Someone Thought It Was Smart to Give Philly the Underdog Role Again and Made Rhys Hoskins the 8 Seed In the Home Run Derby

After nearly a decade we finally have someone to root for in the Home Run Derby. Thats right folks our boy Rhys will be taking the train down to D.C. for All Star Week. The best part is he’s an underdog.

This year will be different then years past. This derby will feature head to head matchups where batters have four minutes to hit as many dingers as possible. During each round if a batter hits two home runs over 440 feet they will get an extra 30 seconds on the clock. Eight players face off until one is left standing.

Although this is the first time Rhys will participate in THE Home Run derby, he is familiar with the contest. Hoskins has hit in a derby as a member of Lakewood (finished 2nd) and again in double A for Reading. I’ll take that experience any day of the week. After all how many times have we seen hitters run out of gas after the first round. We saw him put on a show after being brought up in August of last year to set the rookie record (18 dingers in 34 games no big deal).

The derby can also wreck havoc on a hitters second half performance (looking at you Bobby Abreu). Given the Phillies current position at the top of the division we might need Rhys in August and hopefully September. On the other hand no other participant gets in the park hits like Rhys does. 

Obviously as an underdog we are expecting Rhys to win the whole damn thing. If he does Rhys will be the first Phil to win it since the big piece splashed balls into the Allegheny River in 2006. If he doesn’t win it all I’m ok with that too. Its his first full year in the majors and knowing Rhys an L will only fuel the fire for the years to come.