ANAHEIM, Calif. — David Ortiz delivered his big bat and booming personality to the Home Run Derby on Monday night. But when a diminished slugger can conquer a diminished field — as Ortiz did, defeating Hanley Ramirez in the final round — it may be time to wonder whether the derby, with home runs declining and many of baseball’s most prominent sluggers giving it a pass, has lost some of its juice.
Hanley Ramirez finished second in the Home Run Derby to David Ortiz in an 11-5 final round.
Television ratings for one of the staples of the All-Star events remain strong — more than eight million viewers tuned in last year — as does local interest. A near-capacity crowd once again turned out for the derby, which is the star of the Monday night festivities that precede Tuesday’s game.
