Sammy Sosa 2002 Home Run Derby First Round

Sammy Sosa 2002 Home Run Derby First Round

Sammy Sosa 2002 Home Run Derby First Round Home Runs
1. 447 Feet
2. 496 Feet
3. 480 Feet
4. 502 Feet
5. 520 Feet
6. 432 Feet
7. 482 Feet
8. 384 Feet
9. 512 Feet
10. 524 Feet
11. 438 Feet
12. 502 Feet
Total- 5,719 Feet

07/08/2002 11:57 pm ET
Sosa puts on a show at Derby
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com

MILWAUKEE -- Sammy Sosa went where no one thought to hit balls at Miller Park before.

Sosa launched homers up, in and out of Miller Park in Monday night's Home Run Derby but ran out of swings in the final round, losing to New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi, 7-1.

"It was a great show today," Sosa said. "I really enjoyed everything."

What a show.

"Nobody's ever thought about hitting something above the windows," Milwaukee's Richie Sexson said of Sosa, who hit several above them and at least one ball out of the ballpark. It was just like home for Sosa, who routinely belts home runs onto Waveland Avenue over the left-field bleachers for the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

"The guy who caught that ball was from Wrigley Field," Sosa said of the lucky fan who snared the souvenir. "It's something that just came out."

Sosa hit five home runs over 500 feet in the first round alone.

"I think the measurements were a little short," Sexson said.

The Cubs right fielder really wanted to win this one. He brought Cubs bullpen catcher Benny Cadahia to throw for him. Cadahia lives in Miami in the offseason and throws batting practice for Sosa, starting in January.

Cadahia's brother threw to Sosa in 2000 when Sosa won the Home Run Derby. Last year, no Cadahia was present and Sosa finished second to Arizona's Luis Gonzalez. Good luck charm? Sure.

In the first round, Sosa took the first two pitches, then launched the third 447 feet into the left-center seats.

"That's an appetizer," said New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, who was doing the play by play on ESPN.

Eight pitches later, Sosa cranked one 496 feet into the upper deck in left near the TGIFriday's restaurant at Miller Park. Sosa's fourth homer sailed 502 feet to center. His fifth was an incredible 520 feet into the upper deck.

"I just want to know what it feels like once," said Arizona pitcher Curt Schilling.

Sosa's seventh soared 482 feet.

"Let's just stop this and go out for dinner," Piazza said. "I'm getting whiplash."

Sosa's 12th struck the scoreboard in straightaway center field.

"After the first round, I was like, 'Oh my gosh,'" Giambi said. "He started out like a house on fire, hitting them almost out of the stadium. It was ridiculous. It was unbelievable."

Sosa's dozen were the third-largest first-round total in Derby competition. Giambi hit 14 in 2001 and Mark McGwire had 13 in 1999.

"I'm just starting to get warmed up," Sosa said.

Sosa advanced to the final by hitting five homers in the second round and topping Sexson by one. On his fifth, Sosa flipped the bat toward home. That was all he needed.

"He's intimidating," Sexson said.

The ball that traveled 518 feet into the steel support probably will still be lodged somewhere in Miller Park's rafters after the season is over.

But Sosa ran out of gas in the final round, hitting only one while Giambi finished with seven.

"The last round I came up a little short," Sosa said. "[Giambi] deserved to win. I realized it's not how far you hit it, it's how many you hit."

Sosa stuck to his "hit one, take one" pitch approach style.

"He swings at one and then takes one so he doesn't get too tired," Cadahia said. "I think he hit too many in the first round."

How serious is Sosa about hitting? He and Cadahia were analyzing his swing in the hallway to the showers in the clubhouse after the event was over.

"He's got tremendous raw strength," said Houston's Lance Berkman, who leads the Major Leagues with 29 home runs at the break, yet hit only one in the first round of the competition.

"He hits balls further than anybody," Berkman said of Sosa. "It's unbelievable. Especially off a batting-practice pitcher who's not generating a lot of power for you. You've got to generate a lot of power yourself."

"I put on a great show for the fans," Sosa said, "and that's what it's all about."

Carrie Muskat is a writer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Source- MLB.com

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