t the beginning of the season, almost everyone was anticipating the return of former Red Sox players such as Mo Vaughn, Roger Clemens, and Jose Canseco to Fenway Park for the 70th All-Star Game. What no one figured, however, was that Jose Offerman, whose offseason signing (with money the team didn't spend on Vaughn) triggered a wave of criticism aimed at general manager Dan Duquette, would be an All-Star and Vaughn would not.
''It's nice to be here,'' Offerman said, flanked by fellow All-Stars Pedro Martinez and Nomar Garciaparra at yesterday's player interview session at the Westin hotel. ''To be playing here and to be part of this kind of event with all these players is really nice.''
After struggling mightily over the past month or so following a hot start to the season, was he surprised to be selected as an All-Star reserve?
''To tell the truth, I was,'' Offerman said. ''This game is about what-have-you-done-lately, and I know I haven't been doing really well lately, so I was really surprised. But I'm happy to be here.''
Is this honor particularly satisfying in the wake of the persistent preseason chatter about his perceived role as Vaughn's replacement? ''Well, I never felt that way - that I had to replace him,'' Offerman said. ''There's no way that I can replace him. I just came here to play, to do the job with the rest of the guys, and I'm glad that I'm here.
''Making the All-Star Game, especially since it's here, there's no better feeling than that.''
