Home Run Derby 2017: Broadcast, bracket, and Rockies’ past Derby’s

DENVER, CO – JULY 09: Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies circles the bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Coors Field on July 9, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Today, the All-Star festivities will start with the Home Run Derby at Marlins Park in Miami.

Today, the Home Run Derby will take place in Miami before the All-Star Game tomorrow night. The Rockies will, of course, have Charlie Blackmon representing them in the Home Run Derby tonight.

Broadcast Information

Per usual, the Home Run Derby is covered by ESPN. Coverage starts at 5 PM MST with Baseball Tonight with the Derby starting at 6 PM MST. Veteran ESPN host Adnan Virk will be hosting Baseball Tonight. Karl Ravech will be doing the play-by-play joined by Sunday Night Baseball analyst Jessica Mendoza and 2005 Home Run Derby participant, three-time All Star first baseman Mark Teixeira, and field reporter and insider Buster Olney.

Ravech and Teixeira are both rookies in the Home Run Derby broadcast booth as Ravech is taking over for Chris Berman and Teixeira for former pitcher Dallas Braden.

A Spanish language broadcast will be on ESPN 2 with Ernesto Jerez providing play-by-play joined by former coach and MLB player Eduardo Perez, former MB pitcher Ismael Valdez, and reporters Pedro Gomez and Marly Rivera. Prior to the Derby, Baseball Tonight in Spanish will be held on ESPN 2 with Carolina Guillen hosting and former MLB shortstop and manager, including a tenure with the Marlins, Ozzie Guillen.

On ESPN Radio, former Marlins broadcaster, Jon Sciambi, will be joined by his regular radio Sunday Night Baseball partner, Chris Singleton, for the call of the Derby.

Home Run Derby Bracket

Of the eight players in the Derby, only Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins is a veteran in it as he won the Derby last year. Here’s how the bracket will look

#1 Stanton vs. #8 Gary Sanchez, of the New York Yankees

#2 Aaron Judge of the Yankees vs. #7 Justin Bour of the Marlins

#3 Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. #6 Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies

#4 Mike Moustakas of the Kansas City Royals vs. #5 Miguel Sano of the Minnesota Twins

The winner of Stanton v. Sanchez will face the winner of Moustakas v. Sano. The winner of Judge v. Bour will face the winner of Bellinger v. Blackmon. Whomever wins of each of those separate groups will face one another for the crown.

Rockies History in the Derby

Blackmon will be the 11th Rockie to take part in the Home Run Derby. They are Dante Bichette (1994), Ellis Burks (1996), Larry Walker (1997 and 1999), Vinny Castilla (1998), Todd Helton (2001), Matt Holliday (2007), Carlos Gonzalez (2012), Michael Cuddyer (2013), Troy Tulowitzki (2014), and Justin Morneau (2014).

Of these players, none of them actually won the Derby. In fact, only Walker (in 1997) and Castilla made it to the final round. Walker was defeated by Tino Martinez of the New York Yankees at Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) in Cleveland, Ohio. Castilla was defeated by future Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. in the only Home Run Derby/All-Star Game ever hosted in Denver.

Next: Re-ranking the Rockies' 40-man roster

Final Thoughts

For Charlie Blackmon, this is an excellent opportunity to bring some eyes from across the country and around the world on the Rockies. If he does well, he will really turn some heads on the national stage even before the All-Star Game festivities tomorrow.