All-Star Edgar
By Joe Strauss Post-Dispatch
July 7, 2003
Fan balloting for the All-Star Game concludes today with Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen all but assured of a starting berth, Woody Williams a logical choice to make his first game at 36 and left fielder Albert Pujols and shortstop Edgar Renteria on the bubble to be voted into the midsummer exhibition.
While it is chic for some players to play down the significance of being selected by fans, Renteria is intensely interested in the vote.
A two-time All-Star - in 1998 with Florida and 2000 with the Cardinals - Renteria would become the first Colombian player to be elected by fans rather than selected by managers. The difference may be insignificant to some. But it's not to Renteria, who became a national hero after driving in Craig Counsell with the clinching single in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. Renteria was awarded his country's highest civilian honor in November 1997.
"It is a big deal," he said Tuesday. "It is a very big deal because it's not just for me, but for my country. It has never happened before. It would make the people there very happy."
Renteria, one of three Colombia natives in the major leagues, passed Atlanta shortstop Rafael Furcal in balloting announced Tuesday. He leads 771,386 votes to 728,970. Pujols closed to within 20,000 votes of Braves outfielder Gary Sheffield.
Even if he isn't voted in as a starting outfielder, Pujols is a virtual lock to be manager Dusty Baker's starting designated hitter July 15. All participants will be announced on Sunday.
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