Morris Giants Lone All-Star?

With AT&T Park hosting the All-Star Game just over a month away, we in the Bay Area can look forward an exciting, sun-kissed few days of baseball irrelevance. But as we tune our sets to the game on July 10, basking in the national exposure our great stadium is receiving once more, who among our current team will be out there with us, making us proud?

Matt Morris is having an absolutely outstanding comeback season and will certainly be among the first pitchers selected by his former manager, Tony La Russa. Sadly, it may be Morris will be the only SF representative.

Barry Bonds' recent slump at the plate is translating into a slump at the ballot box, and what was once a probable start in LF may be nothing more than a pinch-hit appearance late in the game. That presumes La Russa even selects Bonds to the team given the national pressure he'll face to snub the mercurial slugger, despite worthy offensive numbers. I don't think La Russa's the type to do that, but a more likely scenario will be Bonds isn't voted in and simply announces he won't play in the game (but still appear at the park) to rest his ailing, splintered shins.

Which brings us to first year Giant Bengie Molina, a catcher highly deserving of the honor, but lost in the shadow of LA's Russel Martin and NY's Paul Lo Duca. There's been some noble campaigning by Giants fans to get him voted in, but realistically, Molina's best chance of making the team will be if current St. Louis catcher, Yadier Molina, whispers a few kind words in his skipper's ear on behalf of his older brother.