For those who actually enjoy the Home Run Derby, last night was a special treat. Oakland A’s outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper, two of the most exciting young players in the game, battled it out in the finals with Cespedes coming out on top.
After Cespedes launched 17 homers in the first round, it was only fitting that he hit nine in the finals to beat Harper, who was the model of consistency by hitting eight in each round. It was even more fitting that the winning homer was an absolute shot, traveling an estimated 455 feet to dead center field. And naturally, Cespedes topped it off with an epic bat flip.
Are we surprised? Not really. Most people were picking guys like Prince Fielder and Jose Bautista to win the Home Run Derby this year, but remember that amazing feat Cespedes accomplished during spring training? We probably should have seen this coming.
