Cleveland Indians Have Their Chance Six Players Will Represent A.L. Leaders In Baseball’s All-Star Game On July 11

The Cleveland Indians, denied baseball’s spotlight last year because of the strike, will get their chance to glitter at next week’s All-Star game.

So will Hideo Nomo, perhaps baseball’s biggest star these days as Ken Griffey Jr. and Matt Williams heal their broken bones.

Nomo on Sunday became the first Japanese player picked for an All-Star game, and six Indians were chosen for the first time since 1955.

“Now people have to realize what good players we have around here,” second baseman Carlos Baerga said.

Baerga and outfielder Albert Belle were voted in as starters for the July 11 game in Arlington, Texas, and A.L. manager Buck Showalter said Kenny Lofton will take Griffey’s place in the starting lineup. Also picked were outfielder Manny Ramirez and pitchers Dennis Martinez and Jose Mesa.

“I could have easily chose a few more,” said Showalter, the manager of the New York Yankees. “I thought long and hard of Eddie Murray. He certainly was worthy of consideration.”

Murray got his 3,000th Friday night but broke two ribs Sunday. The Indians are 42-18, the best record in baseball, and have a 10-game lead in the A.L. Central.

With his selection, Lofton’s salary next year automatically jumps from $3.1 million to $3.5 million.

“I’m still pretty new, so I’m still not sure what it’ll be like,” he said. “But it is an honor, especially to go with so many teammates.”

Nomo, the 26-year-old rookie who is 6-1 with a 2.05 ERA for Los Angeles, was among five first-time All-Stars on the N.L. staff, joined by Denny Neagle of Pittsburgh, Carlos Perez of Montreal, and Philadelphia’s Tyler Green and Heathcliff Slocumb.

“I didn’t think I could come this far,” Nomo said through a translator. “Hopefully, I’m not too psychologically overwhelmed.”

Griffey, Williams and Ozzie Smith were elected as starters even though they are injured and will miss the game.

Griffey, who broke his left wrist May 27, led A.L. outfielders with 1,204,748 votes. Williams, who broke his right foot June 3, led N.L. third basemen with 1,029,519 votes.

Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles, closing in on Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 consecutive games played, led all players with 1,698,524 votes. The closest voting was for the third outfield spot in the A.L. Lofton was fourth, 21,822 votes behind Minnesota outfielder Kirby Puckett.

The number of votes was down sharply from 1994, primarily because Texaco Inc. didn’t distribute ballots and baseball attendance this season has dropped 20 percent. In 1994, a record 14,040,122 votes were cast and Griffey got the most, 6,079,688. This year, 5,808,000 votes were cast, the fewest since 5.5 votes in 1987.

Also elected to start for the A.L. were Chicago White Sox first baseman Frank Thomas, New York Yankees third baseman Wade Boggs and Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

In the N.L., Fred McGriff of Atlanta was elected at first, Craig Biggio of Houston at second and Mike Piazza of Los Angeles at catcher. The elected outfield starters were Barry Bonds of San Francisco, Lenny Dykstra of Philadelphia and Tony Gwynn of San Diego.

Smith, disabled since May 24 with a sore shoulder, was voted to start for the 12th time. The only player elected more times was Rod Carew (15).

N.L. manager Felipe Alou of Montreal said he intends use Colorado’s Vinny Castilla at third in place of Williams and Cincinnati’s Barry Larkin at shortstop instead of Smith.

Ripken has started 11 consecutive AllStar games, including 1988, when he finished second to Alan Trammell in voting but replaced the injured Detroit shortstop.

Boggs was elected to start for the ninth straight time, Griffey for the sixth and Puckett for the fourth.

The rest of N.L. pitching staff includes Tom Henke of St. Louis, Greg Maddux of Atlanta, Randy Myers of the Chicago Cubs and Todd Worrell of Los Angeles.

In the A.L., the other pitchers picked were Kevin Appier of Kansas City, Chuck Finley and Lee Smith of California, Erik Hanson of Boston, Randy Johnson of Seattle, Steve Ontiveros of Oakland, Kenny Rogers of Texas and David Wells of Detroit.