As the captain of the American League for this year's Home Run Derby, David Ortiz is faced with the tall task of selecting three players to swing for the fences alongside him. He might not have to go far to find one teammate.
Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said that he would participate in the Home Run Derby if Ortiz asks him to, according to WEEI.com.
"I think if asked it's something you should do for the fun of it," Gonzalez said. "Go out and hit some home runs."
One could argue that participating in the Home Run Derby can impact a hitter's swing, but Gonzalez isn't concerned about it, and insists that the contest is similar to batting practice.
"There are plenty of times where guys try and hit home runs in BP, so you take that same approach," he said. "Nobody will ever go into BP and at one point or another not try to hit a home run. There's going to be at least five swings you try to hit a home run."
Gonzalez participated in the event in 2009 as a member of the San Diego Padres, but he failed to make it out of the first round. He has 16 home runs on the season entering Saturday's game against the Astros.
