Prince Fielder Wins 2012 Home Run Derby

Prince Fielder launched 12 home runs in the final round to win the 2012 Home Run Derby. (Jeff Haynes)

The 2012 Home Run Derby at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City had its share of highs and lows, absolute bombs and splashes, and one player who emerged as far superior than his opponents on this given night.

The first round was owned by Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays. He crushed 11 homers to take the early lead. In his return to Kansas City, Carlos Beltran put up a solid seven in the first round. He was matched by Mark Trumbo and his "Trumbombs," as they call them. Former derby champion Prince Fielder got ahold of some balls, but had to settle for only five home runs. With the two league captains still due up, Fielder looked to be on his way out.

However, tonight, was not the night to be a captain in the home run derby. The National League captain, Matt Kemp, has been on the disabled list since May with a re-aggravated hamstring injury. He decided he wanted to hit in the derby regardless. The rust and lack of power in Kemp's legs was evident as he managed to hit only one home run.

Things didn't go any better for American League captain Robinson Cano. Then again, Cano never stood a chance from the moment he stepped into that batter's box. Cano was under the ridicule of the hometown Royals fans because he promised to consider adding a Royals player to his American League lineup for the derby. Derby captains are allowed to choose the three additional players that will make up their league's team. Even though the Royals' Billy Butler had 16 home runs this season, Cano elected to choose Bautista, Fielder, and Trumbo over him.

The Royals fans incessantly booed Cano the entire time he was up to bat in the first round. Not surprisingly, Cano was unable to concentrate enough to hit one home run. Additionally, he was likely exhausted from the Yankees' game that ended after midnight last night. Cano then had to fly from Boston to Kansas City, answer reporters' questions, and take batting practice. Cano had so many factors working against him that he didn't really stand a chance.

Regardless of whether or not you believe Butler deserved a spot in the Home Run Derby (I happen to think he may not have even deserved a spot as an All-Star at all), Cano in no way deserved the treatment he received from the Royals fans. I could understand it when he first came up, but they did it the whole time, even when there was money on the line for charity. The display was completely classless and frankly embarrassing for the game. Just because your team gets to host the All-Star festivities, it doesn't make it a requirement that one of your players be selected for the derby. There are significantly more fans watching the game who aren't fans of the home team, than those home funs who are attending the game.

That rant aside, we will move on to the second round. Fielder knew he would need a big display to advance to the final round. He certainly did not disappoint. Fielder went deep 11 times to give himself a total of 16. This mounted the pressure on the other three remaining hitters. Beltran seemed to run out of steam with only five bombs in the second round. This gave him a total of only 12 for the first two rounds combined. While Trumbo only had six home runs in the second round (for a total of 13), he brought the crowd to its feet time and time again with his display of raw power.

All Bautista had to do in the second round was hit three homers to advance. Whether it was the pressure that got to him or what, all he could manage to do was hit two bombs. This meant that he forced a swing off with Trumbo to see which of them would join Prince Fielder in the final round. In the swingoff, Bautista put his temporary struggles behind him to advance.

In the third and final round, it was all about Prince Fielder. He put on an absolute display as he lit up the night sky for 12 bombs. Bautista tried to answer the call, but all he could come up with was seven homers in the final round. Fielder, who also won the derby back in 2009, became just the second player to win multiple home run derbies. The other player was Ken Griffey Jr., who has won three. Fielder will try to match Griffey next year at Citi Field in New York. You can probably bank on Bautista and Trumbo being likely candidates to be contenders next year as well. As for now, Prince Fielder and the American League have the momentum going into tomorrow night's All-Star Game.