar contracts that are justified, the ones that can silence a crowd or initiate a deafening roar with one crack of the bat!
On this list, you'll see the greatest 1st baseman & the most feared hitter in the game. A 3rd baseman that's the only active player that has a chance to surpass both Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron as the Home Run King of Major League Baseball. A National that can hit a ball further than any human being on the planet. A Prince that's long overdue to claim his thrown and be named the king of swing; along with the most prolific Home Run hitter the game has seen in the past 5 years.
Ladies & Gentleman, without further adue, let me introduce you to the heavy hitters that made our A List for this year's 2009 All American Home Run Derby Contest!
A List Player Bio Preview:
1) Albert Pujols, 1B St. Louis Cardinals (6-3/230 Pounds): The NL’s two time MVP put up some big numbers across the board last season and did it all on a bum elbow. Pujols ended his 2008 MVP season with 37 Home Runs & a .354 batting average. Pujols has averaged 39.3 Home Runs over his last three seasons and in my opinion should be considered as the most feared hitter in baseball!
2009 Home Run Projection: 46 Home Runs
2) Alex Rodriguez, 3B New York Yankees (6-3/228 Pounds): Things seem to keep getting worse for one of the best players to ever put on a baseball uniform. First, A. Rod’s past steroid abuse was exposed and now it’s been confirmed that Alex will have arthroscopic hip surgery that will sideline him the first 6 to 9 weeks of the MLB season! Team doctors have reassured the Yankees organization and their fans that A. Rod will come back to the game 85 to 90% healthy & won’t need to miss the entire 2009 MLB season as originally thought! The 3 time AL MVP crushed 35 Home Runs in only 135 games last season and has averaged 41.3 Home Runs over his past three seasons!
2009 Home Run Projection: 35 Home Runs
3) Adam Dunn, LF Washington Nationals (6-6/277 Pounds): A.D. is one of the most consistent power hitters the game has ever seen. Dunn has hit 40 Home Runs the last 4 seasons in a row! Yes, his old address in Cincinnati is one of the easiest parks to hit Home Runs in, but a short park doesn’t have any impact on Dunn’s numbers because he has the power to clear any fence in the league! The only negatives to consider when picking Dunn is that he usually averages 160+ strike outs & has carried a mere .244 batting average over his past three seasons!
2009 Home Run Projection: 42 Home Runs
4) Prince Fielder, 1B Milwaukee Brewers (5-11/268 Pounds): The fresh prince of Milwaukee took somewhat of a step back in 2008 and hit only 34 Home Runs compared to his 50 that he put out in 2007! Prince has one of the most violent home run swings in the game and can give a Rawlings a ride every time he connects! Prince seemed like he was forcing things at the plate during his 2008 campaign and I don’t expect him to do the same in 2009! Fielder can easily hit 50+ Home Runs this season if he shows better discipline at the plate!
2009 Home Run Projection: 48 Home Runs
5) Ryan Howard, 1B Philadelphia Phillies (6-4/255 Pounds): What can I say about the league’s two time Home Run Derby king? For starters, anyone who thinks this guy is overrated doesn’t have a clue on what they’re talking about. “Monster Mash” has hit 153 Home Runs with 431 RBI’s over his past three season! He has the ability to clear the bases and fences every time he swings the bat! Howard is one of three guys in the league that has a chance to flirt with 50 Home Runs ever year and plays in a ball park that makes those numbers easily attainable every year!
2009 Home Run Projection: 52 Home Runs
Play The All Amercian Home Run Derby Contest this 2009 MLB season for a chance to win HUGE cash prizes all season long!