Griffey Leads AL All-Star Cast

Seattle Mariner outfielder Ken Griffey became the leading All-Star vote-getter for the third consecutive year and the fourth time overall, blowing away the competition in American League totals announced Tuesday.

Griffey, elected to start for the ninth consecutive time, got 4,202,830 votes, well ahead of Baltimore third baseman Cal Ripken, second with 3,402,657. Cleveland’s Jim Thome will start at first, Baltimore’s Roberto Alomar at second, Seattle’s Alex Rodriguez at shortstop, Texas’ Ivan Rodriguez at catcher, and Texas’ Juan Gonzalez and Cleveland’s Kenny Lofton joining Griffey in the outfield.

National Leaguer starters are St. Louis’ Mark McGwire at first, Houston’s Craig Biggio at second, Colorado’s Walt Weiss at shortstop, Atlanta’s Chipper Jones at third and the New York’s Mike Piazza at catcher. Colorado’s Larry Walker, San Diego’s Tony Gwynn and San Francisco’s Barry Bonds will start in the outfield.

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The Atlanta Braves will be without Ryan Klesko for at least a week after the outfielder/first baseman underwent emergency surgery Monday night to remove his appendix. . . . Lee Smith, baseball’s all-time saves leader who signed a minor-league contract with the Houston Astros on June 6th, has been released. . . . Chad Hutchinson, a second-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in the amateur draft, signed a four-year, $3.5-million contract. The Cardinals persuaded Hutchinson, a two-year starter at quarterback at Stanford with NFL aspirations, to turn his back on football.