Beltran Replaces Griffey for NL

Center fielder Carlos Beltran of the Houston Astros switched All-Star teams Sunday.

Named to the American League squad by players, managers and coaches in voting released July 4, he received the most votes among outfielders behind the elected starters -- Vladimir Guerrero, Manny Ramirez and Ichiro Suzuki. That was before he was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Astros.

Beltran was picked for the National League roster to fill the opening created when Cincinnati’s Ken Griffey Jr. was put on the 15-day disabled list. He became the first player to be chosen for one All-Star team and wind up on the other side, the commissioner’s office said.

It will be a homecoming, of sorts, for Beltran in his first All-Star game. Tuesday night’s game will be played at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Beltran is batting .263 with six home runs and 12 runs batted in in 57 at-bats for the Astros. He batted .278 with 15 homers, 51 RBIs and 14 stolen bases for the Royals before the three-team trade that sent him to Houston.

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Griffey suffered a torn right hamstring Saturday night while trying to run down Brady Clark’s drive to right-center in the fourth inning of the Reds’ 5-0 loss at Milwaukee.

An MRI exam Sunday revealed a partial tear of the muscle. Griffey plans to go to Houston to participate in ceremonies but will not take part in today’s Home Run Derby or Tuesday’s game.

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Aaron Hill of the Toronto organization was chosen the most valuable player after hitting a two-run double to lead the U.S. team to a 4-3 victory over the World squad in the All-Star Futures game at Houston. The U.S. team was managed by “Goose” Gossage. The World team was managed by Fernando Valenzuela.