Last-minute switch news to Zito -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press CHICAGO -- Roger Clemens replaced Barry Zito on the American League All-Star roster Monday, with the commissioner's office saying the Oakland left-hander was unable to pitch. That was news to Zito, who said he found out he was off the roster while sitting with his All-Star teammates in a hotel ballroom, giving interviews. "If I had some black-and-white explanation, it would make more sense,'' Zito said. During the A's 1-0 win at Baltimore on Sunday, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner threw 106 pitches, getting a no-decision, allowing four hits in eight innings. Sandy Alderson, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office, said Oakland manager Ken Macha and pitching coach Rick Peterson made the decision, and that A's general manager Billy Beane also was involved. Should MLB have replaced Barry Zito with Roger Clemens for the All-Star Game? Yes No "Barry was informed of that opinion, and acquiesced,'' Alderson said. "That was information relayed to us, and we acted on that information.'' Zito had been in an AL meeting before the session with reporters and said nothing was mentioned to him. "It has nothing to do with me or my physical situation,'' he said. "I don't know if they didn't feel comfortable with me pitching on one days' rest.'' Zito thought he could have pitched an inning during Tuesday night's game. In last year's All-Star game, Zito replaced Mark Buehrle to start the sixth, retired Shawn Green on a groundout, then was replaced by Eddie Guardado. "I could have given them more than the one batter I had last year,'' Zito said. Beane, reached at his home in California, said Zito was told Sunday by Macha. "The best interests of Barry's health and the Oakland A's going forward were better served by having Barry not throw in the game after his performance yesterday,'' Beane said Monday. Macha, reached on his cell phone, said he and Peterson spoke with Zito after Sunday's game. The presence of A's teammates Mark Mulder and Keith Foulke on the AL roster factored into the equation. "We told him that it was prudent he didn't pitch,'' Macha said, "and that the A's were going to have Mulder available for two innings and Foulke available for one. That was three innings from our pitching staff, and that was sufficient.'' Clemens ties for the seventh-most All-Star selections among pitchers, trailing Warren Spahn (17), Tom Seaver (12) and Steve Carlton, Don Drysdale, Whitey Ford, Juan Marchial (10 each). Many New York Yankees thought Clemens should have been among the original picks for the AL All-Stars. The only six-time Cy Young Award winner, Clemens plans to retire after this season, his 20th in the major leagues. The 40-year-old right-hander, who last month won his 300th game and got his 4,000th strikeout, was bypassed in player voting and wasn't selected by AL manager Mike Scioscia with one of his picks. Clemens, winner of the 1986 All-Star game after retiring all nine batters he faced at Houston's Astrodome, traveled from the Yankees' game in Toronto back home to Houston on Sunday night. He wasn't told he was being added until Monday. (=shady=mlb=dealings=) Oh well, Zito is my favorite player and its bull****, even if Clemens will don the cap of the greatest team in sports history.
I'm ok with it as long as Zito gets to go to the game and still gets credit for being on the team. If not, I would threaten the team if I were him. He deserves the honor of going even if he can't pitch. As far as Clemens. It doesn't matter to me. As long as he has the stats that justify it.
Don't you dare say that! Come hell or high water (or hurricane), you're gonna be there Wednesday night! Email me at behad@yahoo.com so we can make plans. I may not answer tonight, but I'll contact you tomorrow for sure.
I live in bentwater and I worked out with Roger and his trainer this morning at the country club. I am not kidding. He must have caught a flight right afterwards. We even talked about how he got snubbed. I was telling him how the strikeout leader should always get a spot, especially a hall of famer. I bet he won't want to play because he did some monster squats today. We were doing reps with 300.
Its too bad this situation had to come up at all. Roger should have been put on the team to begin with. MLB knew they screwed up so they had to find a way to get him on the team. It's too bad that Zito had to get bumped, but unfortunately Lance Carter couldn't be bumped from the team.
