Pittsburgh Pirates Wake Up Call: Back back back back

In our Daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates.

Last night, Pittsburgh Pirates fans — and all baseball fans — were treated to a hitting display for the ages as the Home Run Derby delivered on the considerable buildup around the event.

Of course, Aaron Judge was the story going into the exhibition, and the show he put on last night was remarkable. Judge sent out multiple shots of 500 feet or more. Who wants to see some highlights?

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That was a hell of a show. Judge, along with Cody Bellinger and others, gave baseball fans something to ooh and aah over, which is exactly what All Star games and surrounding festivities are supposed to do.

Here is a fun visualization from the folks at Statcast that looks at all home runs hit last night:

But, alas, there were no Pittsburgh Pirates participants in the derby, which was to be expected for a club that has lacked a traditional home run threat since Pedro Alvarez last manned third first base. Alvarez was the last Pirates participant in the slugfest back in 2013. Here now is a quick look at how Pittsburgh Pirates hitters have fared historically since the contest was introduced in 1985:

The Home Run derby formats have changed considerably over the years, but Pirates hitters have consistently fared poorly when participating.

“First Half” MVP?

It is a common misnormer to refer to the game’s schedule before the All-Star Break as the “first half.” Of course, this is untrue, as the Pittsburgh Pirates will have played 89 games, or eight more than a true halfway point.

Semantics aside, we want to know who you feel is the team’s Most Valuable Player of the “first half.” Hop over to our twitter and let us know who and why.

Who has been the #Pirates "1st half" MVP?

— Jason Rollison (@jrollisonpgh) July 9, 2017

Baseball Talk on the Web

• How are the Los Angeles Angels succeeding without Mike Trout?
• Jeff Sullivan shows us the worst called ball of the first half.
• Derek Jeter called in a favor from his pal Michael Jordan, and it looks like Jeter might buy the Miami Marlins after all.

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