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Among These All-Stars, the Only Sparkle is Jeter

Seattle Times, July 12, 2000

By Larry Stone

ATLANTA - This may have been the first All-Star Game that lacked star power, unless you count the training room, where a large portion of baseball's best and brightest wound up hanging out - at least the ones that didn't stay home.

It certainly lacked power, and in this year of rock'em, sock'em offense, that was a major story in itself. The starting lineups had a combined 296 home runs - even without Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Piazza, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez - and yet all they could muster was one measly homer, by Atlanta's Chipper Jones.

All together now: Good pitching stops good hitting every time - "even big hitters," said the Mariner Edgar Martinez. And even without Pedro Martinez and Greg Maddux, two more members of the infirm, that proved to be the case yet again in the American League's 6-3 victory at Turner Field, where the feeling of letdown was palpable.

In the end, this earnest little dud of a game was salvaged by one of the game's reigning golden men, the Yankee star Derek Jeter, who got the start by virtue of his good buddy Alex Rodriguez's knee injury. Jeter is rapidly building a historic resume - three World Series rings, a Rookie of the Year Award, and now All-Star Most Valuable Player for his three hits, including a double and two-run single in the fourth that put the American League up to stay.

"In 1997, after the season, I called Derek into my office," said Yankee Manager Joe Torre, "just to feel him out, knowing he was Rookie of the Year, a bachelor, a Yankee. I wanted to see where his mind was. He answered all my questions the right way, so you knew his priorities were right. His head is screwed on right, and that's not easy."

In hosting next year's game, Seattle is in the same enviable position as the guy who follows the guy who followed a legend. Last year's game at Fenway Park was a dream night, filled with the pathos of Ted Williams leading the All-Century team onto the field, and then hometown hero Pedro Martinez turning in the most devastating pitching performance since Carl Hubbell in 1934.

Then came Atlanta, and distress at every turn. First, players started pulling out at the drop of a hamstring, leaving the undeniable feeling of luster lost. The Home Run Derby, as valiantly as Sammy Sosa tried, was conspicuously lacking McGwire's other-worldly power. Then came the game itself, and it wound up sputtering along with only intermittent spurts of action.

Oh, give the organizers credit for a nice touch in having players introduced with their kids. Andres Galarraga's introduction, of course, was an emotional highlight that won't soon be forgotten. But what else will we take away from this game, besides a suitcase full of sweat-stained shirts?

There was Jim Edmonds' sensational catch in the third inning, hauling in Mike Bordick's long drive to center with his back turned to the plate. But there were also four errors, two by the normally flawless Nomar Garciaparra.

In the end, for National League Manager Bobby Cox, there was another heaping helping of Yankee-induced misery. Four times he has gone up against Torre in the glare of the national spotlight, and four times Cox has lost - in the 1996 and '99 World Series, and in the two All-Star games that followed.

"We've been fortunate here," said Jeter. "We've played some big games, and obviously the World Series, and every time we play them in a regular-season game, it's a big series. . . . Maybe we seem to focus a little bit more. I have no idea."

The Braves players on Cox's squad tried nobly to do their part to change this trend. Jones had three hits, including his homer, and both Galarraga and Andruw Jones singled. Tom Glavine worked a perfect inning. But, as usual, they couldn't overcome their latest Yankee nemesis.

"Somebody in the clubhouse asked me if he was getting better," Cox said. "Well, he was just as good when he first came up. That's why he's here. He's an All-Star."

On this sultry night, it was hard not to have a wistful thought or two about the All-Stars who weren't there.