Fans Can Give Rose, Jackson This Honor

Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson, both on baseball’s suspended list, are among 100 players who will be voted on by fans selecting an All-Century team in balloting sponsored by baseball and MasterCard International. The 100 players were nominated by a committee of media members and baseball officials.

“Neither Pete Rose nor Joe Jackson’s official status [in baseball] has anything to do with the selection of the All-Century team,” Commissioner Bud Selig said at a news conference Tuesday. “They’re great players, they’re entitled to be on the ballot. If the fans choose them among their 30 greatest players [on the All-Century roster], they’re entitled to do that. It does not in any way alter the circumstances both of them are under right now.”

Selig was asked if there isn’t a contradiction in fans being allowed to vote for the two while baseball writers aren’t permitted to vote for Rose for the Hall of Fame.

“I think we’ve been through that a lot,” Selig said. “. . . In the Pete Rose situation he signed a voluntary lifetime suspension . . . and I don’t think there’s anything new that I would do to change what [late commissioner Bart Giamatti] did.”

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Milwaukee Brewer officials believe that former Angel Jim Abbott is using the All-Star break to weigh his future and could announce his retirement before the second half resumes Thursday. Abbott is 2-8, and the Brewers have lost 12 of his 15 starts.

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An emotion-tugging pregame ceremony Tuesday night only served to underscore what Texas Ranger outfielder Juan Gonzalez gave up when he rejected a selection by American League Manager Joe Torre because he wasn’t elected a starter by the fans.

Tony Gwynn, who was voted a starter and made the trip despite being on the disabled list, shook his head and said:

“If you don’t want to go, you can say you’re hurt or whatever, but when you flat-out say that you don’t want to go unless you’re starting, I think it leaves a bad taste in fans’ mouths [and] it’s not going to be any easier [for Gonzalez] to be voted in. He can hit 50 home runs by the break, and it’s still going to be one of those things fans are going to remember. I wish he would have reconsidered.”

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The latest speculation on the tenuous status of Baltimore Oriole Manager Ray Miller and General Manager Frank Wren is that both may survive the season and be replaced when it ends by St. Louis Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa, who would assume both roles. La Russa and Oriole owner Peter Angelos would seem to be a mix of strong-willed individuals, but baseball officials believe there’s a measure of validity to it.

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When Ken Griffey Jr. won the Home Run Derby on Monday night, he also won a $250,000 home for Rodger Smith of Chatsworth, in a promotion sponsored by Century 21.