from the New York Post

July 11, 2001 --

SEATTLE - The outcome of last night's 72nd All-Star Game proves once and for all that American League manager Joe Torre deserves to be lambasted for selecting seven of his players to the roster.

Based on the performances of the Yankees who played in the American League's fifth consecutive victory, by a 4-1 margin, Torre should have selected more of his own players.

How in the name of Miller Huggins could Torre leave Mike Mussina and Tino Martinez off the All-Star team?

Of the six Yankees who played in the game - Mariano Rivera spent the break in Panama - only Bernie Williams did not make a significant contribution.

Derek Jeter, named MVP of last year's game in Atlanta, was on the front end of back-to-back home runs off of Jon Lieber. Leading off the sixth, Jeter homered to dead center and Magglio Ordonez followed with a home run to right.

Roger Clemens, pitched two scoreless innings. Andy Pettitte pitched a scoreless inning and Mike Stanton retired the only two batters he faced. Jorge Posada doubled in his only at bat.

"I've said it before," Jeter said before saying it again. "I feel like I play on an All-Star team every night. We're spoiled as far as that goes."

Years from now, Jeter will look back on the All-Star Game at Safeco Field. What will he think about first, he was asked, his home run or the home run hit by All-Star Game MVP Cal Ripken?

"What will I think about first?" Jeter echoed the question as the beginnings of an impish grin formed. "I'll think about mine first. Then I'll think about Cal's."

What a refreshingly honest response.

Jeter is guarded, careful not to say anything that could boomerang on him. He guards his image in that way. He is not, however, so image conscious as to not tell the truth, not so image conscious as to engage in phony humility.

Performing well in the All-Star Game still gives him a charge and when the lights are brightest, so is Jeter.

"This was Cal's night," he said.

All baseball fans are grateful for the way Ripken has played the game all these years. Jeter has more reason than most to feel indebted to him.

"He paved the way for all of us tall shortstops," Jeter said. "I heard talk in Little League that I was too tall to play shortstop. I even heard that talk in high school. My first line of defense was always, ‘Look at Cal Ripken.' "

Jeter looked at Ripken do what he did last night and he had a similar reaction to most. His jaw dropped.

"You're sort of in awe," Jeter said. "Even when you're around him as much as I've been around him, playing the last six years against him, you still look at him sort of wide-eyed."

Even Jeter, who has a penchant for clutch performance, is amazed at Ripken's timing.

"It's amazing," he said. "He hit a home run the night he tied the streak. And he hit another home run the night he broke the streak. Here he is in his last All-Star Game and he hits a home run again. It's incredible."

Jeter shut up everyone who questioned whether Oakland's Miguel Tejada deserved to be named instead of the Yankees' shortstop.

"I told him I think it took Hank Aaron 10 or 12 years to hit his first home run in an All-Star Game," Torre said of Jeter, whose four-game All-Star average improved to .667.

Torre hoped last night's 3-0 swing from Jeter was just the start of something special.

"We haven't seen that for a while from Derek, to be honest with you," Torre said. "He's really been having trouble driving the ball. Hopefully, this thing, selfishly speaking, starts something for us."

Ripken and Jeter, among others, made it a game worth watching.

Ratings, ratings, ratings. Who cares about TV ratings anyway?

"Anybody who missed this game tonight missed something special," Posada said.