All Star

SEATTLE -- The Safeco Field crowd stood at 6:19 p.m., almost too late to force Cal Ripken from the batter's box to acknowledge its welcome as he led off the third inning of a scoreless All-Star Game. A tip of his helmet, a wave of the bat. Then a swing. On the first All-Star pitch by Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Chan Ho Park a fastball that drifted toward the middle of the plate 40-year-old Ripken turned on the mistake with a 22-year-old's hands. And suddenly a balding man who slipped into the game with the least impressive numbers of any All-Star was running and watching while his line drive hooked toward the spectacularly improbable.

According to team sources, the O's and their second baseman have basically come to terms on a four-year contract that would pay the All-Star player $40 million. sports

Orioles interim manager Dave Trembley unveiled his plans for the starting rotation after the All-Star break, and they include Garrett Olson. The rookie left-hander, who got a no-decision in his major league debut Wednesday in Chicago, will again face the White Sox Sunday in the finale of a four-game series at Camden Yards. Jeremy Guthrie will get the second half started Thursday, followed by Erik Bedard, Daniel Cabrera and Olson. "I didn't know exactly what they wanted or expected of me after the All-Star break," said Olson, who got the news Saturday night.

Miguel Tejada's four-year tenure with the Orioles, marked by All-Star play, trade demands and a lot more losses than he wanted, ended yesterday when the club dealt him to the Houston Astros for five players. The move was the strongest sign yet that president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is seeking a sweeping rebuild after 10 straight losing seasons. In exchange, the Orioles received outfielder Luke Scott, pitching prospects Troy Patton, Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate, and power-hitting third base prospect Michael Costanzo.

All-star camp -- The Columbia Ravens All-Star Football Camp for ages 8 to 14, directed by Bill McGregory, head football coach of DeMatha High School, will be held from Monday through June 29 at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia. Three sessions, including an indoor chalk-talk, will be held daily. The cost is $325, including equipment, a camp jersey and a practice bag. A specialty camp for quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers will be held from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.; the cost is $50. A $100 deposit is required for equipment, which will be handed out from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday behind Harper's Choice Middle School in Columbia.

Melvin Mora, two-time All-Star third baseman What is the best part of being invited to play on the All-Star team? Being [at the] All-Star Game is a blessing, to be one of the best players in the world. It's something you need to enjoy, and it's nice to see all your friends there and have fun with your family. There are millions of people watching you. It's kind of fun.

BOSTON -- Can there be a more unlikely All-Star than Texas Rangers pitcher Jeff Zimmerman?Check the history of this mid-summer classic and you won't find many rookie middle relievers, especially those who were pitching in Single-A last season and in two other countries before that.So what's he doing here, sitting among baseball's elite? Judging by his numbers, he's blending in nicely.Zimmerman has been crucial to the Rangers' success this season, going 8-0 with one save and a 0.86 ERA in 35 appearances.

Athletics: Oakland is an AL-best 21-9 since the All-Star break.Rangers: Texas has had at least a four-game lead in the AL West every day since June 15.

Quote:"I've been fascinated with crocodiles and alligators. I learned so much about them that when I came to spring training, I wanted to go behind the scenes at Gatorland."-- Marlins rookie Bruce Aven, on how he came to wrestle an alligatorIt's a fact: The Reds' Barry Larkin has the most at-bats without a grand slam (5,927) among active players.Who's hot: The Expos' Vladimir Guerrero has three more RBIs (48) than he had at the All-Star break last year and is on pace to drive in a franchise-record 130.Who's not: In five games since coming back from the disabled list, the Giants' Barry Bonds is 1-for-17.

Astros: Houston leads the NL with 179 doubles. Shane Reynolds (10-6), Mike Hampton (11-3) and Jose Lima give Houston three pitchers with double-digit wins before the All-Star break for the first time.Blue Jays: David Wells went 0-for-2 with his second career sacrifice. He is hitting .132 with five hits in 38 career at-bats.Dodgers: Los Angeles has a losing record at the All-Star break for the ninth time since division play began in 1969. The only time it rallied to earn a postseason berth was the strike-delayed 1995 season, when it won the NL West with a 78-66 mark.

Orioles All-Star center fielder Adam Jones will miss two to three weeks and could be done for the remainder of the season after severely spraining his left ankle Tuesday night. "We've got five weeks left; of course I want to be there on the field with my teammates. There's nothing I'd rather do," Jones said. "But at the same time, you've got to be smart. Is it smart enough to come back for the last couple of weeks, or is it smart enough to just let it heal all the way and come back next year?"

