All-Star Omissions Take Center Stage

The complete American and National League All-Star teams were announced Tuesday. As usual, there seemed to be as much interest in who didn’t make it as who did.

Among those who did were Angel pitchers Chuck Finley and Troy Percival and Dodger closer Todd Worrell.

The most surprising omissions seemed to be Chicago Cub outfielder Sammy Sosa, who leads the National League in home runs with 26, and Montreal Expo outfielder Henry Rodriguez, who has 25 home runs and 69 runs batted in.

The teams were selected by the respective managers, Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves and Mike Hargrove of the Cleveland Indians, with assistance from the league presidents.

The process is complicated by a roster limit of 28 players, the need to have one player from every team and the fans’ selection of starters.

Cox named pitcher Steve Trachsel as the only Cub representative over Sosa. He picked shortstop Mark Grudzielanek as the only Expo representative over Rodriguez. However, Sosa or Rodriguez could still end up at next Tuesday’s game in Philadelphia, since it was announced Tuesday that starting outfielder Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres will be sidelined six weeks because of a heel injury.

Gwynn was the only Padre representative but he is still expected to attend the game in that capacity and is likely to be replaced today as a All-Star player by either Rodriguez or Sosa.

In the meantime, Cox selected Ellis Burks of the Colorado Rockies, Gary Sheffield of the Florida Marlins and Lance Johnson of the New York Mets as reserves behind starting outfielders Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants, Dante Bichette of the Rockies and Gwynn, excluding Sosa and Rodriguez.

The Atlanta manager will be accompanied to Philadelphia by six of his own players, including an All-Star record four pitchers: Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Mark Wohlers.

Also, as a final All-Star salute to St. Louis Cardinal shortstop Ozzie Smith, who has played irregularly this season and is retiring when it ends, the NL selected Smith as a reserve to starter Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds.

Worrell leads the NL with 22 saves. He went to the All-Star game in 1988 and 1995, but did not pitch last year.

Noting he is in his final years--”well, generously the final third of my career”--Worrell reflected on that long period in the early ‘90s when he struggled back from shoulder and elbow injuries and said he “never dreamt of being in the All-Star game or leading the league in saves. There’s no doubt in my mind I wouldn’t be on the field without the work of [Dodger therapist] Pat Screnar and [trainer] Charlie Strasser.”

Finley’s fourth All-Star selection was worth a $50,000 bonus, but he was remarkably unmoved. There were rumors at Anaheim Stadium that he preferred to reject the selection.

He may have been dissuaded in separate meetings with club President Tony Tavares and Manager Marcel Lachemann. Finley is 9-6 with a 4.73 earned-run average. His selection was somewhat surprising. He called it an honor, but wasn’t convincing.

“I’m going,” Finley said. “It’s a long trip but I’ll be there.”

Percival, who has 22 saves, planned to take his ski boat to Lake Havasu over the break, but said he was excited about his first selection.

“I thought I had the numbers to go, but I also knew they’re big on what a guy has done in the past,” he said.

“This is only my second year and first as a closer. I didn’t know what my chances were.”

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All-Star Game Rosters

Rosters for the 1996 All-Star game , to be played Tuesday at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

AMERICAN LEAGUE STARTERS

STARTERS

Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez, Texas

First Base: Frank Thomas, Chicago

Second Base: Roberto Alomar, Baltimore

Third Base: Wade Boggs, New York

Shortstop: Cal Ripken, Baltimore

Outfield: Albert Belle, Cleveland

Outfield: x-Ken Griffey, Seattle

Outfield: Kenny Lofton, Cleveland

RESERVES

Catcher: Sandy Alomar, Cleveland

Catcher: Dan Wilson, Seattle

Infield: Travis Fryman, Detroit

Infield: Chuck Knoblauch, Minnesota

Infield: Edgar Martinez, Seattle

Infield: Mark McGwire, Oakland

Infield: Alex Rodriguez, Seattle

Infield: Mo Vaughn, Boston

Outfield: Brady Anderson, Baltimore

Outfield: Jay Buhner, Seattle

Outfield: Joe Carter, Toronto

Outfield: Greg Vaughn, Milwaukee

PITCHERS

Chuck Finley, Angels

Roberto Hernandez, Chicago

Jose Mesa, Cleveland

Jeff Montgomery, Kansas City

Charles Nagy, Cleveland

Roger Pavlik, Texas

Troy Percival, Angels

Andy Pettitte, New York

John Wetteland, New York

*

NATIONAL LEAGUE STARTERS

STARTERS

Catcher: Mike Piazza, Dodgers

First Base: Fred McGriff, Atlanta

Second Base: Craig Biggio, Houston

Third Base: Matt Williams, San Fran.

Shortstop: Barry Larkin, Cincinnati

Outfield: Dante Bichette, Colorado

Outfield: Barry Bonds, San Fran.

Outfield: x-Tony Gwynn, San Diego

RESERVES

Catcher: Todd Hundley, New York

Catcher: Jason Kendall, Pittsburgh

Infield: Jeff Bagwell, Houston

Infield: Mark Grudzielanek, Montreal

Infield: Chipper Jones, Atlanta

Infield: Ozzie Smith, St. Louis

Infield: Eric Young, Colorado

Outfield: Ellis Burks, Colorado

Outfield: Lance Johnson, New York

Outfield: Gary Sheffield, Florida

PITCHERS

Ricky Bottalico, Philadelphia

Kevin Brown, Florida

Tom Glavine, Atlanta

Al Leiter, Florida

Greg Maddux, Atlanta

Pedro Martinez, Montreal

John Smoltz, Atlanta

Steve Trachsel, Chicago

Mark Wohlers, Atlanta

Todd Worrell, Dodgers

x-injured, will not play.