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Star search Edmonds, Helton among first-time AP All-Stars
NEW YORK (AP) -- Colorado first baseman Todd Helton and St. Louis outfielder Jim Edmonds were among six first-time players on The Associated Press Major League All-Star team. San Francisco, eliminated by the New York Mets in the first round of the playoffs, placed three players on the team: second baseman Jeff Kent, outfielder Barry Bonds and reliever Robb Nen. The New York Yankees, who beat the Mets 4-1 in the World Series, failed to place a player on the team for the first time since 1995. The Mets had one player, catcher Mike Piazza. Kent and Nen were first-time picks, as were Anaheim third baseman Troy Glaus and Montreal outfielder Vladimir Guerrero. Bonds and Piazza made the team for the fifth time each, the most for any player. Bonds had not been on the AP All-Stars since 1993, his first season with the Giants, and Piazza last appeared in 1996 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two starting pitchers were the only holdovers from the 1999 AP All-Stars: Boston right-hander Pedro Martinez and Arizona left-hander Randy Johnson. The last time the starting pitchers repeated was in 1992-93, when Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves were elected.
Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox was selected as the designated hitter, his fourth appearance on the team and first since 1994, and free-agent shortstop Alex Rodriguez was picked for the third time. The closest voting was for the final outfield spot. While Bonds (86) and Edmonds (65) were well ahead, Guerrero (35) finished just one vote ahead of the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa (34) in nationwide balloting by sports writers and broadcasters. Nen edged Mariano Rivera of the Yankees 31-28 in voting for relief pitcher. Helton, who led the NL with a .372 average, had 43 votes at first, followed by Toronto's Carlos Delgado (29) and Oakland's Jason Giambi (26). Kent, a favorite for the NL MVP award, received 70 votes at second, more than triple the total for the Mets' Edgardo Alfonzo, second with 19. Rodriguez, expected to break the average salary record of $17 million set only last month by Delgado, got 81 votes at shortstop to 13 for Boston's Nomar Garciaparra and six for the Yankees' Derek Jeter, the World Series MVP. Glaus beat Atlanta's Chipper Jones 49-38 at third and Piazza got 95 votes at catcher -- no other player got more than three. Thomas received 64 votes at DH to 36 for Seattle's Edgar Martinez. Pedro Martinez, who probably will win his second straight AL Cy Young Award after finishing with a 1.74 ERA, got 87 votes at right-handed pitcher. Darryl Kile of St. Louis was second with nine. Johnson got 51 votes to lead left-handers, well ahead of Glavine (32) and Toronto's David Wells (15).
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