Is There Any Evidence the Home Run Derby Messes up a Player's Swing?

Last year, Bautista had 31 HRs going into the break. After participating in the derby, he hit 12 in the second half. It was said because of a lingering ankle injury, but I was always skeptical.

Here's everyone from the 2011 derby

Bautista: 31 HR pre all star, 12 HR post all star

Kemp: 22 HR pre all star, 17 HR post all star

Fielder: 22 HR pre all star, 16 HR post all star

Ortiz: 19 HR pre all star, 10 HR post all star

A.Gonzalez: 17 HR pre all star, 10 HR post all star

R.Weeks: 17 HR pre all star, 3 HR post all star

Cano: 15 HR pre all star,13 HR post all star

Holliday 14 HR pre all star, 8 post all star

Only a sample size though

Let's be honest, these guys don't just do Home Run Derby on the Monday before the ASG. Another reply did a statistical rundown of the '11 participants, and while he did mention the sample size, there are other big problems with this type of evidence: 1- There are fewer games in the 2nd half, 2- It's harder to maintain huge paces down the stretch of 162, 3- Ortiz and Fielder aren't exactly in long-haul shape, 4- 10, 13, and 17 aren't exactly woeful paces for Cano, A-Gone and Kemp, 5- The only thing more certain than Bautista's pace slowing dramatically is Rickie Weeks not being a 30+ HR guy, 6- All participants except for Kemp and Bautista were in heated pennant races, meaning you'll get pitched around, worn down or downright benched once a playoff spot is secured if you're a big slugger, and finally and most importantly, 7- Great hitters have one thing in common: Lots of batting practice, not much different than that of a HR Derby.

Also remember that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In other words, if the HR Derby definitively messes with your swing, what about the non-participants? It's obviously a reach, but does this mean Dan Uggla, Curtis Granderson, David Wright, Joey Votto, Adrian Beltre and Billy Butler will provide huge numbers the rest of the year? After all they all have 5 things in common:

1. They weren't on the SI cover

2. They never barred a billy-goat from any ballparks

3. They didn't trade Ruth for cash

4..They didn't appear on the Madden cover

5. They didn't participate in the Home Run Derby

Mix and match those, change the order, it doesn't matter: They're all equally responsible factors for determining poor performance. No, swinging really hard for a couple hours has absolutely no bearing on potential late-season struggles.

In 2008, Josh Hamilton set a HRD record by blasting 28 homers in the 1st round and a total of 35 in the competition, which he lost to a pre-concussed Justin Morneau.

Hamilton was hitting .310 with 21 homers and 95 RBi (in 93 games) at the break but hit .296/11/35 (in 63 games) after the break. Additionally, Hamilton struck out 65 times in 377 at bats (once every 5.8 at bats) before the break and 61 times in 247 at bats (once every 4 at bats) after the break.

Hamilton's numbers typically drop after the break during his career so it may be the norm for him, but he was nowhere near the player he was in the first half of the season after his 2008 HRD power surge.

This problem might want to easily bypass the way of the international Hockey association -- into the dusty pages of events historic previous. If this is lob ball, use a Wiffle ball & bat, with outdoor dimensions for the field.

No evidence. However, s ome participants have struggled the second half of the year after the derby.

Yeah but Cano won it last year and still put up a monster year. Didn't affect him at all.

Anecdotal evidence, nothing more.