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 Good Grieve Rookie outfielder is Oakland's only All-Star
Posted: Wednesday July 01, 1998 10:36 PM
OAKLAND, California (AP) -- The Oakland Athletics' rookie outfielder Ben Grieve was selected as an American League All-Star reserve Wednesday, but he wasn't in the mood for a wild celebration. "I don't want to start getting too excited. We've still got four games before the break, so I want to concentrate on that," Grieve said. "Tonight I'm going to do the same thing I always do -- go home, watch some TV and go to bed." The 22-year-old Grieve leads AL rookies in most offensive categories, with 12 home runs, 51 RBIs, 100 hits and 63 runs. He's second with a .317 batting average. Grieve's down-to-earth reaction to the selection came as no surprise to manager Art Howe. "He's very quiet, very unassuming and very professional in his approach," Howe said. "To come into the major leagues and hit as consistently as he has, it's a heck of an achievement." Grieve will be Oakland's only player at the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Denver, where he will also participate in the rookie home run hitting contest. Oakland designated hitter Matt Stairs, who is hitting .335, with 11 homers and 52 RBIs, failed to be picked as an All-Star reserve. "I'm excited to go, but I feel kind of bad for other guys on the team that have been around for a while and deserve to go," Grieve said. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Grieve grew up in the shadow of major leaguers. His father, Tom, was the Texas Rangers' general manager from 1984 to 1994. "It will be kind of weird being in my first year and being with the rest of the guys," Grieve said. "Most of them I haven't met. It'll be neat playing on the same team as them." Grieve was the second player chosen overall in the 1994 draft and made his major league debut with the A's last September.
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