Some of Baseball's Biggest Names Are Not 2003 All-Stars

July 10, 2003

At this years' 2003 All-Star game at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field, s ome of baseball's biggest stars will not be playing. Twenty-nine of the 63 players were first-time All-Stars, including 40-year-old pitcher Jamie Moyer. It was the most first-timers since 30 were chosen for the 1988 game in Cincinnati. None of the big milestone players made it: Clemens got his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout, and Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro hit their 500th homers. 

Sadly, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez will not participate in the All-Star game this year; however, two, hopefully three of his teammates will represents the Florida Marlins. Mike Lowell, 3B (Players' Ballot), Edgar Martinez as designated hitter, plus etopps Final Vote Candidate, Luis Castilloo, 2B. It is rare when 40-year-old teammates are named to the same All-Star team. It only happened for the second time in Major League history on Sunday when Mariners left-handed Jamie Moyer and designated hitter Edgar Martinez were named to the National League All-Star team for the July 15 game.  The only other time it happened was in 1960 when Early Wynn and Gerry Staley of the Chigcago White Sox were selected. "I feel rewarded for the hard work you put into it," Moyer said. "It's special to do what I do at 40 years and beyond."