Schilling Passes the Start to Johnson

The National League was forced to juggle its rotation even before the start of Tuesday night’s All-Star game as Curt Schilling decided discretion was the better part of valor, that helping his Arizona Diamondbacks protect their 3 1/2-game lead over the Dodgers in the West was more important than the honor of starting against the American League.

“As much of an honor as this would have been,” Schilling said before Arizona teammate Randy Johnson drew the start against the AL, “the overriding factor is I don’t think I could have pitched again Friday if I had pitched an inning or two tonight.

“The race goes from being a marathon to a sprint in the second half, and in our division, whoever pitches the best will win. I talked to my wife last night and she said if you don’t leave a message [for NL Manager Bobby Valentine] tonight, you’ll wake up tomorrow and pitch. I’m disappointed because I wanted the start and feel badly the way it worked out, but it’s also great for Randy.”

Valentine, who seemed to go from one controversy to another in his first All-Star managing assignment, said he wasn’t surprised by Schilling’s decision, even though the Arizona right-hander had assured him he could pitch an inning and the two had appeared at a Monday news conference to announce Schilling, 12-4 in the first half, would start.

“Somehow I’ll probably end up the bad guy again,” Valentine said of the pitching change, “but how bad is it when you can turn to a Randy Johnson? I gave some thought to Mike Hampton because he did so much for [the Mets] last year and I thought it would have been really exciting to have Chan Ho Park pitch against Ichiro [Suzuki] in the first inning, but I gave Randy the option and he said he wanted it.”

Johnson will next pitch Saturday against the Angels in Anaheim. The interleague series opens with Brian Anderson pitching Thursday and Schilling on Friday.

“I hoped yesterday it would work out,” Schilling said, referring to his initial acceptance, “but when I sat down and thought about how much is at stake for the Diamondbacks, I just felt this was the best decision. Besides, Randy thanked me for giving him Ichiro, A-Rod and Manny [Ramirez]. He deserved it. I think it will be electric when he walks out there.”

Pitching in the house he helped build through his contributions to the Mariners’ resurgence in the ‘90s and received warmly by a Safeco Field crowd of 47,364, Johnson gave up an infield hit to Ichiro Suzuki opening the game but responded by retiring six consecutive batters, striking out three, in a scoreless two innings.

“Randy was unbelievable,” said Mike Piazza, the NL catcher. “I caught him in the Boston All-Star game two years ago, but he was blowing guys away tonight. It was as if he was handing me the ball.”

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Talking about Cal Ripken Jr.’s final All-Star appearance and the home run that earned him the MVP award, Piazza said: “Obviously, he was on the other side, but you can’t help but enjoy a night like this and be impressed. Cal represents the best of the game and it was as if that home run, coming on a national stage, represented everything he has done. I’m glad I was here to see it. It was terrific.”

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Piazza flied to right in the second inning in his anticipated duel with Roger Clemens, who had beaned him last season and threw a piece of bat in his vicinity during the World Series.

“It was one at-bat,” Piazza said. “I was jacked up because it was the All-Star game, but I didn’t feel any more anxiety or anticipation because it was Roger Clemens.”

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The Dodgers and Colorado Rockies continue to discuss a trade that would return Pedro Astacio to Los Angeles and a larger deal that would package Astacio with shortstop Neifi Perez. Whether the Dodgers can offer enough to pull off either is questionable. Said a Colorado official: “If we’re going to trade Astacio or Astacio and Perez within the division, that club is going to have to overpay.”