Bruce Bochy is one of the lucky ones. He spent seven years managing the Padres before finally winning a pennant in 1998. His reward is his first visit to Fenway Park as manager of the National League All-Stars, and he couldn't be happier.
''Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd manage an All-Star team and be with the best players in the world,'' he said. ''And I think it's even more special being at Fenway Park. It will mean something to step out on that field with all that history and tradition.
''To me, it's like the first trip to Yankee Stadium in the World Series. It becomes sacred grounds. When they announce the lineups, I will feel honored. It's just something that is hard to describe.''
Bochy's club for the 70th All-Star Game includes 16 first-time selections. Curiously, the one choice he and the fans thought should be there, Tony Gwynn, isn't available because of a strained calf muscle. ''I wasn't concentrating on guys in their first year,'' he said. ''It just worked out that way. We have a lot of guys in their first time around that are having tremendous years. Sometimes the first time is the toughest to get in. Fans might want to go with the more popular guy who isn't having as good a year. But you can't always do that.''
''A guy like Jeff Kent has probably been deserving the last two or three years. It's going to feel good to have them all on the field because they are all deserving. Expanding the roster would make our job easier but you can have 40 men and leave someone off.''
Ryder Randy
The Diamondbacks' Randy Johnson met the media while wearing a white polo shirt emblazoned with a Ryder Cup/The Country Club insignia.
Was he trying to ingratiate himself with the locals? Was he looking for a free round at The Country Club?
''I was playing golf in Cincinnati with some teammates, and the winner gets to buy a shirt at the others' expense,'' he explained. ''They just happened to have these Ryder Cup shirts, so I got one.''
The winning score, in case you're interested, was 86.
''I'm not a great golfer,'' he shrugged. ''But I'm not that bad, either.''
Wall power
Johnson said the National League should have the edge when it comes to The Wall. ''The power guys on the National League team are righthanded hitters ... [Mark] McGwire, Sammy [Sosa], Jeff [Bagwell], [Mike] Piazza,'' said Johnson. ''The power guys for the American League are [Ken] Griffey, lefthanded, Manny Ramirez, righthanded, Jim Thome, lefthanded. If you're looking at The Monster, it looks like the National League has the edge.'' ... Reds shortstop Barry Larkin said he still can't believe the Dodgers ''gave up on Pedro Martinez. He and Ramon [Martinez] were something. Ramon would go out there and throw and Pedro - he was such a short guy, but he was throwing about a billion [m.p.h.] followed by a 30 m.p.h. changeup. The Dodgers got rid of him and I said, `What the heck are they doing? What are they thinking of?' And then it was the same in Montreal for Pedro because if you didn't face him when you went up there, you weren't sad about it.'' ... Larkin, the premier shortstop in the NL, said he finds it a treat when he watches AL shortstops on television. ''A-Rod [the Mariners' Alex Rodriguez] is the power guy, [the Yankees' Derek] Jeter is the defensive guy who just happens to be hitting .370, and Nomar [Garciaparra of the Red Sox] is the high-energy guy who hits doubles and triples. And Omar [Vizquel of the Indians] is the walk-off-the-field home run guy. They've all got a special thing they're doing.''
Compiled by Larry Whiteside, Bob Ryan, and Michael Madden of the Globe Staff.
