2017 MWBL CHRISTMAS CLASSIC HOME RUN DERBY

Mesa, Arizona – For the fourth year now the Mid-West Baseball League Christmas Classic history took place in Mesa, Arizona.   Hohokam Park was renovated in 2014 to a state of the art facility in the heart of Mesa. The Christmas Classic tradition continues in 2017, as Hohokam Park opened its gates to a record breaking crowd of just over 10,007 fans, 6 more heads in attendance since last years Classic.  This year’s weather was a perfect 68 degrees with a little cloud cover & a perfect afternoon for the 2017 MWBL Christmas Classic.

2017 had a two timer winner in Miguel Cabrera as a participant, along with plenty of veterans of the Mid-West Baseball League & the Christmas Classic itself.   The cast of the 2017 Christmas Classic can be found here. This would be a great show for the fans & give great exposure for the league itself.  A perfect way to showcase some of the leagues best bats.

Round I was the Khris Davis show as Davis belted out 7 Long balls including a 495 foot blast.  That shot was no where near the longest in Round I, nor the Classic itself.  The long ball of the day was hit in Round I by Todd Frazier who had the biggest smile of the day with his 538 blast that out-distanced the next longed by 8 feet.   Falliong 8 feet short of Frazier shot was Nolan Arenado who’s 530 foot shot was his only Home Run in the Classic.   Three players hit 4 Home Runs in Round I, but couldn’t get the 5 Home Runs needed to move on to Round II.    Khris Davis along with Chris V. Carter, Mike Trout & Yoenis Cespedes were the four who ventured further into what was chapping up to be a great Christmas Classic.

Round II saw Cespedes only get one good shot as he was the first to bat.   Chris V. Carter & Mike Trout both hit 5 long balls in Round II.   Khris Davis mustered up enough strength for 3 long balls, but that put him out of the Finals.

Both Mike Trout & Chris V. Carter were gassed & it could be seen rather quickly as both Trout & Carter were coming up just a little short in distance, banging a total of 8 fly balls off the walls.   Trout went first & managed to bang out 2 bombs, but said after his bats “I hope this doesn’t effect my swing for the 2018 MWBL Season – Motor City Muscle General Manager Jim Craddock would be upset with me if this changed my swing path”.   Chris V. Carter came up & he hit 2 long balls with only 7 Outs.   Carter swung & lifted 2 more long balls that came up short.   So with one out left, or one long ball to go it came down to the last pitch.

Chris V. Carter did it he blasted his 3rd Home Run of the Final Round to win it on the last pitch.   The 449 foot blast gave Carter the title of the 2017 Mid-West Baseball League Christmas Classic Champion.  General Manager Jim Farmer was quoted after the Classic from his home in Valdosta Georgia saying “He’s on the trade block even after this display of power, we’re confident that some other MWBL Franchise will take Carter off our hands.  But I’m happy he won the 2017 Christmas Classic as a member of the Snappers.”

The Christmas Classic Rules are posted here.