MILWAUKEE -- Ken Griffey Jr. went on the 15-day disabled list
Sunday with a torn right hamstring and will miss the All-Star Game.
The Cincinnati outfielder was injured Saturday night while
trying to run down Brady Clark's fourth-inning drive to
right-center in the fourth inning of a 5-0 loss to Milwaukee. An
MRI exam Sunday revealed a partial tear of the muscle.
Griffey plans to go to Houston to participate in ceremonies, but
will not take part in the Home Run Derby or Tuesday's game, Reds
spokesman Rob Butcher said. He will be replaced by the Astros'
Carlos Beltran on the NL roster and Lance Berkman in the Derby.
"He'll be re-evaluated on a regular basis," Reds trainer Mark
Mann said. "He told me he heard it pop. At the end of the 15-day
period, we'll have a better idea of a time frame. It's a muscular
tear, so this should heal on its own."
Griffey was voted an All-Star starter for the 12th time last
weekend. He missed more than a month with a torn hamstring that
bothered him throughout the 2001 season. He spent two long stints
on the 15-day disabled list with a torn patella tendon and a torn
right hamstring in 2002, then went to the DL twice again last year
for a dislocated right shoulder and torn ankle tendon.
It's the fourth time Griffey will miss an All-Star game. He also
did not play in 1995, 1996 and 2000 because of injury.
Mann talked with Griffey on Sunday.
"He's doing OK," Mann said. "We've been down this road
before."
All four active players with 500 homers had been scheduled to
compete in Monday's Home Run Derby: Barry Bonds (681), Sammy Sosa
(555), Rafael Palmeiro (540) and Griffey (501).
Griffey, Bonds and Sosa were all slated to start for the NL in
the outfield.
"I was anxious to get down there and pencil those three guys
in," said Florida manager Jack McKeon, who will manage the
National League. "That would have been a special lineup card to
keep."
McKeon said Berkman will likely start in center for the NL.
Griffey, who started 76 of Cincinnati's first 87 games, was
enjoying his best season since 2000 when he had 40 home runs and
118 RBI. He has 20 home runs and 60 RBI.
"Until this, it's probably the best he's felt in a long time,"
Reds manager Dave Miley said.
The Reds called up outfielder John Vander Wal from Triple-A Louisville to take Griffey's spot on their roster.