Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby has undergone a big makeover.
Late Wednesday (July 8), the MLB released its NBA playoff-styled, bracket format for the Monday, July 13 contest, which involves four head-to-head matchups and eight seeded players in an intriguing opening round, according to ESPN.
That initial elimination round will pit Chicago Cubs rookie Kris Bryant at No. 8 up against Los Angeles Angels slugger and first seed Albert Pujols, and fifth-seeded Manny Machado (Baltimore Orioles) against rookie and No. 4 seed Joc Pederson (Los Angeles Dodgers) on one side of the bracket.
The other side will see two-time Home Run Derby champ and No. 7 seed Prince Fielder (Texas Rangers) take on seventh-seeded Todd Frazier (Cincinnati Reds) and No. 3 Josh Donaldson (Toronto Blue Jays) up against sixth-seeded Anthony Rizzo (Chicago Cubs).
Since Pujols and Frazier have the most homers of all the contest's participants, at 26 and 25, respectively, they drew the top two seeds.
Another new wrinkle in this year's contest is the Derby's transition to a five-minute time limit from the 10-out limit used in the past.
"Swinging for five minutes, that's going to be a really long time. Really long," Pederson told ESPN. "Hopefully I don't have to go first and I can watch how some of the veterans go about it."
Under the new format, Derby participants can earn an extra minute if they hit two home runs of 420 feet or greater and an additional 30 seconds if a long ball travels 475 feet or more. One minute and 30 seconds is the maximum bonus time each player can get.
The 2015 Home Run Derby will be held at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park on Monday night (July 13). Who will be crowned king?
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
