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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mystique Tarnished Interleague Play Popular But It Reduces Magic Of What Used To Be Rare All-Star Matchups

Ben Walker Associated Press

Ah, the All-Star game. Time to sit back and enjoy those neat matchups we only get to see once a year, like Randy Johnson vs. John Kruk or Pete Rose vs. Ray Fosse.

That’s always been a beauty of baseball’s summer showcase. It was a visual treat for fans, their lone chance to see Sandy Koufax duel Al Kaline or Willie Mays face Sudden Sam McDowell, their one opportunity to watch Johnny Bench swing for the upper deck at Tiger Stadium or Kirby Puckett climb the ivy at Wrigley Field.

That is, until now.

Because if Roger Clemens pitches to Chipper Jones on Tuesday night at Jacobs Field, it won’t be new. Thanks to interleague play, they met a few weeks ago - Jones hit a home run off The Rocket at SkyDome.

If Greg Maddux starts for the N.L., the A.L. lineup won’t be a total surprise. He pitched against Cal Ripken, Roberto Alomar and Brady Anderson (they all got hits) in mid-June when Baltimore visited Atlanta, and just this Wednesday shut down Tino Martinez when the Braves played at Yankee Stadium.

Tony Gwynn and Ken Griffey Jr. on the same field? Already saw it twice this week. Same for Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds.

OK, there is this benefit, at least - Larry Walker won’t be able to duck Randy Johnson this time.

No doubt, interleague play is a big hit with fans. But is there a chance it will rub some of the shine off the midseason event?

“Now a lot of people get to see, for example, Cal Ripken in a National League ballpark. Or Ken Griffey Jr. or Barry Bonds,” Alomar said. “It seems like the fans are enjoying the interleague just because of that. I hope it doesn’t take the fun away from the All-Star game.”

N.L. manager Bobby Cox of Atlanta isn’t worried.

“I don’t think it will hurt the All-Star game one bit,” he said. “I like interleague play. My only problem with it was that, as a traditionalist, I thought it might take away the mystique of the World Series. Now, after seeing it, I think it probably won’t affect the World Series, either.”

Or, as A.L. coach Mike Hargrove of Cleveland said: “Just because we saw Chipper Jones hit a home run off Roger Clemens last time doesn’t mean he’ll do it again. I really don’t think the luster of the All-Star game will be lost.”

And, as Colorado’s Andres Galarraga points out, this is still the only time he’ll get to see the likes of Frank Thomas and David Cone.

“It’s putting everybody together in one game, so that’s more fun for the fans,” he said. “Even when we play interleague, we still don’t see the Yankees and Detroit … we don’t see all the teams. There, you can see all the star guys together.”

Certainly, a sellout crowd at the Jake will be ready to cheer as the All-Star game returns to Cleveland for the first time since 1981. That night, Gary Carter homered twice and Mike Schmidt and Dave Parker also connected in a 5-4 win for the N.L. in baseball’s first game back from a two-month players’ strike.

This time, there are no labor problems to make fans mad. Still, the crowd may boo like crazy because Albert Belle is coming.

Belle, who starred in Cleveland before signing with the rival Chicago White Sox in the winter, was heckled non-stop when he visited for three games earlier this season. Belle had a big series, and punctuated his stay by flashing an obscene gesture.

While serious booing is rare at All-Star games - Toronto manager Cito Gaston was jeered when he did not use Baltimore pitcher Mike Mussina in the 1993 game at Camden Yards - Belle will likely hear it from the Indians’ faithful.

“It’ll be awesome,” said Indians catcher Sandy Alomar, a fellow All-Star.

“He won’t care. I don’t know if everybody will be booing, because not all of them will be from Cleveland,” he said. “He gets booed everywhere he goes, and it doesn’t seem to bother him. Obviously, every time you boo him, he gets better. You might as well give him an ovation.”

Belle was razzed in Philadelphia last year, and struck out in his first three at-bats in the N.L.’s 6-0 victory. The N.L. has won three in a row, and holds a 40-26-1 edge overall.

Mike Piazza was last year’s MVP, hitting a home run and RBI double. He’s playing again this summer, but the Los Angeles catcher does not plan to participate in Monday afternoon’s home run derby.

“I’m coming in on a redeye from San Diego and I’m not getting in till 7 (a.m.). After the workout, I’m going to have to get some sleep,” he said.

A rookie home run derby will be held as a new event in Monday’s All-Star festivities. In another change, chewing tobacco will be banned from the All-Star game.