Chasin' Jason

Giambi set to defend Derby title against Delgado, Pujols

Jason Giambi overcame Sammy Sosa's dazzling display of longballs to win the 2002 Home Run Derby. Andy Lyons/Getty Images

CHICAGO (AP) -- Jason Giambi will try to defend his title in the All-Star home run derby against Carlos Delgado and Albert Pujols in a competition that for now is missing some of baseball's top sluggers.

Barry Bonds, leading the majors with 30 home runs, has said he will not take part. Chicago's two hometown homer favorites -- Sammy Sosa and Frank Thomas -- did not even make the rosters for the game Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

Giambi, in the midst of a torrid stretch after a slow start, will be joined by Toronto's Carlos Delgado, Anahiem's Garret Anderson and Seattle's Bret Boone on the American League squad.

The National League squad features a pair of St. Louis Cardinals outfielders -- Jim Edmonds and Albert Pujols -- with Atlanta's Gary Sheffield and Milwaukee's Richie Sexson.

Derby Champions Since 1991, when each player was granted 10 outs to hit as many home runs as possible:  2002  Jason Giambi 2001 Luis Gonzalez 2000 Sammy Sosa 1999 Ken Griffey Jr. 1998 Ken Griffey Jr. 1997 Tino Martinez 1996 Barry Bonds 1995 Frank Thomas 1994 Ken Griffey Jr. 1993 Juan Gonzalez 1992 Mark McGwire 1991 Cal Ripken

Last week, when asked why he won't participate in the derby, Bonds said, "Because I'm a grown man and I don't have to do it."

"Did Michael Jordan play in the slamfest every year?" the San Francisco star said. "Nobody asked him why. I'm 30-something years old. They didn't even ask me. Go ahead and get mad at me. Say what you want, but no."

Players have been known to change their minds, though, especially when fans put on the pressure.

Ken Griffey Jr. won the 1998 event at Coors Field after insisting an hour before the event that he would not compete. Griffey was booed earlier in the day while accepting a trophy as the top vote-getter in fan balloting for All-Star starters.

Sosa hit his 18th home run Saturday in the Chicago Cubs' 7-3 win over Atlanta at Wrigley Field. He has hit 12 homers since coming back June 18 from a seven-game suspension for using a corked bat.

Sosa said he does not plan to watch the All-Star Game. But asked whether he would watch the home run derby -- he won it in 2000 and finished second the next two years -- he brightened and said, "Maybe."

 

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