BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ALL-STAR GAME : There Were Other Players There, but Who Would Have Guessed It?

Hideo Nomo was everywhere.

Come, see Nomo at the morning press conference.

Come, see Nomo at the afternoon press conference.

Come, see Nomo meet Randy Johnson.

Come, see Nomo meet Nolan Ryan.

Come, see the National League all-stars talk about Nomo.

Come, see the American League all-stars talk about facing Nomo.

Everywhere you turned, people were asking Nomo questions.

Dodger catcher Mike Piazza was asked everything from how he communicates to Nomo to what kind of music Nomo enjoys.

Nomo was asked everything what he thought about the O.J. Simpson murder trial to whether he was upset he wasn’t going to be able to bat in the game.

“It was absolutely crazy,” Piazza said. “I mean, I expected a lot of attention to be focused on Nomo, but, man, that’s all anybody cared about.

“It sure would have been boring without the guy. Quieter, but boring.”

Said San Diego Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn, “I don’t think anybody in this clubhouse would mind if he went eight innings. The fans would love it. Everybody would love it.”

Everybody?

“Well, maybe not [Dodger Manager] Tommy [Lasorda],” National League reliever Randy Myers said. “But we all would.”

*

Philadelphia Phillie owner Bill Giles was incensed Monday after learning that his two all-stars, catcher Darren Daulton and center fielder Lenny Dykstra, had failed to show for the workout.

“It’s embarrassing to me personally, and embarrassing to the organization, and I don’t like it,” Giles said.

Dykstra later telephoned to say he had been attending to personal business but the National League never heard from Daulton.

*

Montreal Expo rookie Carlos Perez, who has infuriated much of the league with his animated behavior after strikeouts, says he plans to have a chat with his teammates.

“I’m not trying to make anybody mad,” Perez said. I hope they understand. If people are still mad at me after that, I can’t do anything.”

Does he have anything special planned for today’s game?

“Yeah, I’m going to break out a new [dance],” Perez said. “But I’ll have to strike somebody out first to show it off.”

*

Strangest question of the day: “What do you think of the O.J. trial?” someone asked Nomo.

Nomo: “I have no idea.”

*

American League President Gene Budig joked during a press conference that Yankee Manager Buck Showalter reminds him of an accounting professor at the University of Kansas.

Said Showalter, remembering he’s working for George Steinbrenner, “I might be teaching accounting shortly.”

*

Left-handed starter Randy Johnson of Seattle, on facing four left-handers in the National League lineup: “I don’t think I’ve faced four left-handers in my last four starts combined.”

Good reason. Left-handers are hitting only .103 off Johnson this season, with three singles and 18 strikeouts in 29 at-bats.

*

Seattle Mariner first baseman Tino Martinez was on the team charter from Cleveland to Seattle on Sunday night when he telephoned his wife.

“She told me, ‘Congratulations, you made the All-Star team,’ “Martinez said.

“I said, ‘What?’ ”

Martinez, who stayed home for only four hours before catching a red-eye flight to the All-Star game, replaced injured Oakland first baseman Mark McGwire.

*

Johnson, on visiting Nolan Ryan in his hometown of Alvin, Tex.: “I get out of the plane, and there’s a bronze statue of Nolan. Then, to get to his house, we drive on the Nolan Ryan Expressway. I’m thinking, ‘Wow, they kind of like the guy down here.’ ”

*

Showalter on his three goals for the All-Star game: “Win the game. Return everybody healthy to their teams. Make sure all of the Texas Rangers get in the game.”