Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Danny Graves earned the save in the Reds' 4-2 win. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        ST. LOUIS — When the National League All-Star team is announced today, Bob Boone knows not everyone will be happy. With each of the NL's 16 teams getting a representative, and only 30 roster spots to go around, deserving players often are left out.

        “My whole life, I've been around All-Star selections and Hall of Fame selections, and not everybody makes it,” said the Reds manager, a four-time All-Star himself. “I appreciate what those guys have done for me. You don't always make all-league. It doesn't diminish what they've done.”

        The Reds won't have anyone voted in as a starter by fans for the July 9 game in Milwaukee. Their top vote-getter is the injured Ken Griffey Jr., sixth among outfielders with 340,590 votes through Monday.

        Closer Danny Graves and outfielder Adam Dunn are the Reds' two best bets to be named reserves by National League manager Bob Brenly of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

        Graves went into the weekend ranked third in the NL in saves, with 23 (in 28 chances). Graves was 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA and had converted his past seven save chances.

        Dunn went into the weekend hitting .310 with 15 homers and 48 RBI. Dunn's .456 on-base percentage ranked second in the NL (to Barry Bonds' .575) and Dunn also was second in the league in walks, with 66 (Bonds had 98). Dunn had two hits Friday night to give him eight hits in 14 at-bats.

        Graves was an All-Star pick in 2000.

        “You're not going to believe me when I say this, but honestly, it doesn't matter to me,” Graves said.

        “If it happens, I'll be very excited. Don't get me wrong. It's a great honor. But if it doesn't, I'll go take my break in Florida and look at the house I'm building. To get three days (off) in a row, especially this time of year when you're getting a little fatigued, is great.”

        Dunn, the MVP of last year's Triple-A All-Star game, would be making his first appearance.

        “I can honestly say I haven't thought about it,” Dunn said. “I think Danny (Graves) should go. . . . Juan (Encarnacion) should go.”

        And about his own chances?

        “I don't know what they go by,” Dunn said. “There's a plethora of outfielders.”

        When he played in the 2000 All-Star Game, Graves walked around the clubhouse in wide-eyed wonder.

        “I'm not a shy person,” he said, “but I was almost too shy to talk to some of those guys. I was star-struck.”

        Graves pitched one scoreless inning in that game. What he remembers most is the other eight guys on the field.

        “I turned around and Vladimir Guerrero was in right field,” he said. “I'm pitching to Jason Kendall. Chipper Jones was at third base. All these guys I usually play against, and we're all on the same team. It was awesome.”

        First baseman Sean Casey was the Reds' lone All-Star last season.

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