"David Ortiz didn't have to look far to make his first selection to the American League squad for the All-Star Home Run Derby.

Almost daily, the AL captain takes batting practice with Adrian Gonzalez.

"If I hit one out, he comes and hits two, and then I go and hit three, and he goes and hits four," Ortiz said yesterday. "We're always going back and forth. When we started talking about the home run derby, they told me, 'You can pick three guys with you to go (to) the home run derby,' and the first thing that came to my mind was Gonzo."

Gonzalez will join Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista and, in all likelihood, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano on the AL Derby team captained by Ortiz. The Derby will be held next Monday night at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Ortiz said he initially made calls to Bautista and Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, who rank first and second, respectively, in the majors in home runs since May 1 of last year. But Teixeira was excluded from the AL All-Star roster and said yesterday he won't travel to Arizona only for the derby.

Cano already has told Ortiz that he would be interested in competing. Ortiz said he also has considered Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, although he hasn't contacted him.

"That guy got me tired hitting bombs," Ortiz said, referring to Hamilton's performance in the 2008 Derby at the old Yankee Stadium. "If he wanted to do it, I might say, 'OK, hit for me.'?"

Ortiz, selected to a seventh All-Star Game, will be participating in his fourth home run derby. Gonzalez will be making his second derby appearance. In 2009, the then-San Diego Padres first baseman was eliminated in the first round.

Unlike some hitters, Gonzalez isn't concerned that trying to swing for the fences will foul up his swing."