The 2012 Home Run Derby could be a repeat of Missouri's last All-Star Break: Prince Fielder, who won the 2009 competition in St. Louis, advanced to the finals Monday night with a dominant second-round performance. He'll join Toronto Blue Jays star Jose Bautista, who scuffled in the second round before beating Mark Trumbo in a five-swing tiebreaker. Fielder, who's hit multiple 470-foot home runs, currently has the lead in both distance and quantity.
Fielder, who won the Busch Stadium contest for the National League, would be the only man ever to win Home Run Derbies for both leagues, if you're keeping track of that sort of thing. With Beltran's loss in the second round, the National League has been long-ago eliminated.
For more 2012 Home Run Derby coverage, stay tuned here at SB Nation St. Louis. We're a little broken up about Carlos Beltran's elimination, but having watched Fielder's 2009 performance live I'm willing to adopt him as our honorary local angle to the story.