When contestants for the 2011 Home Run Derby were announced Tuesday Matt Holliday, a member of the National League team captained by Prince Fielder, had just 10 home runs. Fittingly, he provided two more before the night was over in the St. Louis Cardinals' rout of the Reds, but he remained a surprising choice for a roster that also had second baseman Rickie Weeks on it, joining more stereotypical sluggers Fielder and Matt Kemp. Lance Berkman, who leads the Cardinals and the National League with 23 home runs, will not be participating.
In a controversial move, each team of sluggers was selected by the league's team captain—this year, those were previous winners Fielder and David Ortiz. Weeks's selection, in particular, has come under some scrutiny; his career high in home runs is 29, which he hit in a breakout 2010 campaign. The American League roster includes the unmatched Jose Bautista, who has 29 home runs already, as well as Adrian Gonzalez and another surprising second baseman, the New York Yankees' Robinson Cano.
Holliday hit five home runs in the 2010 Home Run Derby but did not advance to the second round.