Record five rookies make All-Star game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ? Ryan Cook thought about the assembled stars and wondered whether he belonged.

?Sometimes I?m like, ?Huh, I don?t know,?? Oakland?s rookie closer said before adding: ?When we get on the field, I think I fit in just fine.?

He is among a record five rookie All-Stars picked for Tuesday night?s game, joined by Washington outfielder Bryce Harper, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Texas pitcher Yu Darvish and Arizona pitcher Wade Miley.

When Miley arrived for spring training, he wasn?t thinking about taking his place among the Jeters and Verlanders.

?I was kind of packed to go to Reno,? he said. ?I was surprised I made the team and in the same sense thrilled.?

Before coming to the U.S. during the offseason, Darvish was a five-time All-Star in Japan?s Pacific League. Those All-Star games are nothing like this one.

?They build up this event a lot more here,? he said through a translator. ?I know how special it is to be selected.?

Harper, just 19, and the 20-year-old Trout form baseball?s youthful dynamic duo.

Harper is the youngest position player in All-Star history and a key part of the Washington Nationals? emergence as a first-place team. Trout, a year older, is leading the American League in hitting and helping the Los Angeles Angels turn around their season after a sloppy start.

Coincidentally, both came up to the major leagues on April 28, Harper for his debut and Trout for his return following a pair of stints last year.

In a room full of baseball?s best, even the veterans are taking notice of Harper and Trout.

?Speed. Power. Excitement. Youth. Energy,? Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson said. ?If they are able to stay healthy, they can completely transform the game as they get, five, 10, 15 years of big league time.?

For now, both will start Tuesday night?s game on the bench.

With the result determining home-field advantage in the World Series for the 10th straight year, AL manager Ron Washington will start reigning MVP and Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. The NL?s Tony La Russa, the first inactive All-Star manager since the AL?s Bob Lemon in 1979, chose San Francisco?s Matt Cain ? coming off a perfect game last month ? over knuckleballer R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets.