Ex-Ray, ex-drug abuser Josh Hamilton warped minds last night with his display of power-hitting at the MLB Home Run Derby, part of the All-Star Game festivities.

Without going into rules particulars, Hamilton swung at 38 pitches (friendly throws from a batting-practice pitcher). He knocked 28 out of the park, and lots of ’em were moon shots. That 28 is a record for one round in the event.

This article appears in Jul 9-15, 2008.

Eric Snider is the dean of Bay area music critics. He started in the early 1980s as one of the founding members of Music magazine, a free bi-monthly. He was the pop music critic for the then-St. Petersburg...