Page 3 ies ■nesday, July 11, 2001 Sports THE BATTALION ^Baseball season ad on marketit research aj I lie infonr m 2000. examined at re among d drugs for the drug covi deral pro[ disabled, i )lidcal issue hits midpoint, players' chance to look forward e drug seniors Dund that dw ally pay more‘: ley do lor rese; it on the 50 ms 3 to seniors nue spent to i r seniors in £8 dverlising an: in id Developns- quibb Co. so 0 .. 37V ories 1% e Products tot 38S 30% '/a jh Corp. Mark Passwaters, Matthew Thigpen & Michael Balhoff The Battalion ajor League Baseball stands at its official midpoint h Tuesday’s All-Star Game, jerts who had everything )ng once again have a nee to show their wisdom as y predict what will happen e second half of the season. 1 American League HMost Valuable Player: Bret Bone, Seattle. The Mariners art the best team in baseball, and Boone has been its best ppyer. He already has set ca reer highs in every offensive category while playing a fine sec ond base. If he keeps play ing at this level, he will be a njost unlikely MVP selection. ■ Runner-up: Manny Bmierez, Boston. He has kept the Red Sox near first place all b\ himself. I Cy Young Award: Roger Blemens, New York. As annoy- : ing as it is to pick a Longhorn for this award for the sixth Bne, Clemens is having a sen sational season. With Pedro Hardnez injured, there is no real competition. : Rojokie of the year: Ichiro Buzuki, Seattle. Ichiro has be come a fan phenomenon while j threatening to break several major league batting records. But how can this guy be a \ . rookie when he has played for 10 years in Japan? “Real” Rookie of the year: Josh Towers, Baltimore. The baby-faced Towers has gone from mid-May callup to one of the league’s better pitchers. Manager of the year: Tom Kelly, Minnesota. Name one starter for the Twins, just one. Most people cannot, yet Kelly has led them to a four-game lead over the mighty Indians at the All-Star break. Runner-up: Lou Pinella, Seattle. Pinella had enough tal ent in Seattle to win, but win this often? Surprise of the year: The Mariners’ amazing start. Many people thought Seattle was in trouble after losing Alex Ro driguez, Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson in three straight years. They are not only contending, but are on pace to break the major league record for wins. Disappointment of the year: Texas Rangers. $252 mil lion, .252 winning percentage. Most ridculous item of the year: Rangers pitching staff. They would have a 6.00, ERA against the Arlington Little League. Outrage of the year: Joe Torre’s selection of seven Yan kees to the All-Star team. Ru mor has it he was upset that he could not take the batboy too. Comeback player of the year: Ruben Sierra, Texas. Sierra has gone from forgotten to nearly as formidable as he was 10 years ago. National League: MVP: Luis Gonzalez, Ari zona. His 35 home runs have helped the Diamondbacks to first place in the NL West. He is a classy player who is very deserving of such an honor. Runners-up: Lance Berk- man and Moises Alou, Hous ton. Both would get more at tention if their team was in first place. Cy Young Award: Curt Schilling, Arizona. The yearly bridesmaid to Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson finally gets his moment in the spotlight. Rookie of the year: Albert Pujols, St. Louis and Ben Sheets, Milwaukee. Pujols may reset every rookie hitting mark. Sheets was the first pick in the 2000 draft and may win 20 games in the majors this season. Manager of the year: Don Baylor, Chicago. How can the Cubs be in first place? Who knows? Baylor does, and he deserves the award for that alone. Surprise of the year: Philadelphia Phillies. T he per petually phlopping Phils are phiting for phirst. Disappointment of the year: New York Mets. Last year’s NL World Series repre sentative is in a fight too — for last place. Outrage of the year: The continued presence of Derek Bell on a major league roster. The Pirates signed Bell to a See Midseason on Page 4. >radic fish® ... the pofe ; y presence, ' ick. y says authoii- vers in the cic :n, at least 22 p -ee police off ; [eaths camel e head by y : n Montegi the Genii iformatif jve bef Editor rts Editor Pinaster t.. ign Director ;h Friday nmer session jicals Postage;; 3 Battalion, , A&M Universit; ;ws Offices are' 845-2647; t r endorsement 5-2696, id, and office &M Mail subscni the summer o' all 845-2611 DON'T MISS OUT! July 23-27 Ages 8-12 meet from 8am to 10am. Ages 13-17 meet from 10am to noon. COST: $75 per camper. Space limited to first 20 golfers in each group. I"his clinic will cover all aspects of golf including: I • Full Swing • Chipping I • Putting • Trouble shots | • Rules • Etiquette Registration forms are available at the Texas A&M Golf Course Pro Shop or by calling 845-1723. he Idas MM Mi (curse PEN TO THE PUBLIC American, NL’s best face off; Johnson emergency starter for National League SEATTLE (AP) — On the night when all of baseball gathered to honor him, Cal Ripken de livered his own All-Star sendoff. Ripken upstaged Ichiro Suzuki, Barry Bonds and every other big name in the ballpark, hitting a home run in his final All-Star appearance to lead the American League over the Nationals 4-1 Tuesday night. What began as a trip down memory lane — Ripken started at shortstop, at Alex Rodriguez’s suggestion — wound up with him taking a glori ous trip around the bases. , It was easily the most thrilling moment in a game that saw Roger Clemens finally face Mike Piazza. There was no drama there, though some one was later hit by the shattered bar rel of a bat — NL honorary manager Tommy Lasorda. Derek Jeter and Magglio Ordonez connected for consecutive home runs as the AL won its fifth in a row. Suzu ki, the most popular player in Seattle these days, singled and stole a base as the AL cut its deficit to 40-31 -1. But, it was Ripken’s night. At 40, Ripken supplanted Stan Musial as the oldest player to homer in an All-Star game when he hit Chan Ho Park’s first pitch of the third in ning over the left-field fence. “I swung and made good contact and the ball went out of the ballpark and I felt like I was flying around the bases,” Ripken said. Tony Gwynn, who will retire with Ripken after this season, applauded from the opposing dugout and NL starting pitcher Curt Schilling caught the moment on his camcorder. Ever the reluctant hero, Ripken had to be, coaxed out of the dugout by the sellout crowd of; 47,364 at Safeco Field. Even a freight train running on the tracks be-! yond the center-field wall seemed to sound a trib-; ute to baseball’s old blue eyes — a two-horn blast- right after the Baltimore third baseman homered. Later, the game was stopped as every All-Star player joined commissioner Bud Selig in a six- minute ceremony before the sixth inning to say goodbye' to Ripken and Gwynn. “It’s been a great run,” Ripken told the fans.’ Two years ago, in baseball’s last All-Star love- fest, Ripken and Gwynn supported Ted Williams See All-stars on Page 4. All Star Game Starting Lineups NL ■Uo ©ggfilte CMb^© ©(? ©SS3sH)(j^©sS3iy? ISP Seattle Mariners DH 8. Cal Ripken Jr. Baltimore Orioles 3B 9. Ivan Rodriguez Texas Rangers C Pitcher: Roger Clemens New York Yankees ^DD QI? ;hicagoI I foji Colorado Rockies DH 6 Mike Piazza New York Mets C 7. Chipper Jones Atlanta Braves 3B 8. Jeff Kent San Francisco Giants 2B 9. Rich Aurilia San Francisco Giants SS Pitcher. Randy Johnson Arizona Diamondbacks RUBEN DELUNA/7h£ Battalion I < 11 H I STATIONS #1 DANCE CLUE SC’S REVRG H ’* WEDNESDAYS ceuLEeE nite wt mjt swhAsrs