BASEBALL / ROSS NEWHAN : Running Down the Fans’ All-Star Voting

In the popularity contest that is the All-Star election, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith and Cal Ripken Jr. appear to be retaining their traditional starting spots.

These are the most glaring injustices in the 1990 process.

With voting for the July 10 game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field scheduled to end July 2, it is time for a progress report, to evaluate what new damage the paying patrons have wrought. Here is one man’s opinion:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

First base--Mark McGwire is No. 1 in the voting and having an All-Star year. Unfortunately, it pales compared to that of Cecil Fielder, who is No. 3 in the voting and should be No. 1.

Second base--It’s an off year for second basemen in the AL. Steve Sax and Julio Franco are first and second in the voting. Statistically, they probably should be reversed--and, anyway, the honor probably should go to transplanted Jody Reed, a shortstop on the ballot.

Shortstop--As much as Ripken’s durability and defensive play are to be admired, he has been a .220 hitter for most of the season. Ozzie Guillen and Alan Trammell should be 1-2 but are 4-6 in the voting.

Third base--At a fluctuating .270 to .290, well below his career average, Boggs simply can’t be automatic here, particularly when Kelly Gruber, second in the voting, is superior in every category and even giving Fielder competition for the runs batted in title.

Catcher--Terry Steinbach has been one of the league’s hottest hitters in June and may deserve his No. 1 status by July 2, but at this point, Lance Parrish, seventh in the voting; Pat Borders, sixth, and Sandy Alomar, second, should be ahead of him.

Outfield--Can’t argue with the electorate’s first three of Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson and Ken Griffey Jr. One oversight: Ivan Calderon should be higher than 14th.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

First base--Either Will Clark or Glenn Davis is an appropriate choice. The fans are opting for Clark. Davis is sixth, way too low.

Second base--Ryne Sandberg is as clear-cut as it gets, but it’s nice to see the fans recognize two rising young players, Delino DeShields and Roberto Alomar, who are justifiably 2-3 in the voting.

Shortstop--No apology is needed, but Smith just isn’t the wizard he once was. Barry Larkin, second in the voting, should be No. 1, and Shawon Dunston and Jose Uribe also should also be ahead of Ozzie.

Third base--It’s hard to separate Chris Sabo, Tim Wallach and Matt Williams. They are 1-3-4 in the voting, and Sabo seems a legitimate choice at the moment, but the charging Williams might be the right choice by July 2.

Catcher--Fans were been doing it right, with Benito Santiago No. 1 and Mike Scioscia No. 2. Then Santiago broke his arm when hit by a pitch, leaving Scioscia the best of the rest.

Outfield--Andre Dawson and Kevin Mitchell are fine as 1-2 in the voting. The fans have Tony Gwynn third, which isn’t bad, but either Bobby Bonilla, who is fourth, or Lenny Dykstra, now sixth, would be a stronger choice. The biggest balloting mistake: Joe Carter, vying with Williams for the NL’s RBI lead, is 16th among outfielders.

When relief ace Mark Davis rejected their four-year, $12-million offer and moved to the Kansas City Royals as a free agent, the San Diego Padres had to go to $5.35 million to sign free agent Craig Lefferts to a three-year contract as Davis’ replacement. Lefferts has proved to be a money-saving bargain and a better pitcher than Davis--based, at least, on the latter’s performance with the Royals.

Lefferts has a 5-1 record, 10 saves in 11 chances and a 1.36 earned-run average. He has stranded the last 19 runners he inherited and 21 of 23 for the season.

The San Francisco Giants, Lefferts’ former team, won nine consecutive games and 16 of 17 before Lefferts saved Tuesday night’s 4-3 San Diego victory, then pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings to get credit for Wednesday’s 4-3 victory in which San Francisco closer Steve Bedrosian took the loss.

“I bet the Giants wish they had him back,” San Diego Manager Jack McKeon said of Lefferts. Said Giant Manager Roger Craig: “It’s not like we didn’t want him back. He’s no surprise. He’s pitching well and has a chance to make my All-Star team.”

The Giants may have wanted him back but never made more than a two-year offer, which is why the fans booed, he believes, when he made his Candlestick Park appearances last week.

“They were booing (Giant President) Al Rosen, that’s the way I looked at it,” Lefferts said.

American League owners, meeting recently in Cleveland, quietly voted to outlaw the eye-in-the-sky, the system by which a coach or a club official sits in the press box and positions the defense via a telephone to the dugout. The ban stemmed from charges by the Baltimore Orioles that the Chicago White Sox positioned their eye at ground level to help steal signs. The National League will continue to permit a roving eye.

Burdened with too many outfielders--too few of whom, if any, are complete players at this point in their careers--Angel Manager Doug Rader has attempted a judicious juggling act, but the burial of Dante Bichette seems a sad and costly byproduct of the acquisition of Dave Winfield.

Bichette had started every game but one when Winfield arrived on May 18. He was leading the league in outfield assists and batting .281 with four home runs and 20 RBIs, a pace that projected to more than 20 homers and 100 RBIs.

Since then, however, Bichette has started only 17 of 35 games through Friday. His average had dropped to .252. A power hitter who needs regular employment, he has one hit in his last 25 at-bats, four in his last 38.

There are questions that beg to be answered. Did Bichette develop terminal flaws between May 17 and 18? Did the promise, the potential, the productivity suddenly disappear? Why was there no explanation? It’s a mystery, but then so is the continued employment of Devon White, whose trade value is now nil.

While Bichette sits, White has started every game but three since May 18. Yes, he can play a position that the Angels believe Bichette can’t, and that is important, but White has yet to prove he can adequately fill a position in the batting order. First or ninth, it is always the same. He had eight hits in his last 50 at-bats through Friday and a .211 average. Oh well, it is only his 10th season in pro ball and his fifth with the Angels. The miracle may happen by the turn of the century.

In the meantime, Bichette seemed in the process of making something happen, before the plug was pulled.

Strange business.