If Elected, Larkin Will Not Serve

Cincinnati’s Barry Larkin says that even if he is voted as the starting shortstop for the All-Star game, he will watch instead of play.

Larkin, who leads all National League shortstops in voting, said Saturday his injured left calf has not healed enough for him to play.

“If I get voted in, I’ll go, I imagine,” Larkin said. “I don’t think I’ll be playing.”

Larkin severely strained the calf on June 16 and still wears a protective boot. He expects to play without the boot Monday and begin working out the weekend before the All-Star game.

In the most recent vote totals, Larkin led Atlanta’s Jeff Blauser by about 100,000 votes. Larkin has been an All-Star eight times and missed two games because of injury.

He tore a ligament in his right elbow while making a relay throw in a competition the day before the 1989 All-Star game at Anaheim and spent seven weeks on the disabled list.

A sore right elbow forced him to sit out the All-Star game in Pittsburgh in 1994.

“I think I’ve had just about every All-Star experience,” Larkin said. “I’ve won a game, gotten a hit and gotten my elbow blown out.”

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Colorado outfielder Ellis Burks, who has been suffering from a groin injury over the last month, was put on the 15-day disabled list.

Burks, 32, aggravated the injury Thursday, when he beat out an infield hit. He is batting .253 in 70 games with 17 home runs, 49 RBIs and 55 runs scored.

Burks hit .344 last season, second in the league to Tony Gwynn, with 40 homers and 128 RBI. He led the league in runs (142), total bases (392), extra-base hits (93) and slugging percentage (.639).