Locals Flavor All-Star Teams

Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson and Bartolo Colon are bound for Detroit, as are Jeff Kent and Cesar Izturis, all of them All-Stars in the 76th playing of a game that will hold six St. Louis Cardinals, four Boston Red Sox and, perhaps, Kenny Rogers.

The Angels, who will arrive at the All-Star break in first place in the American League West, had Guerrero voted in by fans as a starter, Anderson as a reserve by fellow players, and Colon added by AL Manager Terry Francona.

Kent, signed by the Dodgers as a free agent in the off-season, will start at second base. Izturis led the player vote by a wide margin despite a monthlong slump caused in part by a hamstring injury. He will back up starter David Eckstein, who after last season was let go by the Angels and signed by the Cardinals, and won the fan balloting by nearly 600,000 votes.

The game will be played July 12 at Detroit’s Comerica Park.

Of the locals, only Izturis, 25, is a first-timer. Guerrero has been on five previous All-Star teams, the first four with the Montreal Expos. Colon has been on one and Kent four. Anderson has participated in two, including in 2003, when he was the game’s most valuable player and home-run derby winner.

Anderson said he would consider entering again.

“If I’m asked to do it, I would,” he said. “I don’t anticipate that, but I would.”

Guerrero said he’d pass, if asked, “because I swing at everything. I wouldn’t be a good candidate.”

Of his appearance, Guerrero said, “It’s a privilege to continue something with the Angels that I started with Montreal.”

Said Anderson: “Any time you’re picked for something like that, it’s an honor. It never gets old. You’re happy to go, and you look forward to it.”

Izturis, too, was thrilled at the opportunity, calling it “a dream come true,” though Dodger officials are wary of his lingering hamstring injury.

Kent was more subdued.

“These are personal accomplishments that players get recognized for,” Kent said. “That’s not why I play the game.” He added that he was “humbled and appreciative” of the fans’ votes.

Four players from the defending World Series champion Red Sox were named AL starters: catcher Jason Varitek, outfielders Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon, and designated hitter David Ortiz. Swept by the Red Sox in the World Series, the Cardinals had three players named NL starters (third baseman Scott Rolen, outfielder Jim Edmonds and Eckstein) and three others reserves (first baseman Albert Pujols, starting pitcher Chris Carpenter and closer Jason Isringhausen).

The other AL starters: Texas Ranger first baseman Mark Teixeira, Baltimore Oriole second baseman Brian Roberts, New York Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Oriole shortstop Miguel Tejada. For the NL: New York Met catcher Mike Piazza, Chicago Cub first baseman Derrek Lee, Philadelphia Phillie outfielder Bobby Abreu and Met outfielder Carlos Beltran.

Thirty-one players were chosen from each league. Another will be added this week by an Internet vote. Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Torii Hunter, Scott Podsednik and Carl Crawford are eligible in the AL, Billy Wagner, Brett Myers, Trevor Hoffman, Roy Oswalt and Brandon Webb in the NL.

The process left out All-Star regulars such as Barry Bonds, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Greg Maddux and, perhaps, Jeter, either because of injury or atypical seasons.

Among the snubs, either because of skewed fan votes or the requirement that each team be represented: Houston’s Morgan Ensberg, the New York Mets’ Cliff Floyd, Boston’s Matt Clement, Philadelphia’s Pat Burrell, Florida’s Carlos Delgado, the Chicago White Sox’s Dustin Hermanson, Washington’s Nick Johnson and Jose Guillen, and St. Louis’ Matt Morris.

The pick most likely to be debated is Rogers, the Texas left-hander who had nine wins and a 2.46 earned-run average and was fifth in the player voting. He was, however, suspended for 20 games last week after shoving two cameramen, one of them twice, before a game. Rogers appealed the suspension, which was held in abeyance, and he remained eligible for the All-Star game.

In Boston, Francona said that in including Rogers, “I abided by the process.”

Rogers, who pitched Sunday night in Seattle, apparently has not yet decided whether he will attend. Baseball officials are uncomfortable with the distraction Rogers would create in Detroit but have not forbidden his participation. Rogers is due a $50,000 bonus for making the team; he was fined $50,000 for the altercation.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Five stars

Two Dodgers and three Angels were selected to the All-Star teams, which will play July 12 at Comerica Park in Detroit (5 p.m. PDT, Ch. 11). Rosters, D8.

DODGERS

Jeff Kent* 2B

Cesar Izturis SS

*Starter

*

ANGELS

Vladimir Guerrero* RF

Garret Anderson LF

Bartolo Colon P

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All-Star teams

Rosters for the 76th All-Star game, to be held July 12 at Comerica Park in Detroit (5 p.m. PDT, Channel 11). One player will be added to each team Wednesday by Internet vote at www.mlb.com:

AMERICAN LEAGUE STARTERS

P; Player, Team; B/T; Age; Star; AVG; HR; RBIs

C; Jason Varitek, Boston; S/R; 33; 2; .308; 13; 34

1B; Mark Teixeira, Texas; S/R; 25; 1; .286; 22; 64

2B; Brian Roberts, Baltimore; S/R; 27; 1; .359; 13; 44

3B; Alex Rodriguez, New York; R/R; 29; 9; .323; 20; 66

SS; Miguel Tejada, Baltimore; R/R; 29; 3; .321; 19; 60

LF; Manny Ramirez, Boston; R/R; 33; 9; .275; 20; 70

CF; Johnny Damon, Boston; L/L; 31; 2; .343; 4; 42

RF; Vladimir Guerrero, ANGELS; R/R; 29; 6; .350; 14; 47

DH; David Ortiz, Boston; L/L; 29; 2; .308; 19; 67

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RESERVES

P; Player, Team; B/T; Age; Star; AVG; HR; RBIs

C; Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit; R/R; 33; 12; .293; 5; 29

