MLB All-Star Game 2002

Keyword
MLB
Scores
Schedule
Pitching Probables
Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Players
Power Alley
All-Star Voting
All-Time Stats
Message Board
Minor Leagues
MLB en espanol
CLUBHOUSE


THE ROSTER
Jim Caple
Peter Gammons
Joe Morgan
Rob Neyer
John Sickels
Jayson Stark
SHOP@ESPN.COM
TeamStore
ESPN Auctions
SPORT SECTIONS
Sunday, June 30
Updated: July 1, 10:45 PM ET
 
Torre picks five shortstops for American League

Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Bob Brenly and Joe Torre rewarded their own, each taking six players from their teams to the All-Star Game.

Brenly picked six of the World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks to come with him to Milwaukee for the All-Star Game on July 9. Three members of the AL champion New York Yankees were voted onto the team and Torre selected three more as reserves.

AL All-Stars
Starters
C J. Posada, Yankees 13-50-.262
1B J. Giambi, Yankees 21-64-.316
2B A. Soriano, Yankees 18-46-.322
3B S. Hillenbrand, Red Sox 13-49-.304
SS A. Rodriguez, Rangers 24-65-.302
OF I. Suzuki, Mariners 2-28-.357
OF M. Ramirez, Red Sox 9-37.-348
OF T. Hunter, Twins 18-56-.305
Reserves
C A.J. Pierzynski, Twins 5-31-.323
1B M. Sweeney, Royals 15-45-.361
1B P. Konerko, White Sox 20-70-.336
SS N. Garciaparra, Red Sox 10-60-.315
SS M. Tejada, A's 15-59-.299
SS D. Jeter, Yankees 11-39-.305
SS O. Vizquel, Indians 10-45-.295
3B T. Batista, Orioles 18-50-.278
3B R. Ventura, Yankees 19-57.254
OF G. Anderson, Angels 15-59-.301
OF R. Winn, Devil Rays 6-39-.307
OF R. Fick, Tigers 10-34-.293
Pitchers
M. Buerhle, White Sox 11-6, 3.62
D. Lowe, Red Sox 11-4, 2.18
P. Martinez, Red Sox 9-2, 3.07
F. Garcia, Mariners 11-5, 3.56
K. Sasaki, Mariners 0.32, 18 Sv
B. Zito, A's 10-3, 3.58
R. Halladay, Blue Jays 9-4, 3.15
M. Rivera, Yankees 1.57, 19 Sv
E. Guardado, Twins 2.56, 24 Sv

Torre was criticized last season for selecting seven Yankees. This year, first baseman Jason Giambi, catcher Jorge Posada and second baseman Alfonso Soriano were voted on by the fans, and Torre picked closer Mariano Rivera, shortstop Derek Jeter and third baseman Robin Ventura.

"My players are qualified to go to the All-Star Game, not just because I pick them,'' said Torre, managing for the game for the fifth time. "My players, if they don't stand up to other players, then I don't take them.''

Brenly, a first-time All-Star manager, took starting pitchers Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, outfielder Luis Gonzalez and three first-timers: closer Byung-Hyun Kim, second baseman Junior Spivey and catcher Damian Miller.

Some of Brenly's players thought infielder Craig Counsell should have gone, too.

"It was extremely tough,'' Brenly said. "There are always some guys who are deserving who aren't going to get to go.''

Boston was the only other team with more than three All-Stars. Outfielder Manny Ramirez and third baseman Shea Hillenbrand were voted on, and pitchers Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe, and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra are reserves.

The other AL starters are Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez and outfielders Ichiro Suzuki of Seattle and Torii Hunter of Minnesota.

The NL starters are New York catcher Mike Piazza; Colorado first baseman Todd Helton; Montreal second baseman Jose Vidro and outfielder Vladimir Guerrero; shortstop Jimmy Rollins and third baseman Scott Rolen of Philadelphia; and outfielders Barry Bonds of San Francisco and Sammy Sosa of Chicago.

"The All-Star Game is the best,'' Sosa said. "Going there, showing how hard I've worked, for me, it's something I'm going to go up and enjoy.''

Suzuki was the top vote-getter with 2,516,016 votes. Sosa led the NL with 2,140,315.

There are 25 first-time selections, including four who got voted on by the fans: Hillenbrand, Soriano, Hunter and Rolen.

"I couldn't even imagine being in the position I'm in,'' Hillenbrand said. "It's very gratifying.''

NL All-Stars
Starters
C M. Piazza, Mets 15-46-.285
1B T. Helton, Rockies 16-60-.344
2B J. Vidro, Expos 8-55-.334
3B S. Rolen, Phillies 11-48-.245
SS J. Rollins, Phillies 7-30-.267
OF Sammy Sosa, Cubs 27-53-.313
OF Barry Bonds, Giants 25-50-.348
OF V. Guerrero, Expos 18-55-.330
Reserves
C D. Miller, D-Backs 9-36-.275
C B. Santiago, Giants 7-38-.276
1B R. Sexson, Brewers 18-57-.284
2B J. Spivey, D-Backs 9-43-.325
2B L. Castillo, Marlins 2-18-.332
SS J. Hernandez, Brewers 13-40-.289
3B M. Lowell, Marlins 13-53-.316
OF L. Berkman, Astros 25-68-.283
OF L. Gonzalez, D-Backs 16-57-.288
OF S. Green, Dodgers 25-63-.281
OF A. Dunn, Reds 15-48-.305
Pitchers
R. Johnson, D-Backs 12-2, 2.38
C. Schilling, D-Backs 13-3, 3.22
B. Kim, D-Backs 2.47, 20 Sv
O. Perez, Dodgers 9-3, 2.33
E. Gagne, Dodgers 1.30, 29 Sv
M. Morris, Cardinals 10-5, 3.27
T. Glavine, Braves 11-3, 1.75
J. Smoltz, Braves 4.53, 27 Sv
M. Williams, Pirates 1.95, 23 Sv
T. Hoffman, Padres 2.30, 20 Sv

Two notable absences are Mets second baseman Roberto Alomar, who had made the team 12 straight years, and Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who made it 10 consecutive times.

