All-Star Game : Jackson, Garvey Will Have to Sit This One Out

The names Steve Garvey and Reggie Jackson usually come up around All-Star time.

But this year, Garvey, an 11-time National League All-Star, and Jackson, named to the American League team 14 times, were not selected as reserves for Tuesday’s game at Houston, although both players narrowly missed being voted onto the teams by the fans.

St. Louis Cardinals Manager Whitey Herzog on Friday named the Houston Astros’ Glenn Davis as the backup first baseman to starter Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets.

Kansas City Royals Manager Dick Howser selected Toronto’s Jesse Barfield and Lloyd Moseby, Boston’s Jim Rice, Chicago’s Harold Baines and Oakland’s Jose Canseco as substitutes for starting outfielders Kirby Puckett of Minnesota and Rickey Henderson and Dave Winfield of New York.

Other reserves named Friday for the National League were Dodger second baseman Steve Sax, Montreal shortstop Hubie Brooks, Chicago catcher Jody Davis, San Francisco third baseman Chris Brown and Pittsburgh catcher Tony Pena. Also named were outfielders Dave Parker of Cincinnati, Kevin Bass of Houston, Tim Raines of Montreal and Chili Davis of San Francisco.

Others named as American League reserves were Cleveland third baseman Brook Jacoby, Boston catcher Rich Gedman, Kansas City second baseman Frank White, New York first baseman Don Mattingly, Seattle third baseman Jim Presley and Toronto shortstop Tony Fernandez.

Said Jackson, who missed making the team for the second straight year: “I’m not really disappointed. I’ve been hitting around .300 and I wouldn’t have been embarrassed to be in the All-Star game. I’ve had years when I was embarrassed to be voted onto the team.

“There are 10 guys out there who deserve to make it ahead of me. Kirby Puckett should make the team ahead of me, and so should Rice, and so should Bell and so should Canseco and so should Barfield. I would have liked to make the team, but I’m happy for the three days off. I need to rest this 40-year old body.”

Garvey, who missed making the NL team for only the third time in the last 13 years, said:

“I’ve been in 10 games, had two MVPs (’74 and ‘78), have the highest lifetime batting average (.393), and we’ve won all 10 I’ve been in,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed them. I wish everyone well, and I’ll be cheering for the National League.”

Garvey is hitting .234 with 13 homers and 37 RBIs, while Jackson is hitting .290 with 9 homers and 33 RBIs.

Garvey was second to Hernandez in fan voting for the National League, finishing about 138,000 votes behind the Mets’ Gold Glove first baseman, who received 995,279. Puckett edged Jackson, who finished fourth in fan voting, by 17,000 ballots.

Kansas City third baseman George Brett, voted to a starting position, has a shoulder injury and was replaced on the roster by Cleveland’s Jacoby. American League Vice President Bob Fishel said Boston’s Wade Boggs will probably be the third base starter.

For the Dodgers’ Sax, this will be his third All-Star game. He plans to take his mother to Houston with him on an early morning flight Tuesday. “I’m happy,” Sax said. “I just wish the team were playing better.”

Detroit pitcher Willie Hernandez, who said he would skip the All-Star game to give his sore shoulder time to rest, has changed his mind. “Now, I’ve realized that I can play, so I’m going,” he said. “I had pain before, but my shoulder feels like it’s getting stronger now. I made a rash decision (Thursday) saying that I didn’t want to go.”