1B; Shea Hillenbrand, Toronto; R/R; 29; 2; .305; 8; 37

1B; Paul Konerko, Chicago; R/R; 29; 2; .246; 19; 53

1B; Mike Sweeney, Kansas City; R/R; 31; 5; .299; 9; 37

2B; Alfonso Soriano, Texas; R/R; 29; 4; .277; 20; 51

3B; Melvin Mora, Baltimore; R/R; 33; 2; .300; 14; 46

SS; Michael Young, Texas; R/R; 28; 2; .325; 12; 43

OF; Garret Anderson, ANGELS; L/L; 33; 3; .309; 10; 60

OF; Gary Sheffield, New York; R/R; 36; 9; .297; 13; 57

OF; Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle; L/R; 31; 5; .301; 6; 27

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STARTING PITCHERS

Player, Team; B/T; Age; Star; W-L; ERA

Mark Buehrle, Chicago; L/L; 26; 2; 10-1; 2.42

Bartolo Colon, ANGELS; R/R; 32; 2; 11-4; 3.06

Jon Garland, Chicago; R/R; 25; 1; 13-3; 3.29

Roy Halladay, Toronto; R/R; 28; 3; 11-4; 2.40

Kenny Rogers, Texas; L/L; 40; 3; 9-3; 2.46

Johan Santana, Minnesota; L/L; 26; 1; 7-4; 3.74

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RELIEF PITCHERS

Player, Team; B/T; Age; Star; Saves; ERA

Justin Duchscherer, Oakland; R/R; 27; 1; 4; 1.48

Joe Nathan, Minnesota; R/R; 30; 2; 22; 3.67

Mariano Rivera, New York; R/R; 35; 7; 17; 0.88

B.J. Ryan, Baltimore; L/L; 29; 1; 18; 1.67

Bob Wickman, Cleveland; R/R; 36; 2; 22; 2.61

Danys Baez, Tampa Bay; R/R; 27; 1; 13; 2.83

Players eligible for fan vote: Carl Crawford, OF, Tampa Bay; Torii Hunter, OF, Minnesota; Derek Jeter, SS, New York; Hideki Matsui, OF, New York; Scott Podsednik, OF, Chicago.

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NATIONAL LEAGUE STARTERS

P; Player, Team; B/T; Age; Star; AVG; HR; RBIs

C; Mike Piazza, New York; R/R; 36; 12; .264; 9; 34

1B; Derrek Lee, Chicago; R/R; 29; 1; .386; 25; 67

2B; Jeff Kent, DODGERS; R/R; 37; 5; .302; 15; 59

3B; Scott Rolen, St. Louis; R/R; 30; 4; .250; 5; 21

SS; David Eckstein, St. Louis; R/R; 30; 1; .290; 2; 23

LF; Carlos Beltran, New York; S/R; 28; 2; .262; 9; 40

CF; Jim Edmonds, St. Louis; L/L; 35; 4; .283; 15; 50

RF; Bobby Abreu, Philadelphia; L/R; 31; 2; .314; 17; 52

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RESERVES

P; Player, Team; B/T; Age; Star; AVG; HR; RBIs

C; Paul Lo Duca, Florida; R/R; 33; 3; .308; 2; 33

1B; Albert Pujols, St. Louis; R/R; 25; 4; .340; 21; 66

2B; Luis Castillo, Florida; S/R; 29; 3; .338; 2; 16

3B; Aramis Ramirez, Chicago; R/R; 27; 1; .299; 17; 50

SS; Cesar Izturis, DODGERS; S/R; 25; 1; .275; 1; 20

SS; Felipe Lopez, Cincinnati; S/R; 25; 1; .321; 14; 48

OF; Moises Alou, San Francisco; R/R; 39; 6; .325; 12; 39

OF; Jason Bay, Pittsburgh; R/R; 26; 1; .311; 15; 41

OF; Miguel Cabrera, Florida; R/R; 22; 2; .341; 16; 59

OF; Luis Gonzalez, Arizona; L/R; 37; 5; .302; 11; 50

OF; Andruw Jones, Atlanta; R/R; 28; 4; .280; 26; 59

OF; Carlos Lee, Milwaukee; R/R; 29; 1; .270; 22; 72

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STARTING PITCHERS

Player, Team; B/T; Age; Star; W-L; ERA

Chris Carpenter, St. Louis; R/R; 30; 1; 12-4; 2.60

Roger Clemens, Houston; R/R; 42; 11; 6-3; 1.50

Livan Hernandez, Washington; R/R; 30; 2; 12-2; 3.32

Pedro Martinez, New York; R/R; 33; 7; 9-2; 2.74

Jake Peavy, San Diego; R/R; 24; 1; 7-2; 2.89

John Smoltz, Atlanta; R/R; 38; 7; 9-5; 2.68

Dontrelle Willis, Florida; L/L; 23; 2; 12-3; 2.04

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RELIEF PITCHERS

Player, Team; B/T; Age; Star; Saves; ERA

Chad Cordero, Washington; R/R; 23; 1; 29; 0.85

Brian Fuentes, Colorado; L/L; 29; 1; 10; 2.68

Jason Isringhausen, St. Louis; R/R; 32; 2; 22; 2.05

Brad Lidge, Houston; R/R; 28; 1; 18; 2.73

Players eligible for fan vote: Trevor Hoffman, RHP, San Diego; Brett Myers, RHP, Philadelphia; Roy Oswalt, RHP, Houston; Billy Wagner, LHP, Philadelphia; Brandon Webb, RHP, Arizona.

KEY: B/T=Bats/Throws; Star=All-Star appearances; NOTE: Statistics through July 2.