While he may be doing poorly in the batting average column during this regular season Matt Holliday Jersey , Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper blew away the competition in exciting fashion to win the 2018Home Run Derby hitting a total of 45 home runs.While he may have only won by one home run in each round, he still managed to pull off an improbable victory.With just around 1:30 left in the final round, Harper was down 18-9, but he stormed back and seemed to just knock home run after home run if the ball was anywhere near the zone.To make it even better, the pitches came from his dad.Below, we'll recap each round with the home run totals and comment on some takeaways from the event. 2018 Home Run Derby ResultsFirst RoundNo. 2 Bryce Harper 13, No. 7 Freddie Freeman, 12No. 3 Max Muncy 17, No. 6 Javier Baez, 16No. 8 Rhys Hoskins 17, No. 1Jesus Aguilar, 12No. 5 Kyle Schwarber 16, No. 4 Alex Bregman, 15 SemifinalsNo. 2 Bryce Harper 13 http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-austin-romine-jersey , No. 3 Max Muncy, 12No. 5 Kyle Schwarber 21, No. 8 Rhys Hoskins, 20FinalsNo. 2 Bryce Harper 19, No. 5 Kyle Schwarber, 18Format Takeaways1. Timed Rounds Are BestFor so long, we had the "10-out" format. While it allowed us to see some wild home run totals, the event would drag on to the point where viewers would just tune out.Now, with the timed rounds, it adds intrigue, and we saw that firsthand as Harper hit his 18th home run in the final round with just seconds left.The event still went around 2.5 hours, but it felt shorter than that due to the timer.It almost makes you wonder what baseball would be like if instead of innings we had a time clock.No, I'm joking. Don't hurt me.The rounds have a timeout, which will help competitors preserve some energy.2. Seedings Need to Be ReworkedThe seeding system is a bit broken Reggie Jackson Jersey , though it might be tough to figure out.For example, Rhys Hoskins is an incredible power hitter, but due to injury, he was the No. 8 seed and dominated the No. 1 seed, Jesus Aguilar.Instead, maybe they should do the seedings based on an average length of home runs. While that may be an inexact science with different home run totals, it would at least give some insight into the competitor's overall power.Either way, whatever MLB decides, total home runs is not a good determiner. We also saw No. 1 seed Giancarlo Stanton lose last year in the opening round.What do you think would be a better idea? 3. This Was a Fun GroupYeah, the header says it all. This was just a fun cast of guys to compete in this.Sure, having New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge back in it to defend his title would have been fun, but there was no clear-cut winner from this one, though Harper was in front of his home audience.All eight guys had a legitimate shot at winning鈥攎y favorite was Muncy.Even down to the final round, we had Schwarber vs. Harper http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-bernie-williams-jersey , who put on an entertaining round, capped off by a Harper walk-off with his extra time.The 2019 Home Run Derby has a lot to live up to, that's for sure! The Chicago Cubs have been searching for a starting pitcher before the trade deadline and apparently have their eyes on Cole Hamels.According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Cubs are "making inroads" on a potential trade with the Texas Rangers for the veteran pitcher.Jim Bowden of The Athletic added that the return would likely be lower-level prospects.Hamels is currently 5-9 with a 4.72 ERA in 20 starts this season.While the ERA would be the worst in the 34-year-old's 13-year career in the majors, it would still be a slight improvement compared to Tyler Chatwood. The Cubs' fifth starter has been inconsistent this season and has hurt the team's chances to win the NL Central.Hamels has also shown he can be much better even late in his career. Over the previous two seasons with Texas, the left-hander accumulated a 26-11 record and 3.69 ERA, earning an All-Star appearance in 2016.Adding in his playoff experience that includes a World Series MVP award and a 3.48 ERA in 16 starts, the veteran could be a perfect addition for a team looking to bring home another title.Considering Texas is 42-61 on the season, there shouldn't be too much debate about trading away a player in the last season of his seven-year deal, which was originally signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.The biggest holdup could be money since Hamels is owed $23.5 million this season (including $2.5 million paid by the Phillies), perBaseball Reference. He also has a buyout of $6 million for next year if the team doesn't pick up his $20 million option, which seems unlikely.The Rangers could have to pay for a portion of the remaining contract, but the amount of money sent could also affect the level of return from the Cubs.
