There's no better way for big league sluggers to show off their light-tower power than in a home run derby. Actually, there is one better way. Hand them an aluminum bat, then sit back and watch the baseballs fly.
In a derby on Saturday night that helped raise funds for La Gente del Barrio Foundation, which supports children and communities in Latin America, some of baseball's biggest stars stepped to the plate with colorful bats and jerseys. The results were glorious.
The sound of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connecting with a metal bat is impossible to replicate. You just need to hear (and see) it for yourself. How about Oneil Cruz, he of the routine eye-popping exit velocities with that measly wood bat? He was there, too, rocketing lasers that quickly disappeared from sight.
The roof at loanDepot park took a bit of a beating from these metal moonshots, with other All-Stars like Junior Caminero, José Ramírez and Ketel Marte taking their hacks. But among those big name sluggers, it was up-and-coming Reds infielder Noelvi Marte who took the crown, besting Guerrero in the final round.
Guerrero was the host of the event, bringing together so many of the game's great Latin American stars, all for a good cause.
“For me, it’s a big achievement to be here with my teammates and to be able to put on a good event here in Miami,” said Guerrero. “The main thing is that we can help low-income children in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, all of Latin America.”
With the World Baseball Classic the next big showcase coming to Miami, the players on the scene this weekend said they were already starting to prepare.
“I started working out exactly last Monday," Guerrero said. "Next Monday I start hitting and running. But I feel physically very good right now.”
And his swing certainly looked the part.