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10 eye and ear catching happenings from the Home Run Derby

By Tyler Bassett/ArizonaSports.com
Published: July 12, 2011 @ 12:35am

I felt like sitting in the press box for an entire Home Run Derby would be a waste of my credential. There was no box score to fill in, no stat sheet to monitor and no strategy I needed to particularly focus on.

With that in mind I decided to roam around Chase Field and take in as much as I could. I wanted to be able to give you a visual of what went on during the Home Run Derby if you weren't inside the stadium.

Here are the 10 most fascinating things I saw and/or heard during Monday nights event.

The photo of the evening. This fan -- who already had three balls -- went to reach for another HR ball when he fell over the railing. He was pulled back to safety and later told me "no tragedy tonight" and that he was holding onto the bar the entire time. ... If you say so. (Tyler Bassett)

Where I really should've been the entire time was the pool area. If I was important I would've made my way down there, parked it for the evening and enjoyed the show plus the scenery. (Tyler Bassett)

There were 95 home runs hit on the evening but the best hit of all may have come by the security guard who left his feet to take down the fan who decided it would be a good idea to run around right field. (Associated Press)

This fan was the "victim" of a Robinson Cano ball that hit the Miller Lite sign, bounced around the piping above the picnic area in right field and then landed in his lap -- spilling his beer in the process. John Delcambre was amazed the ball made it that far and then told his son, "go buy me another beer." (Tyler Bassett)

Right field was the place to be. Whether it was in the stands or on the concourse, it seems like all fans went home with a ball as Cano, Fielder, Gonzalez and Ortiz peppered the area while Bautista, Holliday, Kemp and Weeks barely hit any to the left field bleachers. (Tyler Bassett)

New York Yankee 2B Robinson Cano put on a show. He hit 32 home runs. A few of the tape measure shots went 472, 466 and 459 feet. Absolute bombs. (Associated Press)

I was right on one of my three predictions (we won't worry about the other two). I said Prince Fielder would hit the longest home run. He blasted a 474-foot home run on his first swing of the semi-finals. The longest home run of the evening. (Associated Press)

Matt Kemp had a bad night at the plate as he only hit two home runs -- worst of all contestants. I thought the worst part was that while he was hitting Rhianna's voice was blaring through the speakers. He is a Dodger but really... ? (Associated Press)

In the second round Adrian Gonzalez hit 11 home runs in 13 swings at one point. A home run hitting display that put balls over the left field fence, center field wall and multiple scattered throughout the sections out in right field. (Associated Press)

Rickie Weeks was booed by Diamondbacks fans and then did nothing to keep them quiet as he only hit three home runs in the derby. It was a disappointing display. The fans continuously chanted "Just-In Up-Ton" throughout the derby.(Associated Press)

BONUS: The gold ball couldn't be left out. Adrian Hayes, a volunteer with the Jr. RBI Baseball, caught the ball and was immediately getting offers from surround fans. One fan offered Hayes up to $500 right on the spot. "No way!" Hayes exclaimed and cradled the ball.

Tyler Bassett is a columnist for ArizonaSports.com. He can be reached with your questions and comments by e-mail here and can follow him on Twitter @Tyler_Bassett, or you can be friends with him on Facebook. All of Tyler Bassett's past columns.

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Chuck W. wrote...

The only

July 12, 2011 7:17 am

tragedy was that dumbazz guy wasn't removed from the gene pool

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John B. wrote...

typical

July 12, 2011 9:52 am

the lowest of the "least common denominator" strikes again. now he'll have ruined it for everybody once the lawyers get ahold of this and require an 8 foot high piece of unbreakable glass be installed in front of the railing which will only obstruct everyone elses view. all because a so-called adult can't control himself over a $14 baseball. way to go jerkazz.

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Abuse

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