Myers' 10 homers not enough in Derby

Padres first baseman falls to Reds' Adam Duvall in first round

July 12th, 2016

SAN DIEGO -- The hometown hero exited the T-Mobile Home Run Derby rather unceremoniously Monday night. But Wil Myers left with a night he and his family will be talking about for years to come.
The Padres' 25-year-old first baseman launched 10 home runs in the first round of baseball's annual slugfest. But he was outdone by Cincinnati's Adam Duvall, who hit 11. Giancarlo Stanton would later steal the show with a record 61 home runs over three rounds en route to his first Derby title.
Of course, Myers had stressed all along that he'd simply try to enjoy the moment, regardless of the result. His brother, Beau, was on the mound pitching to him, and his parents, Pam and Eric, flew in Monday morning and watched the Derby from behind home plate.
Home Run Derby game
"It could be a once-in-a lifetime opportunity for me, just being in the Home Run Derby and starting an All-Star Game," Myers said earlier in the day. "I'm just going to soak up every minute of it. I'm not going to take any of it for granted. I'm going to enjoy every second."

Halfway through the first round, Beau gave Wil a moment the two will most likely laughing about for years. Shortly after Wil had launched a pair of home runs on his first two swings, Beau came high and tight -- plunking Wil on his left arm. Wil shrugged it off with a laugh and kept swinging for the fences.
"He laughed about it, I laughed about it. ... [I] honestly thought it was kind of funny," Myers said. "I'm honestly glad it happened. That was great. A memory we'll never forget."
Myers was introduced to a raucous ovation at Petco Park, and the roar only grew louder when his first two hacks left the yard.
Home Run Derby coverage
But Myers couldn't quite develop a rhythm after that. The hang time on a number of his outs proved costly, as he only took 19 hacks in his four minutes. (Batters are not allowed to take their next cut until the previous baseball lands.)
"I didn't hit as many as I'd like to, but my brother and I had a perfect time," Myers said. "… Honestly, I thought it was a perfect way to do it. I was not mad at all that I got out in the first round."
Myers' longest big fly traveled 431 feet -- meaning he wouldn't receive the bonus of 30 seconds for hitting two blasts farther than 440.

Still, seeing Beau and Wil take center stage at one of baseball's signature events was a proud moment for the Myers parents.
"I don't know that I really grasp the big-ness of it," Pam Myers said before the Derby began. "When we look at them, we still just see Wil and Beau -- not Wil, the All-Star. ... [Baseball] was just something that, at a young age, Wil really got into it. We could see he had some talent, and Beau just kind of followed along with it."
Myers was eliminated when Duvall's 11th blast landed in the left-field seats. But he'll get another chance to represent the host city in tonight's All-Star Game presented by MasterCard at 4:30 p.m. PT on Fox.

Myers -- who is joined on the National League team by Padres left-hander Drew Pomeranz -- will start as the designated hitter. He'll bat fourth, making him the first Padre to start an All-Star Game in the cleanup spot since Fred McGriff did so in 1992, the last time San Diego played host.
"I'm very excited about that opportunity," Myers said. "I'm very excited to be introduced into the starting lineup in front of the home crowd. It's going to be a cool moment for me, and it's going to be a cool moment for San Diego."