All Star Team

Dale Hunter is a stoic player who keeps his feelings under wraps in good times and bad.But yesterday, when he emerged from a team meeting in which Capitals general manager David Poile announced Hunter had been named to the NHL All-Star team as a special selection by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, he was anything but stoic"I don't know what to say," Hunter said, his eyes moist, his voice catching. "Give me a few minutes."Hunter joins Philadelphia Flyers center Dale Hawerchuk as the commissioner's choices for the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

The IAAM coaches have announced their all-star lacrosse teams: A Conference Sammie Burgess, McDonogh Gabby Cha, Mount de Sales Molly Cobb, Notre Dame Prep Ellie DeGarmo, Bryn Mawr Caroline Federico, Maryvale Nevi Fernandez, St. Paul's Cece Finney, Roland Park Liz Haus, Notre Dame Prep Miranda Ibello, Maryvale Stephanie Lazo, St. Mary's Julie Legar, Garrison Forest Maggie Preas, McDonogh ...

Quote: "If you had asked me about making the All-Star team two years ago, I would have just laughed. I didn't even make the all-star team when I was pitching in the independent Northern League in '97."-- Jeff Zimmerman, Rangers rookie reliever, on being named to the American League All-Star team.It's a fact: Jose Canseco's homer was only his second at Tropicana Field, the Devil Rays' home, since June 5.Who's hot: The Yankees' Derek Jeter reached base nine times (seven hits, two walks) in 15 plate appearances during the three-game series against the Tigers.

Clippers' Crawford Barry Stavro Los Angeles Times It's hard to come off the bench and get an All-Star nod. Example: James Harden, overlooked with the Thunder, but an obvious All-Star starting for the Rockets. It's the same for Clippers shooting guard Jamal Crawford. An ex-Sixth Man of the Year winner, he's likely to get that award again this season. He has been so good off the bench that Crawford is second in scoring on the team. And it has meant the Clippers' starters usually only have to play even with the opposition before their bench, led by Crawford, outscores the other team's reserves.

The Maryland Bay State select team, a squad comprising the best male high school players from around the state, will take on an all-star team from England at 4 p.m. today at McDonogh School.The contingent, which defeated New York's Hudson Valley All-Star team, 34-7, last month, is led by All-Metro players Damien Davis (Gilman), Owen Daly (McDonogh), Dan Lamonica (Boys' Latin) and Joe Rosenbaum (McDonogh).Pub Date: 7/15/98

TORONTO -- It doesn't bother Mike Mussina that for the first time in his four-plus-year career he isn't a member of the AL All-Star team."It's obviously an accomplishment," said Mussina, a member of the 1992, '93 and '94 AL teams. "I don't start out in spring training [aiming] to make the All-Star team. At least that's not my goal for the year. If your focus was the All-Star team, then your season stops in the middle of July."If Mussina were to win his last two starts before the All-Star break, he would have nine wins and be on a pace to have 19 victories in a 144-game season.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Dean Palmer doesn't want to say too much about his hitting streak. He doesn't want to "break it down too much."But Rangers manager Johnny Oates knows why Palmer is so hot: "It's the haircut."Palmer, who was 8-of-13 (.615) during last weekend's series against the Boston Red Sox, has been sporting a buzz cut of late. He was batting .305 entering last night's game against the Orioles at the Ballpark in Arlington and was leading American League third basemen in home runs and RBIs.

Offense -- "He is going to hit. He's got power and bat speed. He's got a great, big league body. Athletic, big and strong." Defense -- "He has good hands and feet and a cannon arm. He still has to learn how to catch. Technically, he needs some work. But he's a [Rule 5] guy that went from A ball to catching in the big leagues. His defense will improve with more experience." Overall -- "He is going to be very, very good, an All-Star eventually. He's not going to be a .300 hitter, but he'll hit .275 with 20-plus home runs.

C At age 80, Walter Youse says he "is running out of gas," but he's got enough in the tank for one more trip to the Netherlands.Youse, the veteran Milwaukee Brewers scout who has been coaching amateur baseball in Baltimore for more than 50 years, leaves with his Corrigan's Insurance 20-and-under team for the Netherlands and the World Port Tournament tomorrow. This will be the team's third trip to the Netherlands in five years."We're the defending champion, but it won't be easy because Major League Baseball is sending a minor-league all-star team over there," said Youse, whose club, formerly Johnny's, is 20-6.

BOWIE -- Team president Susan O'Malley is taking her job seriously as the unofficial campaign manager for Washington Bullets point guard Michael Adams and Pervis Ellison, in their bids to make the 1991-92 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star team.In the current issue of the Bulletin -- the team publication distributed to season-ticket holders -- O'Malley recommends that fans marking ballots not vote heavily for any rival guards or centers as "second choices" to Adams and Ellison. She also has spirited ballots away whenever the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons appear at the Capital Centre, when a preponderance of the fans favor the visitors.