Alomar, hitting just .260, was passed in the voting in the final week by Vidro.

"I think Vidro deserved to be the No. 1 guy,'' Alomar said. "He's having a great year.''

Rodriguez missed nearly two months with an injured back and finished fewer than 19,000 votes behind Posada.

"It's going to be strange because I've been there every year,'' said Rodriguez, who started the last nine All-Star Games, tying Johnny Bench's record for catchers.

Torre dodged a difficult decision of which of the many talented AL shortstops to take by bringing five to Milwaukee. Backing up Rodriguez will be Jeter, Garciaparra, Cleveland's Omar Vizquel and Oakland's Miguel Tejada, who is going for the first time.

One of those players might be forced to play second base, as Soriano has no backup.

"I would play second if they want,'' Vizquel said. "I'd play right field. I don't care. To me, it is the biggest honor to go to an All-Star Game.''

The Yankees became the first AL team since the 1954 White Sox to have All-Stars at all four infield positions and catcher, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"Our infield has hit a lot of home runs. It's special to be a part of,'' Jeter said.

Brenly took five closers: Kim, Atlanta's John Smoltz, San Diego's Trevor Hoffman, and first-timers Mike Williams of Pittsburgh and Eric Gagne of Los Angeles.

"This is a nice reward,'' said Smoltz, who made it for the first time as a reliever after being picked four times as a starter.

The other first-time NL All-Stars are Los Angeles pitcher Odalis Perez, Florida infielders Luis Castillo and Mike Lowell, Milwaukee infielders Richie Sexson and Jose Hernandez and Cincinnati outfielder Adam Dunn.

"I think my smile was from ear to ear,'' Lowell said. "I was glowing.''

Despite having the worst record in the NL, the Brewers will have two All-Stars for the hometown fans to cheer.

"Maybe you get a little more favoritism when it's in your home park,'' Sexson said.

In the AL, pitchers Mark Buehrle of Chicago, Eddie Guardado of Minnesota, Roy Halladay of Toronto and Barry Zito of Oakland; Minnesota catcher A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko; and outfielders Robert Fick of Detroit, Garret Anderson of Anaheim and Randy Winn of Tampa Bay are going for the first time.

The other NL All-Stars are pitchers Tom Glavine of Atlanta and Matt Morris of St. Louis, San Francisco catcher Benito Santiago, and outfielders Lance Berkman of Houston and Shawn Green of Los Angeles.

The other AL All-Stars are Seattle pitchers Freddy Garcia and Kazuhiro Sasaki, Baltimore third baseman Tony Batista and Kansas City first baseman Mike Sweeney.

There is still one spot open on each team to be determined by fan voting on the Internet over the next two days at MLB.com and ESPN.com. Each manager picked five players for fans to choose from.

Cleveland's Jim Thome, Oakland's Eric Chavez, Boston's Johnny Damon, Anaheim's Darin Erstad and Chicago's Magglio Ordonez are in the running for the AL spot.

St. Louis' Albert Pujols, San Diego's Ryan Klesko, Colorado's Larry Walker, Pittsburgh's Brian Giles and Atlanta's Andruw Jones are in the running for the NL spot.





 More from ESPN...
Ratto: The long and short of it
Does the All-Star Game really ...
30th Man: Who to vote for
Baseball has named 10 ...

Pudge's nine-game All-Star streak ends
For the first time since he ...

Twins have three All-Stars for second straight year
When Minnesota Twins general ...

Red Sox's success helps them earn five All-Stars
The Red Sox are sending are ...


AUDIO/VIDEO
Audio
 Fan Favorite
The NL's leading vote-getter Sammy Sosa may be asked to return to his centerfield roots.
RealAudio

 Lucky 13
Curt Schilling heads a group of six D-Backs on the National League roster.
RealAudio

 All-Star Selection Special
Skipper Bob Brenly mulls over the endless lineup possibilities with sluggers like Bonds, Guerrero and Sosa.
Standard | Cable Modem

 The Great Debate
Joe Torre discusses the Yankees' presence, shortstop depth and more in his All-Star preview.
RealAudio

 All-Star Selection Special
The Baseball Tonight crew welcomes the "new blood" elected to the All-Star Game.
Standard | Cable Modem

 Dan Patrick Show
ESPN's Peter Gammons, Dan Patrick and Rob Dibble debate the All-Star selection process.
RealAudio

 Dan Patrick Show
ESPN's Peter Gammons finds fault in the American League's saturation at the shortstop position.
RealAudio

 ESPN Tools
Email story
 
Most sent
 
Print story