Baseball Guru
07-05-2004, 06:53 AM
Look out Houston -- Piazza likely to catch Clemens
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
July 5, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mike Piazza could get a much different perspective of Roger Clemens in the All-Star game.
Instead of batting against the hard-throwing 41-year-old pitcher, Piazza might be catching his old nemesis.
Clemens was picked Sunday for his first NL All-Star team and Piazza was elected by fans to start in the July 13 game in Houston that determines home-field advantage in the World Series.
With a 10-2 record for the Astros, Clemens is the likely starter in his hometown.
``We both have a job to do. I'm sure it will be totally professional,'' Piazza said. ``I don't think it's going to be that hard. We're two guys who know what to do.''
Clemens, then with the New York Yankees, hit Piazza in the head with a pitch in July 2000. In Game 2 of the World Series that October, Clemens threw the jagged barrel of a shattered bat in the direction of Piazza, earning a $50,000 fine.
``It's not that big a deal. It's definitely not larger than the game, unless you all make it that,'' Clemens said. ``I'm not too concerned about that. I'm professional about my work and so is Mike.''
A nine-time All-Star in the American League, Clemens was among five starting pitchers voted to the National League team by major league players, managers and coaches.
Clemens will be joined by Arizona's Randy Johnson and Cincinnati's Barry Larkin as 40-plus All-Stars.
Piazza, in what will probably be his final All-Star appearance as a catcher, was elected to start for the 10th time, his 11th All-Star selection overall. He has caught just 34 games for the New York Mets this season and has played first base in 37.
There was just one change among starters in the final week of fan voting, with Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki overtaking the Yankees' Hideki Matsui for the final AL outfield spot.
Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa were elected to start in the NL outfield, the first time three players with 500 home runs will start.
``It's going to be fun playing with Junior,'' Bonds said.
Griffey, who reached 500 on June 20, is going to the All-Star game for the first time since 2000, which was his 11th straight selection. ``I'm the little guy in the outfield,'' he said.
Added Sosa: ``I'm really going to enjoy it because I don't know if it's ever going to happen again.''
Carlos Beltran, traded from Kansas City to Houston last month, was voted an AL reserve, his first All-Star selection, but the deal means he can't play in the game unless he's added to the NL team as a replacement.
``I'm the lucky one, I guess,'' Beltran quipped.
Six members of the AL champion Yankees were picked, including three elected to start in the infield. Derek Jeter was voted to his first start at shortstop, Jason Giambi to his third at first base and Alex Rodriguez to his first at third base following six at shortstop. They will be joined by outfielder Gary Sheffield and relievers Mariano Rivera and Tom Gordon.
``They all deserved to be there,'' said the Yankees' Joe Torre, who will manage the AL team.
Alfonso Soriano, traded from the Yankees to Texas in February for Rodriguez, was elected to start at second and received the most votes in either league, 3.47 million.
``It'll be fun to see my friends,'' Soriano said.
Ivan Rodriguez, in his first season with Detroit, was elected to his 10th All-Star start at catcher.
Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero and Boston's Manny Ramirez were voted to start in the outfield along with Suzuki, who trailed Matsui by 57,000 votes a week ago but won by 36,000.
Three St. Louis infielders were elected to start for the NL: Third baseman Scott Rolen was the top NL vote-getter at 3.19 million and was joined by first baseman Albert Pujols and shortstop Edgar Renteria, who finished 214,000 votes ahead of Houston's Adam Everett. Last week, Renteria led by just six votes.
Oakland's Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder were voted by the players, managers and coaches to the AL team as starting pitchers along with Boston's Curt Schilling, Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia and Texas' Kenny Rogers.
``It'd be awesome to start, but just going is cool enough,'' said Mulder, who might open for the AL.
Joining Clemens among the NL starters are the Mets' Tom Glavine, Johnson, San Francisco's Jason Schmidt, the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. Los Angeles' Eric Gagne heads the relievers.
``I'll try not to blow the save this time,'' said Gagne, who has a record 84 consecutive regular-season saves but allowed Hank Blalock's two-run homer in the AL's 7-6 win last year.
Among those left off were Cincinnati's Adam Dunn, second in the NL with 24 homers; Los Angeles' Adrian Beltre, fourth with 21; and Baltimore's Melvin Mora, batting .347 but nursing a hamstring injury.
Fans can vote online through Wednesday for the final addition in each league. The AL choices are Matsui, Minnesota's Lew Ford, Cleveland's Travis Hafner, and Frank Thomas and Paul Konerko of the White Sox. The NL candidates are Philadelphia's Bobby Abreu, Arizona's Steve Finley, Pittsburgh's Jason Kendall, Florida's Juan Pierre and the Cubs' Aramis Ramirez.
