Boone only Red selected as MLB announces All-Star picks

Published 12:00 am Monday, July 7, 2003

CINCINNATI (AP) - Aaron Boone was 10 years old when he accompanied his father, Bob, to his fourth and final All-Star game at Comiskey Park in 1983.

He remembers leaving the ballpark and making a promise.

''I told them I'd be back in 20 years,'' he said. ''I'm not joking.''

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Boone's prediction came true Sunday morning when his father - now the Cincinnati Reds manager - called to him and wiggled his index finger, taking him aside to pass along some good news.

The third baseman had made his first All-Star game. He is indeed going back to Chicago, 20 years later.

''It's just one of those things that's very humbling,'' said Aaron, hitting .267 with 15 homers and 51 RBIs. ''It's a huge honor.

''In our clubhouse, there were five or six guys who were on the bubble, including myself. Certainly, Jose (Guillen) was our MVP. You'd like to see him get rewarded, but it's awesome. It's something you look forward to, and it'll be nice to be there with Bret. What can you say?''

Aaron and Bret, a second baseman with Seattle, are the 14th set of brothers to become All-Stars. Bret, who is the older brother, made it for the first time with the Reds in 1998, and will join him in Chicago.

''It's special because he'll be there with his family,'' Aaron said. ''I never get to see him during the season. It'll be fun.''

Boone was the Reds' MVP last season, when he hit .241 with 26 homers and 87 RBIs. There was no clear-cut choice for an All-Star on the roster this season.

''I'm very proud of him,'' Bob Boone said. ''It was a tough call. A lot of our guys could've gotten in. You wish we could have done better so we could send multiple guys one time.''

The Reds have had one representative each of the last three years.

Ken Griffey Jr. has been sidelined by a dislocated shoulder and other ailments. Austin Kearns was in line to be an All-Star before he bruised his shoulder on May 21, causing him to struggle.

Guillen has been the Reds' most productive player, batting .350 with 17 homers and 44 RBIs as their fourth outfielder.

''I'm not disappointed,'' Guillen said about missing out on the All-Star game. ''What happens, happens. I'm happy for Aaron. He plays every day, and he plays hard. I get to go home and see my kids.

''There's nothing you can do. I have no control over it. All I can do is come in and prepare myself to play and put up numbers.''

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GRIFFEY OUT AGAIN: Griffey was out of the lineup for the entire series with the Mets. He was dizzy on Saturday, the result of dehydration, and was still feeling bad before the final game.

''Hitting was fine,'' Griffey said Sunday. ''When I started moving, I got quite a bit dizzy. I figured it would go away, but it never went away.''

Griffey, in the fourth year of a $116.5 million, nine-year contract, has missed 47 starts because of a dislocated shoulder, a sore groin, a sore hip, a virus and dehydration. He's hitting .245 with eight homers and 20 RBIs.