Padres' All-Star Quartet: They're The Tops -- Fab Four Feel Right At Home

SAN DIEGO - Tony Gwynn sauntered into the National League clubhouse yesterday and gazed upon a familiar sight.

"They didn't clean my locker," Gwynn said in surprise, motioning toward the corner cubicle that was a jumble of shoes and bats.

Gwynn isn't the only San Diego Padre at home for tonight's 63rd All-Star Game. He and his fellow "Four Tops" - Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield and Tony Fernandez - will add an extra performance to their regular tour. They'll be joined by teammate Benito Santiago, voted the starting NL catcher despite missing all of June with a broken finger.

"You can look at it that it's weird that five Padres made the All-Star team, and we're only in third place," said Gwynn, who will make his eighth All-Star appearance and sixth start.

"Or you can look at it that three of us were voted in, and two made the club. They're having good years and they deserve to be there."

McGriff and Santiago also were voted into the starting lineup. Sheffield and Fernandez were named reserves.

In real life, Fernandez, Gwynn, Sheffield and McGriff are the hot-hitting top four in San Diego's lineup. Fernandez's average took a recent dip, to .297; the rest are hitting well above .300.

The All-Star Game will also feature six players the Padres traded away in recent years. They are outfielder Bip Roberts of Cincinnati, first baseman John Kruk of Philadelphia, second baseman Carlos Baerga of Cleveland, outfielder Joe Carter and second baseman Roberto Alomar of Toronto, and Alomar's brother, catcher Sandy Alomar Jr., of Cleveland.

Then there's shortstop Ozzie Smith, who began his career in San Diego before being traded to St. Louis before the 1982 season.

McGriff and Fernandez came to the Padres from Toronto in exchange for Carter and Roberto Alomar.

"I can't make a big deal about all these ex-Padres, other than Joe and Robbie, because that was a `deal' deal," Gwynn said. "We got McGriff and Fernandez and they got Alomar and Carter.

"All four are here in the All-Star Game. It hurts me because they were friends of mine, but other than that, the Padres are going to do what they've got to do."

McGriff, the only major leaguer to hit more than 30 homers in each of the last four seasons, is making his first All-Star appearance.

Having so many Padres in the lineup "just says a lot about the type of team we have," McGriff said. "We've got big talent on this team. It's just a matter of getting a little bit of pitching, and we have a chance in the second half."

This marks quite a turnaround for Sheffield, who left behind a troubled career in Milwaukee when he was traded to San Diego in spring training. This is his first All-Star Game, too.

"Just by me walking into this clubhouse, now I really realize what I've done," said Sheffield, tied with McGriff for the NL homer lead with 18.

"I've been in four All-Star Games, but never with so many teammates," Fernandez said. "It is a privilege."

Santiago could be the next big-name player to leave. Although he said he wants to remain in San Diego, the Padres have rebuffed his request for a long-term contract. He'll be eligible to file for free agency after this season.

Santiago, though, had his mind on the moment as he looked around the clubhouse.

"This is a completely different day," the four-time All-Star said. "There are a lot of different people here. They're all happy.

"I want to really focus on the game. I want to play baseball. I want to have fun and save all this thing about the contract for later."