By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer Staff Writer

HOUSTON - Somebody had the wherewithal to situate Sean Casey near the only entrance.

The Reds first baseman, who was selected to participate in the All-Star Game but will sit out because of a right-calf strain, was the first player reporters passed as doors opened for the National League media session Monday.

"Oh, man! Wow! I tell you what, this is my third game and it gets more special every year," Casey said. "The festivities are special. Just being in the dugout and clubhouse with these guys, the best guys in baseball, you never know when you'll come back.

"But I enjoy it. I love baseball so this is the ultimate thing for a player."

Even better for the Reds: Casey said he is ready to come off the 15-day disabled list Thursday.

"I feel great," he said. "I've been going at it pretty much 100 percent. Saturday and Sunday were my best days.

"I'll be ready to go Thursday (against the Cardinals), no doubt about it."

FOR STARTERS: As expected, National League manager Jack McKeon named Astros pitcher Roger Clemens as his team's starter.

A's pitcher Mark Mulder (12-2, 3.21) will start for the American League.

"I'm definitely not going to try to walk (Barry) Bonds," Mulder said. "Hopefully he'll put it in play and I'll throw some strikes to him."

Clemens, now a 10-time All-Star, made his All-Star debut in 1986 at the Astrodome.

"My first one went by so fast," he said. "When I see the clips, obviously I'm a lot younger, but those three innings just went by so fast."

Clemens will be pitching to Mets catcher Mike Piazza. The two have a history stemming from the 2000 season, but said Monday any residual hard feelings are past.

"I don't have to pitch to him or at him," Clemens said. "I'm pitching with him now. We're on the same team so it's pretty much not a story."

THE CAPTAIN: Though it may be his final All-Star appearance, Reds shortstop Barry Larkin is not treating this one any differently than the previous 11.

McKeon selected Larkin to the NL team.

"I approach it with the attitude that I'm going to have a good time, enjoy it just like I have every other one," Larkin said.

"I don't plan on enjoying it more or doing anything more because this might be my last All-Star Game."

WAY BACK WHEN: This is the third All-Star Game held in Houston.

The Astrodome played host to the first indoor All-Star Game in 1968.

Giants outfielder Willie Mays went 1-for-4 and scored the game's only run to grab MVP honors.

It remains the only 1-0 game in All-Star history.

"I wasn't supposed to start, but I got a base hit in the first inning and scored on a double play," Mays said. "We had good pitching and wanted to win."

QUOTABLE: "So many people want to make something of my age. Well, I'm so old I can remember Preparation A." - NL manager Jack McKeon, who turns 74 in November.

REMATCH: Eric Gagne wasn't very worked up about pitching last year in the All-Star game.

But he could be quite excited Tuesday night if he gets another chance to face Hank Blalock.

Until his record-shattering streak of consecutive saves ended last week, Gagne's most recent flawed performance came last July in Chicago, when Blalock hit a two-run homer that gave the American League a 7-6 victory.

"Of course I want another shot at him," said Gagne, the Los Angeles Dodgers' closer. "He's one of the best hitters in the game so I want to face him and see if I can strike him out."

Blalock is the only third baseman on the AL roster backing up starter Alex Rodriguez, so he'll probably play the last few innings - which is exactly when Gagne would pitch.

If there's a rematch, Blalock probably shouldn't wait on a fastball, which is what he hit last year.

"I'm not going to tell him what I'm going to throw, but it'll maybe be a little bit different," Gagne said, smiling.

"Maybe I'll throw him a changeup."

Paul LoDuca, Gagne's teammate on the Dodgers and the catcher who called the Blalock homer pitch, said Monday that Gagne acknowledged being less intense than usual during last year's game.

"He told me on the mound, I'm not that pumped up,' " LoDuca said.

Blalock, a slugging third baseman for the Texas Rangers, was celebrated for his blast all the way into October because his homer gave the AL homefield advantage in the World Series. It was the first time such a thing was determined in the All-Star game.

"The situation was perfect, and the result was the best I could do," Blalock said. "Hopefully I'll get in the game again and maybe I can make a difference."