AP Sports Writers Joel Anderson in Houston, Mike Fitzpatrick in New York, Rick Gano in Chicago, Joe Kay in Cincinnati, Mark Long in Miami and Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
July 5, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mike Piazza could get a much different perspective of Roger Clemens in the All-Star game.
Instead of batting against the hard-throwing 41-year-old pitcher, Piazza might be catching his old nemesis.
Clemens was picked Sunday for his first NL All-Star team and Piazza was elected by fans to start in the July 13 game in Houston that determines home-field advantage in the World Series.
With a 10-2 record for the Astros, Clemens is the likely starter in his hometown.
``We both have a job to do. I'm sure it will be totally professional,'' Piazza said. ``I don't think it's going to be that hard. We're two guys who know what to do.''
Clemens, then with the New York Yankees, hit Piazza in the head with a pitch in July 2000. In Game 2 of the World Series that October, Clemens threw the jagged barrel of a shattered bat in the direction of Piazza, earning a $50,000 fine.
``It's not that big a deal. It's definitely not larger than the game, unless you all make it that,'' Clemens said. ``I'm not too concerned about that. I'm professional about my work and so is Mike.''
A nine-time All-Star in the American League, Clemens was among five starting pitchers voted to the National League team by major league players, managers and coaches.
Clemens will be joined by Arizona's Randy Johnson and Cincinnati's Barry Larkin as 40-plus All-Stars.
Piazza, in what will probably be his final All-Star appearance as a catcher, was elected to start for the 10th time, his 11th All-Star selection overall. He has caught just 34 games for the New York Mets this season and has played first base in 37.
There was just one change among starters in the final week of fan voting, with Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki overtaking the Yankees' Hideki Matsui for the final AL outfield spot.
Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa were elected to start in the NL outfield, the first time three players with 500 home runs will start.
``It's going to be fun playing with Junior,'' Bonds said.
Griffey, who reached 500 on June 20, is going to the All-Star game for the first time since 2000, which was his 11th straight selection. ``I'm the little guy in the outfield,'' he said.
Added Sosa: ``I'm really going to enjoy it because I don't know if it's ever going to happen again.''
Carlos Beltran, traded from Kansas City to Houston last month, was voted an AL reserve, his first All-Star selection, but the deal means he can't play in the game unless he's added to the NL team as a replacement.
``I'm the lucky one, I guess,'' Beltran quipped.
Six members of the AL champion Yankees were picked, including three elected to start in the infield. Derek Jeter was voted to his first start at shortstop, Jason Giambi to his third at first base and Alex Rodriguez to his first at third base following six at shortstop. They will be joined by outfielder Gary Sheffield and relievers Mariano Rivera and Tom Gordon.
``They all deserved to be there,'' said the Yankees' Joe Torre, who will manage the AL team.
Alfonso Soriano, traded from the Yankees to Texas in February for Rodriguez, was elected to start at second and received the most votes in either league, 3.47 million.
``It'll be fun to see my friends,'' Soriano said.
Ivan Rodriguez, in his first season with Detroit, was elected to his 10th All-Star start at catcher.
Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero and Boston's Manny Ramirez were voted to start in the outfield along with Suzuki, who trailed Matsui by 57,000 votes a week ago but won by 36,000.
Three St. Louis infielders were elected to start for the NL: Third baseman Scott Rolen was the top NL vote-getter at 3.19 million and was joined by first baseman Albert Pujols and shortstop Edgar Renteria, who finished 214,000 votes ahead of Houston's Adam Everett. Last week, Renteria led by just six votes.
Oakland's Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder were voted by the players, managers and coaches to the AL team as starting pitchers along with Boston's Curt Schilling, Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia and Texas' Kenny Rogers.
``It'd be awesome to start, but just going is cool enough,'' said Mulder, who might open for the AL.
Joining Clemens among the NL starters are the Mets' Tom Glavine, Johnson, San Francisco's Jason Schmidt, the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. Los Angeles' Eric Gagne heads the relievers.
``I'll try not to blow the save this time,'' said Gagne, who has a record 84 consecutive regular-season saves but allowed Hank Blalock's two-run homer in the AL's 7-6 win last year.
Among those left off were Cincinnati's Adam Dunn, second in the NL with 24 homers; Los Angeles' Adrian Beltre, fourth with 21; and Baltimore's Melvin Mora, batting .347 but nursing a hamstring injury.
Fans can vote online through Wednesday for the final addition in each league. The AL choices are Matsui, Minnesota's Lew Ford, Cleveland's Travis Hafner, and Frank Thomas and Paul Konerko of the White Sox. The NL candidates are Philadelphia's Bobby Abreu, Arizona's Steve Finley, Pittsburgh's Jason Kendall, Florida's Juan Pierre and the Cubs' Aramis Ramirez.
AP Sports Writers Joel Anderson in Houston, Mike Fitzpatrick in New York, Rick Gano in Chicago, Joe Kay in Cincinnati, Mark Long in Miami and Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.