
The Twins' Joe Mauer is the reigning American League MVP and the player fans most want to see in The State Farm Home Run Derby.
Not only are MLB fans deciding which players will start in the July 13th All-Star Game, they are also influencing who participates in The State Farm Home Run Derby, taking place on July 12.
Fans can vote for up to three players from each league to be in the Home Run Derby, and while their votes will largely determine the eight players who participate, the finalists are still at the discretion of Major League Baseball (unlike the All-Star Game, where it’s all up to the fans).
With that being said, look for Major League Baseball to please its fans by selecting the players they most want to see, which will in turn spike television ratings for the event.
As of yesterday, the Twins’ Joe Mauer was the American League leader in votes, while the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols recently leapfrogged the Phillies’ Ryan Howard for the National League’s top spot. Pujols is the two-time defending NL MVP, while Howard won the 2006 Derby.
The Brewers’ Prince Fielder, the defending Home Run Derby champion, is also at the front of the pack in the NL.
Mauer, who is also the leading vote-getter in All-Star balloting with close to 4 million votes, has led the Derby race from the get-go. The Rays’ Carlos Pena and the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera, who is currently tied for the major league lead in home runs, trail Mauer in the AL.