St. Louis Post-Dispatch
July 5, 2001

As Expected, Pujols and Morris are Named to the All-Star Team

By Rick Hummel

A year ago, Albert Pujols was playing in an All- Star Game -- the Class A Midwest League All-Star Game in Kane County, Illinois. A year ago, Matt Morris was taking time off from his spot deep in the Cardinals' bullpen.

But, on next Tuesday, both Cardinals will be first-time National League All-Stars in the All-Star Game in Seattle.

Pujols was one of three rookies named to the team. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins of Philadelphia and Milwaukee pitcher Ben Sheets are the others.

Pujols is one of the few rookies on the team.

"That's great," he said. "There are a lot of guys who didn't make it that deserved to make it. I've got good numbers and I think I deserve it. But, like I said, it really didn't matter if I made it or not.

"You've got guys like (Fernando) Vina who should have made it. But I'm not the one to choose it."

Vina didn't make it as a second-base reserve, nor did Houston's Craig Biggio when it appeared that one would be on the club behind San Francisco's Jeff Kent, the leading vote-getter.

"If one of us (Vina or Biggio) would have made it, we would be happier," said Vina. Rollins is the only National League infield reserve.

While Morris spent last year in the bullpen following Tommy John elbow surgery, he spent 1999 feeling sorry for himself because he couldn't pitch. An All-Star selection seemed very far away. "I was worried about playing baseball again," he said when he was out an entire season.

"It'll be unbelievable to sit in the dugout with guys like Randy Johnson and (Curt) Schilling and (Mike) Hampton. I hope they'll talk to me.

"I'm going to be a quiet kid in a candy store."

Otherwise, he said, "It's nerve-racking, exciting, all that stuff. It would be nice if Mac (Mark McGwire) or DK (Darryl Kile) or somebody who's been around it before was there and you could hold their hand. But Pujols and I can sit back and be scared and nervous together."

Morris said he hadn't been on an All-Star team since he was 12 years old and was a catcher and pitcher in Little League.

But he has appeared in Seattle before and is likely to face many Mariners hitters on the American League squad.

"They've already lit me up once," said Morris of giving up seven runs in an exhibition game the last weekend of this year's spring schedule.