Sports Betting

MLB All Star Betting - Home Run Derby

Baseball fans won't be able to take in any game action on Monday, but at least they'll be able to watch the first event of MLB's All-Star festivities - the 2007 Home Run Derby.

2006 Derby champion Ryan Howard will be back to defend his title this year at San Francisco's AT&T Park; Howard blasted 23 home runs in the contest at PNC Park in Pittsburgh last season. That winning total was well down from 2005, however, as Bobby Abreu knocked 41 balls out the yard at Comerica Park in Detroit to get the win that year.

There will be eight participants in the Derby again this year, with the event being played out over three rounds. In the first round each batter gets 10 outs (a swing that doesn't result in a home run) to hit as many home runs as they can; the top four sluggers then advance to the second round. Round 2 plays out the same as Round 1, with the top two hitters advancing to Round 3. The final two participants then battle for the Derby crown.

Last year Jermaine Dye, Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman, and Troy Glaus were all knocked out in the first round, with Glaus picking up an event-low one home run. Miguel Cabrera and David Ortiz were eliminated in the second round, and Howard then got past New York Mets third baseman David Wright 5-4 in the last round to take the crown.

So can Howard pull off a repeat on Monday night? Here's a look at the participants . . .

National League

Ryan Howard - Philadelphia Phillies
Howard hit a league-high 58 home runs for the Phillies in his breakout campaign last year, but a slow start to the 2007 season sees him enter the break with only 21 long balls. Heading into the Derby last season the Philly slugger had already hit 28 homers.

Prince Fielder - Milwaukee Brewers
Fielder leads the National League with 29 home runs heading into the break; he hit 28 in 157 games during his rookie campaign last year. Prince's dad, Cecil Fielder, was a three-time participant in this contest, although he never finished better than third place.

Albert Pujols - St. Louis Cardinals
Pujols finished second to Garret Anderson in the Home Run Derby at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field back in 2003. The Cardinals first baseman belted a career-high 49 home runs last season, and he has hit 16 long balls heading into this season's All-Star Break.

Miguel Cabrera - Florida Marlins
Cabrera was actually scratched from the Marlins' lineup on Sunday afternoon with a shoulder injury, and as a result he'll sit out the Home Run Derby on Monday night. No announcement had been made about who would replace him for the NL at press time.

American League

Vladimir Guerrero - Los Angeles Angels
Guerrero participated in the 2000 Home Run Derby at Atlanta's Turner Field as a member of the Montreal Expos, but he was eliminated in the first round after hitting only two home runs. The Angels outfielder has hit 14 home runs for his team so far in 2007.

Magglio Ordonez - Detroit Tigers
Ordonez will need to change his swing to do well in this contest - although his batting average is north of .360, he's only hit one home run since the beginning of June. Overall the Tigers outfielder has 13 home runs this season, and he hit 24 home runs in 2006.

Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins
The reigning American League MVP warmed up for this event by knocking out three home runs in one game against the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Morneau is currently second in the Junior Circuit with 24 home runs, and he blasted 34 for the Twins in 2006.

Alex Rios - Toronto Blue Jays
Rios hit 17 home runs in 128 games for the Blue Jays last season (a career high), but he's already matched that total heading into this year's All-Star Break. Rios, though, will need to find his home-run swing again - he hasn't gone deep for Toronto since June 25.

Coverage of the 2007 Home Run Derby begins at 8:00pm ET on ESPN on Monday night. The All-Star Game itself will be shown on FOX Tuesday, beginning at 8:00pm ET.