Two Padres Picked to Start All-Star Game

SAN DIEGO —  Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn and catcher Benito Sanitago know they shouldn’t get that excited. After all, the honor is becoming an annual tradition.

Yet when they learned Wednesday they have been voted to start Tuesday for the National League in the All-Star game, they were as exhilarated as if they were making their inaugural visits.

“I still think there’s that jolt you get when you make it,” said Gwynn, who was selected to his seventh All-Star game and fifth as a starter. “The first one, though, will always stick out because that one was so nice.”

There was little doubt that Gwynn was going to make the team, but what surprised him was that he was second among outfielders with 1,381,602 votes and earned a starting spot.

“It’s an honor going anyway,” Gwynn said, “but when you start, this makes it more of an honor. I’m just glad I made it back after a so-so (.309) year.”

For Santiago, who nearly doubled the total of his next closest pursuer with 1,751,399 votes, the All-Star game is particularly satisfying. He also was voted to the team a year ago, but he only watched because his right arm was in a cast after being hit by a pitch June 3 by Jeff Brantley of the Giants.

“It was real frustrating last year watching,” Santiago said, “so I’m going to make sure I don’t get hurt in the next few days. I remember when I used to be a nobody, and watched the games on TV, and now I’m playing with the same people.

“Man, it’s something, isn’t it?”

The Dodgers’ Darryl Strawberry, who came off the disabled list Wednesday with a .224 average, seven home runs and 26 RBIs, led NL outfielders with 1,393,009 votes despite his stated intention to skip the game because of his recent shoulder injury.

Second baseman Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs was the top vote-getter overall with 2,526,747.

Sandberg injured his right hand in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday, and it is uncertain if he will be able to play in Toronto. It is expected that the Dodgers’ Juan Samuel, batting .320, probably will be the backup.

Tony La Russa of the Oakland Athletics and Lou Piniella of the Cincinnati Reds, the respective managers, will announce their pitchers and reserves today.

Piniella last week said Padre first baseman Fred McGriff was a “strong candidate” for selection and that he was choose either shortstop Tony Fernandez or Dodger first baseman Eddie Murray as the extra infielder on the team. Padre left-hander Bruce Hurst also is a candidate for the 10-man pitching staff.

Other Dodgers who have a shot at selection are catcher Mike Scioscia and pitchers Ramon Martinez and Mike Morgan.

Outfielder Dave Winfield and pitchers Mark Langston and Bryan Harvey are thought to have the best chance among the Angels to be added to the American League roster. Chuck Finley (11-3) will pitch Sunday, voiding his chance because he would be unable to pitch only two days later.

First baseman Wally Joyner, who is enjoying an All-Star season with a .325 average, 11 homers and 55 RBIs, might be victimized by Mark McGwire’s election as the starter. McGwire is batting .201 with 13 homers and 40 RBIs. Cecil Fielder, the major league RBI leader, is expected to be the backup.

Winfield, batting .289 with 17 homers and 55 RBIs, is one of several American League outfielders--Ruben Sierra and Joe Carter are prominent among the others--whose overall statistics are superior to Ken Griffey Jr. and Rickey Henderson, who were elected as starters, along with the deserving Dave Henderson.

The other AL starters are Roberto Alomar at second base, Cal Ripken at shortstop, Wade Boggs at third base and Sandy Alomar at catcher.

The Alomars became the first brothers elected as All-Star starters since the voting was returned to the fans in 1970.

Their father, Sandy, a former second baseman with the Angels, was on the AL team that year as a reserve, enabling the Alomars to join the DiMaggios, who were represented by brothers Joe, Dom and Vince, as the only families to have had three All-Stars.

“It’s a big thrill, not just for me and Sandy but for my whole family,” Roberto said.