Tampa Bay Rays slugger Logan Morrison is third in the league in homers with 24, but he was not chosen as one of the eight competitors who will square off in the 2017 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Marlins Park on July 10th.
The eight bashers are all feared sluggers leading the pack in a season where homers are flying out of ballparks at an historic pace.
Buster Olney on Twitter
Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies, Mike Moustakas of the Royals round out HR Derby field. Stanton, Judge, Sanchez, Bellinger, Bour, Sano.
Morrison, however, didnt mince his words and went right for the head of Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, who has just 13 homers. Morrison feels that he was snubbed because of a small market bias and Sanchez shouldnt be a part of the most anticipated event of each All-Star weekend.
Gary shouldn’t be there..hes a great player but… I play for the Rays I get it, ” Morrison told reporters. “They cant even get my picture right.
I get where LoMo is coming from, but his premise that Sanchez isnt up to snuff is absurd. According to ESPNs Buster Olney, since last years Home Run Derby Sanchez has five more homers than Morrison (33-28). Lets also not forget that Sanchez hit more homers in his first 52 games as a pro last season than all but one player in MLB history.
If that doesnt qualify him, then his MLB-leading average homer distance of 427 feet feet and a No. 2 ranking in exit velocity seals the deal.
Sanchez responded to Morrisons somewhat disparaging remarks via reporter Dave Lennon on Twitter.
David Lennon on Twitter
Sanchez on LoMo Derby snip: “They gave me an invitation. That’s something I have no control over. It’s not my fault he didn’t get selected
If we used Morrisons logic and total homers was a deciding factor, then last years champion and hometown hero Giancarlo Stanton, whos not Top 10 in homers but hits moonshots that would put Babe Ruth to shame, wouldnt be at the showcase.
