Bonds, Sosa, Griffey among many former stars that have been left out of this year's All Star Game!
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1989: It was the last time at least one of a group of 10 perennial All-Stars didn't make the All-Star team. In every year since that 1989 Midsummer Classic in Anaheim, you could count on seeing one or more from a group of baseball greats including Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr., Rafael Palmeiro, Frank Thomas, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Curt Schilling, Todd Helton and/or Tom Glavine at the All-Star Game.
This year, injuries, off years and the emergence of new talent has helped shuffle the rosters and usher in what could be a changing of the guard at the All-Star Game.
Bonds, Sosa, Griffey, Palmeiro, Thomas, Johnson, Maddux, Schilling, Helton and Glavine entered 2005 with a combined 79 All-Star selections in a string that actually began in 1988 (Palmeiro and Maddux) and after a one-year hiatus had been unbroken in the 15 years since the Anaheim game.
Until now.
This year the 10 are conspicuous by their absence.
"There are a lot of younger guys doing a lot of good things," Griffey said. "It's very important that baseball keeps moving. I'm glad to see it."
For one reason or another, all four active members of the 500-homer club: Bonds (injured), Sosa, Griffey and Palmeiro (didn't get the necessary votes) won't be in Detroit. Ditto for three of the active members of the 400-plus homer club: Jeff Bagwell (injured), Thomas (recently returned from injury) and Jim Thome (injured). Others, including Gary Sheffield, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez, are All-Stars.
Of the top seven active leaders in career wins, only Roger Clemens, an 11-time All-Star who made his first appearance in 1986, is on the team. The others -- Maddux, Glavine, Johnson, David Wells, Mike Mussina and Kevin Brown -- won't be going this year.
This year, injuries, off years and the emergence of new talent has helped shuffle the rosters and usher in what could be a changing of the guard at the All-Star Game.
Bonds, Sosa, Griffey, Palmeiro, Thomas, Johnson, Maddux, Schilling, Helton and Glavine entered 2005 with a combined 79 All-Star selections in a string that actually began in 1988 (Palmeiro and Maddux) and after a one-year hiatus had been unbroken in the 15 years since the Anaheim game.
Until now.
This year the 10 are conspicuous by their absence.
"There are a lot of younger guys doing a lot of good things," Griffey said. "It's very important that baseball keeps moving. I'm glad to see it."
For one reason or another, all four active members of the 500-homer club: Bonds (injured), Sosa, Griffey and Palmeiro (didn't get the necessary votes) won't be in Detroit. Ditto for three of the active members of the 400-plus homer club: Jeff Bagwell (injured), Thomas (recently returned from injury) and Jim Thome (injured). Others, including Gary Sheffield, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez, are All-Stars.
Of the top seven active leaders in career wins, only Roger Clemens, an 11-time All-Star who made his first appearance in 1986, is on the team. The others -- Maddux, Glavine, Johnson, David Wells, Mike Mussina and Kevin Brown -- won't be going this year.
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