All-Star starting lineups feature 11 newcomers

NEW YORK – Kenny Rogers might soon be surrounded by even more cameras, selected Sunday for a new-look All-Star game that has 11 first-time starters and four from the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

Rogers was picked for the A.L. All-Star team two days after the Texas pitcher was suspended for 20 games and fined $50,000 for an angry fit that sent a television cameraman to a hospital and prompted a police investigation.

Because he asked the players’ union to appeal the penalty, he will be allowed to participate in the July 12 game.

“He was voted in by the players. He appealed his suspension and the league will not hear it until after the All-Star game,” said Boston’s Terry Francona, the A.L. manager. “I abided by the process.”

Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee and Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts, who lead their leagues in batting average, were among 11 players elected to start for the first time, tying the record set in 1976, the commissioner’s office said.

Boston became the first team with four starters since the 1976 Cincinnati Reds had five.

“I think it’s great because last year there was nothing but Yankees in the clubhouse,” Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz said, jokingly.

The N.L. champion Cardinals have six All-Stars, more than any other team and the most for St. Louis since 1959.

Also elected by fans to start for the first time in the A.L. were Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, outfielder Johnny Damon and Ortiz; Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira; and Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada.

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was elected to his sixth straight start and eighth overall, and his 2.25 million-vote edge over Boston’s Bill Mueller was the largest winning margin.

Rodriguez will be joined by only two of his Yankees teammates on the A.L. team, reliever Mariano Rivera and outfielder Gary Sheffield.

The Yankees have not had as few as three All-Stars since 1996, but Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui are joined by Minnesota’s Torii Hunter, Chicago’s Scott Podsednik and Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford on the list for the final A.L. berth.

Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero also was elected to start the game, which for the third straight year will determine home-field advantage in the World Series.

All three N.L. outfielders were elected to start for the first time – Philadelphia’s Bobby Abreu, the New York Mets’ Carlos Beltran and St. Louis’ Jim Edmonds – as was Cards’ shortstop David Eckstein.

Mike Piazza was elected to his 11th start, surpassing Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez for the most among catchers.

It will be Piazza’s 12th trip overall.

Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent and St. Louis third baseman Scott Rolen also were chosen to start for the N.L.

Damon won the final A.L. outfield spot by 57,000 over Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki.

Ortiz had the most votes of any player, 4.14 million, and Lee topped N.L. players at 3.56 million.

Also on the A.L. pitching staff are Chicago’s Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland, Minnesota’s Johan Santana and Joe Nathan, Toronto’s Roy Halladay, Bartolo Colon of the Angels, Baltimore’s B.J. Ryan, Cleveland’s Bob Wickman, Tampa Bay’s Danys Baez and Oakland’s Justin Duchscherer.

The N.L. staff includes New York’s Pedro Martinez, Washington’s Livan Hernandez and Chad Cordero, St. Louis’ Chris Carpenter and Jason Isringhausen, Florida’s Dontrelle Willis, San Diego’s Jake Peavy, Atlanta’s John Smoltz, Houston’s Roger Clemens and Brad Lidge and Colorado’s Brian Fuentes.

The N.L. Internet vote includes five pitchers: Philadelphia’s Billy Wagner and Brett Myers, San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman, Houston’s Roy Oswalt and Arizona’s Brandon Webb.