BALTIMORE -- When it was announced Wednesday that Rhys Hoskins was among the eight contestants for the Monday's T-Mobile Home Run Derby, the outfielder got a text that made him feel nostalgic. It was from a member of his host family back during Rookie ball congratulating him on the honor.
Hoskins remembers being huddled around a television with his host family watching baseball's stars effortlessly launch home runs out of the park in the Home Run Derby, hoping -- praying -- that one day he could so the same.
Hoskins -- a childhood Giants fan -- remembers the countless times over the years he's replayed Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire going back and forth in the 1996 Derby, though he doesn't remember watching live.