It has been a disappointing season for Cleveland, which never was in the race and opted to trade many of its veterans for young talent. Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and All-Star catcher Victor Martinez were the Indians' most significant trades, but the team also jettisoned Mark DeRosa, Ben Francisco, Carl Pavano, Rafael Betancourt and Ryan Garko in deals. Still, the Indians have played much better recently and enter tonight's series opener with 20 wins in their past 34 games and eight series victories over the past 11. Slick-fielding shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is hitting .315, including a .338 average since the All-Star break.

The White Sox's 45-43 first half couldn't have been much more nondescript. They were 22-21 at home and 23-22 on the road. The next week will go a long way toward determining whether they are serious buyers at the nonwaiver trade deadline. Heading into tonight, Chicago is in second place in the American League Central, 3 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers and a half game ahead of the Minnesota Twins. The White Sox have the fourth-best ERA in the AL at 4.16. The staff is led by ace Mark Buehrle (9-3, 3.66 ERA)

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- When the Orioles acquired outfielder Adam Jones from the Seattle Mariners before last season, they felt that he had the potential to become a budding superstar. They just never expected it to happen this soon. Jones' meteoric rise was recognized Sunday when he was the lone Oriole selected to be on the American League All-Star team. He got the nod over fellow Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis and closer George Sherrill, who made the squad last season. "It's a cool honor to get to represent the Orioles and myself," said Jones, 23, who is the team's youngest All-Star since Mike Mussina was selected in 1992 as a 23-year-old, and the club's youngest position player since Cal Ripken Jr. was tabbed in 1983 at the age of 22. "I'm pretty thrilled about it. I didn't think I was going to go, but my mom always said she was praying for me and kept voting for me. I guess all her hard work paid off."

According to team sources, the O's and their second baseman have basically come to terms on a four-year contract that would pay the All-Star player $40 million. sports

Mo Williams strengthened his argument for being an All-Star by scoring a career-high 43 points and LeBron James recorded his 20th career triple double as the Cleveland Cavaliers (35-8) improved to 21-0 at home, beating the Sacramento Kings, 117-110, last night. Williams, who is hoping to join James on the Eastern Conference team at next month's All-Star Game in Phoenix, had his finest game since joining the Cavaliers. The do-it-all point guard went 15-of-24 from the field, made a career-best seven three-pointers and added 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Report: Brother says McGwire used steroids baseball Mark McGwire's youngest brother says in a book proposal that he injected the former baseball star with steroids, according to Deadspin.com. Jay McGwire is circulating a manuscript titled The McGwire Family Secret: The Truth about Steroids, a Slugger and Ultimate Redemption, the Web site reported Wednesday. Jay McGwire, a bodybuilder, said his brother started using steroids in 1994 and that he injected Mark with Deca-Durabolin. Mark McGwire has denied using illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

Pistons deal for Iverson; Nuggets get Billups pro basketball The Detroit Pistons shook the NBA in a big way yesterday - landing former Most Valuable Player Allen Iverson from the Denver Nuggets. The Pistons gave up All-Star point guard and former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, top reserve Antonio McDyess and project Cheikh Samb. Iverson is in the final year of his contract, making $20.8 million this season. He could debut with the Pistons tomorrow night at Toronto. Billups is in the second season of a four-year deal worth a guaranteed $46 million with a $14 million team option for a fifth year.

Open memo to Commissioner Bud Selig: You are right that you shouldn't alter the extra-innings format in the All-Star Game just because this year's exhibition went 15 innings. There shouldn't be a souped-up version like there is in the Olympics, with teams beginning each inning after the 10th with runners automatically on first and second. To paraphrase the late Syd Thrift, the All-Star Game isn't country roundcat. I also agree with you that "an additional safeguard" should be implemented in case a future All-Star Game goes extras.

Observations, opinions and musings from last week in major league baseball. Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, a recovering substance-abuse addict, had the best story of redemption at the 79th All-Star Game. Orioles closer George Sherrill, who went from an undrafted, independent league player to an All-Star closer in five years, wasn't far behind. But there's another All-Star whose journey to Yankee Stadium last week is worth mentioning. His name is Kerry Wood, a Chicago Cubs pitcher.