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Monday, July 8, 2002
Updated: July 10, 1:14 PM ET
What's hot, not for MLB All-Star Game

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By Dan Shanoff
Page 2 columnist

If you find yourself at a cocktail party -- or by the water cooler or at the bar or across from someone on a first date -- and you want to wax wisely about the state of major-league baseball at the All-Star break, the conventional wisdom is very simple: 'Roids, 'roids, 'roids. Strike, strike, strike. You can't go wrong with that as your analysis.

But if you're looking for a few hip catchphrases to throw in the mix, use the list below of what's hot and what's not in baseball at the break to fuel your conversation:

What's Hot, What's Not at the baseball All-Star Game
Category	Hot	Not
What to do with Ted Williams' legacy	"Ali"-style bio-pic	Freeze him, then sell DNA
Labor-fight name to know	League prez Bob DuPuy	Union chief Don Fehr
Players' villain	Rick Reilly	Bud Selig
Managerial mind	Jim Tracy	Davey Lopes
Cubs go-to executive	New GM Jim Hendry	Old GM (still Prez) Andy McPhail
Future manager	Paul Molitor	Mitch Williams
Hip team to root for	Expos	Indians
Asian import	Kazuhisa Ishii	Chan Ho Park
Minor-league strategy	Bring on the attendance gimmicks	Place to train managers
Young flamethrower	Brett Myers (Phillies Triple-A)	Billy Koch
Pharmaceutical endorsement contract	Viagra	Claritin
Place to catch homers	Minute Maid Park (Houston)	Comerica Field (Detroit)
Hobby for ex-players	Managing	"Roving instructor"
Medical situation	Steroids-induced hammy pull	Off-field "freak" accidents
Derek Jeter social diva	Jordana Brewster	Joy Enrique
Brothers	Giles (Brian, Marcus)	Minor (Ryan, Damon)
Road-trip destination	Fenway Park	Any new ballpark
Red Sox star pitcher	Derek Lowe	Pedro Martinez
Clutch closer	Eric Gagne	Hideki Irabu
Movie subject	"Like Ichiro"	"The Rookie"
We're already sick of ...	Alfonso Soriano	Vladimir Guerrero
Rivalry	Kent-Bonds	Piazza-Clemens
Player fashion statement	Double-wide wrist bands	Excessive neck chains
Wily GM	Omar Minaya (Montreal)	Allan Baird (Kansas City)
Trade bait	Frank Thomas	Greg Vaughn
Player causes	Steroid testing	Payback for beanings
Jersey	Torii Hunter	Moises Alou
New York relocation	Jason Giambi	Mo Vaughn
Barry Zito hair	Normal	Blue and shaggy
Jewish poster kid	Shawn Green	Gabe Kapler
World Series favorite	New York Yankees	Uh, odds that there won't be a Series this fall
Prospect	Brandon Phillips	Rick Ankiel
Unlikely home-run derby hero	Richie Sexson	Barry Bonds
Home-run derby "moral victor"	Sammy Sosa	Lance Berkman

Dan Shanoff is a columnist for Page 2. His "What's Hot, What's Not" trend-spotting list appears Thursdays. Got inside scoop on an up-and-coming trend? Want to declare something passé? Send this glimpse of your hipness to hotnotlist@yahoo.com.

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