European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 40 stars and stripes july 2007 Eric Elsber Cap the Louis cardinals Albert Pujols competes in the Allstar Home run Derby in san Francisco on Pujols expressed disappoint ment Over being the Only no Pitcher not used by no manager Tony la Russa in tuesday nights 54 loss to the Al in the Allstar la Russa theres no feud cardinals skipper insist Allstar incident was overblown by Fallstrom the associated press Louis Albert Pujols wants to make this absolutely Clear he is not feuding with Tony la people want to Start world War Iii with me and and i think there picking the wrong the Louis cardinals slugger said thursday during a Ive got so much re Spect for and Hes got so much respect for Pujols was the Only player from the defending world series Cham Pion cardinals to be picked for the Allstar he also was the Only no Pitcher that la the no did not use in a 54 loss tuesday la Russa said he saved Pujols in Case of extra innings and vowed that the relationship will stand the test of it want a there int a la Russa its been real Clear about How i feel about nothing Ever changes nothing Ever Pujols was upset after being left on the if i want expecting to i  have come up he said right after the game in san two Days Back in Pujols sounded was i disappointed because i didst get in the game of because in a he does that make it a big Deal it want a big Deal to but i guess it was a pretty big Deal to everybody else in the Pujols and la Russa had not talked before the but Pujols expected a conversation and an explanation people can talk and waste their i because there not going to get me angry or Tony Pujols Well sit Down and in look ing Forward to seeing Why he says he didst put me in the last la Russa and cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen had an icy la Russa benched the banged up Rolen in the and they didst talk during the Pujols could Only watch As Phil Adelphia Aaron Rowand filed out with the bases loaded to end the Allstar la Russa said hed have liked to have called on but had to guard against a position player being injured if the game went to extra because you manage in the i wish i sent him out la Russa but the game would have either ended there or ended later if somebody got and theres a Way to fix since the 2002 game ended in an extra innings managers have tended to hold a hitter Back just in la Russa said if he ran out of position players hed rather forfeit than use a and called for major league base Ball to alter rules to allow for More la Russa is just As cautious in regular season almost Al ways saving his backup Catcher in Case of Wells suspended for 7 games Wrigley roughed up by police the associated press san Diego san Diego padres Pitcher David Wells was sus Pended for seven games and fined thursday by the com missioners office for his animated argument with an Umpire last in handing Down the punish Bob baseballs discipline cited Wells violent and aggressive including throwing a baseball at the Backstop As he left the not Boomer was As irritated with the punish ment As he was on when he was ejected by Umpire de Hickox for questioning Calls in the fourth inning of an 85 Victory Over the Atlanta braves after Jeff Francoeur hit a two run the 44yearold lefty criticized Watson and said the game is changing so much that pretty soon Well All put skirts on and were All going to play Wells asked the players Union to so the penalty cant Start until after a hearing and a de the padres open the Sec Ond half with a on game Lead Over los Angeles in the no to get a seven game suspension i think is absolutely Wells said before the padres held a workout and flew to Phoenix for the Start of the second there have been worse situations like that and nobody Ever gotten a seven game that concerts rough on Wrigley Chicago sting was at Wrig Ley Field while the cubs were on the Road last week and now Cen Ter Field at the neighbourhood Ball Park is looking a bit As cubs held a workout thursday before resuming play Friday after the Allstar the grass in Center Field was Dis coloured and the turf appeared to have numerous divots in it the remnants of two police concerts last its a Little sometimes till happen and you have to make the cubs Center fielder Angel Pagan said after testing the some of which appeared to have been the grass is Pagan the Ball is going to Bounce a Little More and Snake a Little i was getting Power shag Ging today so i can get used to tomorrow we have a and i might be in youve got to get to know it today so tomorrow it wont be a Giam Imitchell meeting set for this month new York Jason Liambis meeting with baseball steroids investigator George Mitchell will take place later this Giambi agreed to the session on june and lawyers have worked since then trying to get a Date that worked for All the new York Yankees designated who admitted he had a personal history regarding Ste will become the first Active player known to meet with a person familiar with the talks confirmed thursday that the meeting will take place in july but declined to give the exact the person spoke on Condi Tion of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the baseball commissioner Bud Selig had said last month that Mitchell assured him Liambis interview will be scheduled a former Al has been sidelined by a foot injury since May and the Yankees dont know when hell be Able to play athletics1 Harden Back on do Minneapolis Rich hard in went Back on the disabled list thursday with a strained right and the Oakland athletics Are giving no timeline for his the As Hope their hard throw ing right hander will pitch again sometime this he has the same injury that landed him on the do from april 16 to june hardens move is retroactive to july Oakland selected right hander Andrew Brown from Clearing a spot on the 40man roster by Transfer ring right hander Justin Duch Scherer to the 60day Duch the teams top setup is out for the year with a hip Harden is 12 with a Era in seven games and four starts in mets Cut 48yearold Franco new York Julio Franco May have finally run out of the new York mets Cut the 48yearold Utility Man opting to give 22yearold outfielder Lastings Milledge another Chance in the the no East leaders announced the move before starting the second half with a game against Franco hit Only in 50 a bats with one Home run and eight mostly a he also played a bit at first base and third base this popular in the fran co often acted As a motivating both veterans and younger there has been Specula Tion he might eventually have that role full time this the mets hired Rickey Henderson As a the mets designated Franco for meaning they have 10 Days to Trade release him or Send him to the Franco was a three time Allstar and won the 1991 Al Bat Ting title with he has career along with 173 Hom ers and forgettable Zito has struggled since winning Al by Young award in 02 from Back Page zip is determined not to let out Side influences interfere with his he headed Home to Southern California for the Allstar break and planned to talk Over his first half problems with his father and he acknowledges he needs to Trust himself pitchers dont usually have bad games unless there doing those when you Sec on guess your stuff you try to be too any Pitcher who struggles in a those things Are going Zito its a Little More that not my Job to worry about that for me its about going out and being Zito Hast had the kind of Suc Cess since that he had in winning the Al by Young award with 23 victories in Many believe he Hast been the same since pitching coach Rick Peterson took off for the new York mets after the 2003 with a locker next to Bonds in the far Corner of the giants club Zito will always have 25 to lend a Friendly his team mates figure their High priced starter will find a Way to turn things around and the Guy prepares himself As Well As Center fielder Dave Roberts he loves to go out there and we definitely expect him to be the Barry Zito weve All Zito allowed 21 runs in the first two innings of his 18 starts before the in the shutout by the cardinals on july he went Only four innings for the third time in his last six outings and has a Era during the it Hast helped his chances that the giants offence is having a Tough time scoring enough runs for any of its in not worried about run sup its not something i can really focus Zito for i just have to go out and do my be the Guy that i be its about relax physically i feel i expect there to be results