Your 2014 MLB Home Run Derby Primer

By Adam Lowenstein (@StatsAdam)

All eyes will be on Target Field Monday night as Major League Baseball returns to the host city of the first Home Run Derby in 1985. The 2014 edition can be seen on ESPN beginning at 8:00 pm ET.

There is a new format this time in Minnesota, with each player having seven outs instead of the customary 10. In addition, the field includes 10 competitors for the first time since 1999. There are two tandems of teammates along with more derby first-timers than veterans.

Here's what you need to know about all the participants.

NBA All Star Weekend Shouldn't Feel This Dull

Winners of the most boring competition ever conceived: The NBA's Shooting Stars Challenge.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

Many of us are still enjoying an elongated weekend for Presidents Day, but the NBA's All Star weekend is completely finished. Per usual, it left American sports fans groaning a collective "meh," despite what the league will insist was one of the most exciting All Star weekends in history.

It shouldn't be this way.

As far back as I can remember (somewhere around '93 or '94) fans and pundits have been trying to "fix" the All Star game. On paper, last night's game should have put a ribbon on a thrilling weekend of events. The East broke an All Star game record by erasing an 18-point deficit, and winning with an also-record 163 points, as both teams combined for a, you guessed it, All Star Game record 318 total points.

With all those records being set, Blake Griffin dunking his way to 38 points, Kevin Durant matching him for the game high, and Melo and Kryrie Irving each gunning their way to 30+, what could be better?