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 Who'll be the All-Stars in five years?
Posted: Monday July 06, 1998 10:33 AM
By Tony DeMarco Coming to you five years from now -- most likely in a new American League retro-park such as Miller Field in Milwaukee or Tiger Stadium II in Detroit -- will be the fourth All-Star Game of the 21st century. Who's going to be there? If you know for sure, there are 30 big league general managers who'd love to have your insight. For certain, there will be a few players currently deep in the minors who will emerge into big league stars by then. If you don't think so, remember that Kerry Wood was pitching in Double-A last year at this time, and Jaret Wright threw Game 7 of the World Series three years after his high-school graduation. But then again, if you think the All-Star landscape is going to be dramatically different than it is now, you're mistaken. For the most part, the stars of today who are in their 20s will be the stars of five years from now.
To begin the narrowing-down process, we'll go in chronological order and open up some spots by giving an All-Star goodbye to Tony Gwynn (who will be 43 in 2003), Cal Ripken Jr. (42), Andres Galarraga (42), Roger Clemens (40), Mark McGwire (39), Barry Larkin (39), Barry Bonds (38) and Craig Biggio (37). And now for some long-range educated guessing on the stars of the new millenium, recognizing the shortcoming of keeping all players in their current leagues -- a virtual impossibility in this day of massive player movement. National League CATCHER: Mike Piazza will be 34 and playing first base, but the NL will have no problem filling this spot. There should be no fewer than four veteran potential All-Stars in Atlanta's Javier Lopez, Pittsburgh's Jason Kendall, Los Angeles' Charles Johnson and Philadelphia's Mike Lieberthal. All will be between the ages of 29 and 32. If Johnson's bat ever catches up with his defensive abilities, the spot will be his. But we'll opt for Lopez and Kendall. FIRST BASE: This will be another position of strength, as a handful of young first basemen are breaking in this season, and could already have reached stardom five years from now. First on the list is Arizona's Travis Lee, who shows every sign of being a big power hitter. Colorado's Todd Helton, Montreal's Brad Fullmer and Cincinnati's Sean Casey are other possibilities. Piazza and Jeff Bagwell will be winding down great careers, so they may take up a spot or two. SECOND BASE: This much you can say for sure -- there are no Ryne Sandbergs on the horizon. Or even Biggios, for that matter. At no position is it harder to project a legitimate All-Star-caliber player, as the league's current top second basemen -- Biggio, St. Louis' Delino DeShields, Los Angeles' Eric Young, Chicago's Mickey Morandini and San Francisco's Jeff Kent - all will be in their mid-30s by 2003. The best of the younger set are San Diego's Quilvio Veras and Pittsburgh's Tony Womack. SHORTSTOP: Unlike the American League, this is not a position where future standouts are obvious and plentiful. The list of possible successors to Barry Larkin's place atop NL shortstops includes Florida's Edgar Renteria, Colorado's Neifi Perez and Philadelphia's Desi Relaford. And remember that early in his career nobody thought Ozzie Smith would hit enough to be an All-Star, but he made more All-Star appearances at that position than any player in history. The point is, don't leave out New York's Rey Ordonez. THIRD BASE: Pittsburgh's Aramis Ramirez and Los Angeles' Adrian Beltre made their major league debuts within a month of each other earlier this season, and both 20-year-olds are headed for stardom according to the Baseball America set. But they're going to have to wait in line behind two of the best young players in the league regardless of position -- Atlanta's Chipper Jones and Philadelphia's Scott Rolen. OUTFIELD: Chicago's Sammy Sosa shouldn't have to worry about not finishing among the top three outfielders in the voting by 2003. He will be 34 and an All-Star Game regular. Los Angeles' Raul Mondesi also could be a household All-Star name by then. Current Expos Rondell White and Vladimir Guerrero are on the verge of stardom, but probably won't be wearing Montreal uniforms by then. Atlanta's Andruw Jones will be the game's best centerfielder, and Philadelphia's Doug Glanville and Pittsburgh's Jose Guillen are other good bets. PITCHERS: Two words: Kerry Wood. Kevin Brown will be 38. Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine will be 37. Curt Schilling and John Smoltz will turn 36. Ramon Martinez 35 and Denny Neagle 34. So a new guard will have emerged. Besides Wood, how about Houston's Mike Hampton, Cincinnati's Brett Tomko, Pittsburgh's Jason Schmidt, Los Angeles' Ismael Valdes and Darren Dreifort, San Francisco's Shawn Estes and Montreal's Dustin Hermanson? And a name you may not know -- Rick Ankiel, now in the Cardinals system. American League CATCHER: It's hard to believe, but for all he has accomplished, Texas' Ivan "Pudge" Rodriquez is only 26. At 31, he will be an 11-time All-Star. The question is, who will emerge behind Pudge? The pickings are slim, led by New York's Jorge Posada and Oakland's A.J. Hinch. FIRST BASE: This is traditionally a position with a glut of offensive talent, and that won't change five years down the road. In fact, no fewer than six sluggers will be between 31 and 35 -- and still should be very productive. Take your pick between Boston's Mo Vaughn, Cleveland's Jim Thome, Detroit's Tony Clark, New York's Tino Martinez, Toronto's Carlos Delgado and Chicago's Frank Thomas, who long ago will have put away his glove. You're talking about a Golden Age of first basemen, right there. SECOND BASE: Two of the best second basemen of any era -- Chuck Knoblauch and Roberto Alomar -- will be nearing the end of the line at 34 and 35 respectively in 2003. And it appears as if the position will turn more power-oriented early next century, with converted third basemen Damion Easley, Todd Walker and Scott Spiezio leading the way. Easley was a latebloomer last season at 27; Walker is among the league batting leaders in his first full season at 25. SHORTSTOP: This position is so full of talent, somebody could bet left out of an annual battle for All-Star spots, unless somebody from among Seattle's Alex Rodriguez, Boston's Nomar Garciaparra and New York's Derek Jeter changes positions. That trio is among the best young players at any position, in either league. And Oakland's Miguel Tejada and Detroit's Deivi Cruz aren't bad, either. THIRD BASE: Believe it or not, Cal Ripken's consecutive games streak will be long gone -- and so will he. And there are no obvious stars behind him. Chicago's Robin Ventura will be 35, and Cleveland's Travis Fryman and Kansas City's Dean Palmer will be 34, and all three are good-but-not-great players now. Texas' Fernando Tatis is getting a chance to establish himself at 23, but here's a position waiting for a star to emerge. OUTFIELD: If you were at Coors Field last weekend, you saw one of the game's best young hitters in Oakland's Ben Grieve -- although by 2003, he could be playing first base. Anaheim's Darin Erstad also will have to choose between first and the outfield, but there's no questioning the fact that he is about to begin a long stretch of All-Star appearances. There's a star in Manny Ramirez's body if he wants to keep his head on straight, Kansas City's Johnny Damon may fulfill his star potential soon, and there are high hopes for Detroit's Juan Encarnacion. But there won't be room for all of them, as Ken Griffey Jr. and Jim Edmonds will only be 33, and Juan Gonzalez, Bernie Williams and Tim Salmon will only be 34. PITCHERS: Predicting the long term when it comes to pitching is a crapshoot. But things are looking up for the Cleveland Indians, as Wright, 21 and Bartolo Colon, 23, have two of the best young arms in the league. Boston's Pedro Martinez and New York's Andy Pettite both will only be 31 in 2003, and Minnesota's Brad Radke and Detroit's Justin Thompson will only be 30. And Matt Anderson, Detroit's top pick in the 1997 amateur draft, already has surfaced in the big leagues at 21. Copyright 1998 The Denver Post
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Young guns like Ken Griffey Jr. are present and future All Stars 
