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 Clemens replaces confused Zito on All-Star roster
Clemens replaces confused Zito on All-Star roster
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
July 14, 2003
AP - Jul 14, 2:49 pm EDT
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CHICAGO (AP) -- Roger Clemens replaced Barry Zito on the American League All-Star roster Monday, with the commissioner's office saying the Oakland left-hander was unable to pitch.
That was news to Zito, who said he found out he was off the roster while sitting with his All-Star teammates in a hotel ballroom, giving interviews.
``If I had some black-and-white explanation, it would make more sense,'' Zito said.
During the A's 1-0 win at Baltimore on Sunday, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner threw 106 pitches, getting a no-decision, allowing four hits in eight innings.
Sandy Alderson, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office, said Oakland manager Ken Macha and pitching coach Rick Peterson made the decision, and that A's general manager Billy Beane also was involved.
``Barry was informed of that opinion, and acquiesced,'' Alderson said. ``That was information relayed to us, and we acted on that information.''
Zito had been in an AL meeting before the session with reporters and said nothing was mentioned to him.
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``It has nothing to do with me or my physical situation,'' he said. ``I don't know if they didn't feel comfortable with me pitching on one days' rest.''
Zito thought he could have pitched an inning during Tuesday night's game. In last year's All-Star game, Zito replaced Mark Buehrle to start the sixth, retired Shawn Green on a groundout, then was replaced by Eddie Guardado.
``I could have given them more than the one batter I had last year,'' Zito said.
Beane, reached at his home in California, said Zito was told Sunday by Macha.
``The best interests of Barry's health and the Oakland A's going forward were better served by having Barry not throw in the game after his performance yesterday,'' Beane said Monday.
Macha, reached on his cell phone, said he and Peterson spoke with Zito after Sunday's game. The presence of A's teammates Mark Mulder and Keith Foulke on the AL roster factored into the equation.
``We told him that it was prudent he didn't pitch,'' Macha said, ``and that the A's were going to have Mulder available for two innings and Foulke available for one. That was three innings from our pitching staff, and that was sufficient.''
Clemens ties for the seventh-most All-Star selections among pitchers, trailing Warren Spahn (17), Tom Seaver (12) and Steve Carlton, Don Drysdale, Whitey Ford, Juan Marchial (10 each).
AP - Jul 14, 2:49 pm EDT
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Many New York Yankees thought Clemens should have been among the original picks for the AL All-Stars.
The only six-time Cy Young Award winner, Clemens plans to retire after this season, his 20th in the major leagues. The 40-year-old right-hander, who last month won his 300th game and got his 4,000th strikeout, was bypassed in player voting and wasn't selected by AL manager Mike Scioscia with one of his picks.
Clemens, winner of the 1986 All-Star game after retiring all nine batters he faced at Houston's Astrodome, traveled from the Yankees' game in Toronto back home to Houston on Sunday night. He wasn't told he was being added until Monday.
Meanwhile, Esteban Loaiza of the host Chicago White Sox and Jason Schmidt of the San Francisco Giants were picked as the starting pitchers for the game.
Edgar Renteria of the St. Louis Cardinals will lead off for the NL and play shortstop, NL manager Dusty Baker said Monday. He'll be followed by Cardinals' teammates Jim Edmonds, who will be in center field, and Albert Pujols in left field.
San Francisco's Barry Bonds will bat cleanup and be the designated hitter, followed by Atlanta right fielder Gary Sheffield, Colorado first baseman Todd Helton, St. Louis third baseman Scott Rolen, Atlanta catcher Javy Lopez and Montreal second baseman Jose Vidro.
Vidro is starting because of an injury to Atlanta's Marcus Giles, who sustained a concussion Friday during a collision with Cubs pitcher Mark Prior. Bonds, elected as a starting outfielder, was shifted to DH and Edmonds will start in his place in the outfield.
Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki will lead off for the AL and play right field, followed in the batting order by New York Yankees second baseman Alfonso Soriano, Toronto first baseman Carlos Delgado, Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez, Anaheim left fielder Garret Anderson, Seattle designated hitter Edgar Martinez, Yankees center fielder Hideki Matsui, Anaheim third baseman Troy Glaus and Yankees catcher Jorge Posada.
For the first time, the league that wins the All-Star game will gain home-field advantage in the World Series.
``I think with a little more on the line, it will make the game more interesting, definitely for the fans and the media,'' Scioscia said.
Scioscia led the Anaheim Angels to their first World Series title last year. Baker managed the Giants to the NL pennant, then left to become manager of the Cubs.
``Without Jason Schmidt, I probably wouldn't be sitting here now as National League manager,'' Baker said.
Updated on Monday, Jul 14, 2003 3:14 pm EDT
 
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