Orioles top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy was named to this year's Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team. Bundy, the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft, was one of four starting pitchers selected from all levels of minor league baseball to make the first team. The 19-year-old right-hander was 9-3 with a 2.08 ERA in 23 starts between low Class-A Delmarva, high Class-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. He struck out 119 in 104 innings and allowed just 67 hits. Despite speculation that Bundy might join the Orioles once rosters expanded, he is participating in instructional league in Sarasota, Fla. The team was selected by Baseball America's staff.

Top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy has been named to the Carolina League All-Star Game despite pitching in just three games for High-A Frederick. He will be joined by two Keys teammates: Ty Kelly, who will start at third base, and Jeremy Nowak, who was named as a reserve outfielder. The 19-year-old Bundy is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three games after a promotion from Low-A Delmarva. For the Keys, Bundy has allowed five runs on 13 hits and four walks in 15 innings pitched. Last year's first-round pick of the Orioles (fourth overall)

Cheerleading tryouts for open spots with Maryland Marlins All-Stars will be held Aug. 25 from 6-7 p.m. Twelve teams are available for ages 4 and up. Contact 410-796-2244, supersquads@hughes.net , marylandmarlins.com.

A Sunday drive in his vintage Ford Galaxie can't help but remind Adrian Smith of the 1966 NBA All-Star Game. Smith, an unlikely star among stars, won the gas-guzzling convertible as the game's most valuable player. Forty-five years later, it's still parked in his garage. "I was going to take it out today," Smith says from his home in Cincinnati, "but we're expecting bad weather. " The former guard, whose All-Star appearance in 1966 was his first and last in 11 pro seasons, still climbs behind the wheel for occasional freeway jaunts, gunning the powerful engine.

Griffin yes, Love no K.C. Johnson Chicago Tribune With apologies to his relentless rebounding, Kevin Love should schedule some travel for All-Star weekend and sit back and enjoy the Blake Griffin show. Dirk Nowitzki is a lock reserve. So is Pau Gasol, unless Commissioner David Stern moves him to center to replace the injured Yao Ming. Tim Duncan even could garner a sentimental pick from coaches. Even if Duncan doesn't, you can have only so many forwards, and Griffin has been more impressive — and made more of an impact — than Love.

Stephen Strasburg says he's not feeling snubbed. The Washington Nationals rookie pitcher said Tuesday that he understands why he was left off the National League All-Star team and that he isn't ready for the midsummer classic. "You look at the guys who are going to the All-Star Game and the years that they've had — and they've done that since Opening Day," Strasburg said in his first comments since the selections were announced Sunday. "I haven't been here since Opening Day. They deserve it. Hopefully, someday I'll deserve it, too."

Rafael Palmeiro is hitting .324 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs, but there's a very good chance he again will be left off the American League All-Star team.The Orioles first baseman was not in the top eight in fan balloting the last time the vote totals were released. So starting the game is out.He could get a shot as a reserve, but Palmeiro plays a position that is loaded with many of the league's great hitters (Mo Vaughn, Frank Thomas) and popular players (Cecil Fielder and Mark McGwire).

Chris McCray shrugs off the expectations heaped on him since the senior at Fairmont Heights in Prince George's County committed to playing basketball with the Maryland Terrapins. "Everybody expects me to come in and play like Juan Dixon," McCray said, referring to the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. "I'm just going to try to do my best and play my game." McCray, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, will get an opportunity to introduce himself to Terrapins fans in the Baltimore area when he leads a U.S. All-Star team into the second annual Charm City Challenge tonight at the Towson Center at Towson University.

Right fielder Joe Nowicki of the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds said he started hitting line drives when he was 5 years old and hasn't stopped. Nowicki, 25, believes he was given a natural talent to hit a baseball, but there are perplexing occasions when that ability is hampered by an inability to "see the ball well." Nowicki has often pondered what causes those stretches in which it is nearly impossible to pick up the ball, and he hasn't found any answers. "If I knew that, I wouldn't be here [in the minors]

Offense -- "He is going to hit. He's got power and bat speed. He's got a great, big league body. Athletic, big and strong." Defense -- "He has good hands and feet and a cannon arm. He still has to learn how to catch. Technically, he needs some work. But he's a [Rule 5] guy that went from A ball to catching in the big leagues. His defense will improve with more experience." Overall -- "He is going to be very, very good, an All-Star eventually. He's not going to be a .300 hitter, but he'll hit .275 with 20-plus home runs.