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| Downtown Milwaukee |
Curt Schilling was scratched as the National League's
starting pitcher in Tuesday night's All-Star Game and was replaced by former
Seattle Mariners star Randy Johnson.
Schilling, currently Johnson's teammate on the Arizona
Diamondbacks, made the decision Monday night, but the announcement was delayed
until about four hours before the first pitch.
"People may find it hard to believe, but Friday's
start at Anaheim is more important than throwing one inning in the All-Star
Game," Schilling said before the American League beat the NL 4-1.
He threw 101 pitches over seven innings Sunday in a
loss to Oakland and when he was announced as the starter by Bobby Valentine the
following day, the NL manager said he had Johnson in reserve in case Schilling
didn't feel up to pitching Tuesday.
"I completely anticipated starting," said
Johnson, who allowed an infield hit and struck out three in two scoreless
innings. "I heard about it this morning. It's a great honor."
It was the fourth start in an All-Star game for
Johnson, one short of the record shared by Don Drysdale, Lefty Gomez and Robin
Roberts.
"It wasn't an easy choice between the two of them
at the beginning," Valentine said. "Being in Seattle, I considered
starting Randy. But because of Curt's first half I went with him."
Sheets does his job
Milwaukee Brewers rookie pitcher Ben Sheets made the
most of his four pitches in Tuesday's game.
Sheets relieved Billy Wagner with two outs in the
eighth inning and got Kansas City first baseman Mike Sweeney to fly out to
shallow right field.
Tommy Lasorda, who managed Sheets in the Olympics and
was the NL's honorary manager, promised beforehand he would make sure Sheets
got in the game. "I guarantee you one thing, I'll get him in there,"
Lasorda said.
Sheets said one of the things that impressed him most
was how accommodating and friendly his All-Star teammates were, especially to a
rookie making his first appearance.
"Everybody's been very nice," he said.
"You know me. I like to meet everybody."
No Rockets go off
When Roger Clemens finally pitched to Mike Piazza
again, nothing much happened.
In their first meeting since Clemens' weird World
Series bat toss, Piazza saw seven pitches from Clemens in the second inning.
Clemens avoided the inside part of the plate, and retired Piazza on a flyout to
medium right field.
"If he had thrown one inside, it wouldn't have
surprised me at all," Piazza said.
Clemens beaned Piazza on July 8 last year, knocking
the Mets' catcher out of the All-Star Game at Turner Field. In Game 2 of the
World Series, Piazza shattered his bat on a foul ball and, in a bizarre turn,
Clemens threw the jagged barrel in front of Piazza's path.
Yankees manager Joe Torre configured his rotation to
avoid having Clemens pitch against the Mets during their six regular-season
games.
"I think it is behind us," said Valentine,
also Piazza's manager with the Mets. "It's just in our market, it's tough
to put things to rest."
Gwynn savors moment
Tony Gwynn didn't play but he was still excited to be
a part of this year's All-Star Game.
"I'm going to grab a bat. I get to take BP,"
said Gwynn, who was added to the NL squad as an honorary player and will retire
after the season. "I'm not going to play but that's fine with me.
"People are coming up and hugging you, thanking
you. I appreciate that. People are using the word ambassador.'"
Around the horn
The logo for next year's All-Star Game, which will be
played at Miller Park in Milwaukee, will be unveiled on July 23. ... All 17
elected starters were in the lineup for just the third time in 11 years. ...
Hall of Famers Luis Aparacio, Orlando Cepeda, Ferguson Jenkins, Juan Marichal
and Tony Perez threw out the ceremonial first pitches.
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