Shakeup at shortstop Garciaparra edges Jeter for All-Star spot

NEW YORK Nomar Garciaparra, backed by Boston's high-techcampaigning, was elected to the All-Star Game on Monday. FourCleveland Indians benefited from more traditional methods to gaintheir starting spots.

The Indians, who lead the majors in attendance, will send JimThome, Roberto Alomar, Kenny Lofton and Manny Ramirez to the All-StarGame next Tuesday.

But in the biggest shakeup of the final week, Garciaparra passedthe Yankees' Derek Jeter and Cleveland's Omar Vizquel to start atshortstop at Fenway Park."I'm probably as shocked as you guys," Garciaparra said. "It's anhonor. It's nice when it's at home."Paul Beeston, baseball's chief operating officer, said Thursdaynone of the Internet votes had been counted until the last week.Fans were allowed to vote 22 times on the Internet - the averagenumber of home games for each team during the balloting.Garciaparra apparently benefited from Boston's aggressivecampaigning online. Garciaparra, who trailed Jeter by 30,655 voteslast week, finished with 1,089,974. Jeter was second with 1,069,528and Vizquel was third with 1,038,362."The fans are going to vote for who they want to see," Jeter said."I don't think you can go wrong with a number of shortstops in ourleague."Thome (1,364,692) will be at first base, Alomar (2,793,891) atsecond. Lofton (1,676,595) and Ramirez (1,898,430) join leadingvote- getter Ken Griffey Jr. of Seattle in the outfield."I want to go out there and have some fun, enjoy a little timeoff," Lofton said. "It's a mental break from the season."Griffey is the leading American League All-Star vote-getter forthe fourth straight year and seventh time overall. Elected to startfor the 10th consecutive time, he got 2,918,055 votes.The rest of the AL starting lineup: Texas' Ivan Rodriguez(1,897,774) at catcher, Baltimore's Cal Ripken (1,285,728) at thirdbase and Tampa Bay's Jose Canseco (1,664,282) at DH."I've come full circle," said Canseco, who made the team for thefirst time since 1992. "I went from being the best baseball playerin the world, hands down by far at one point, to more or less almostan outcast." VOTE TOTALS, PAGE 85