Nelson

	Rivera

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, criticized for picking seven of his players for the All-Star game, replaced one Saturday, announcing reliever Mariano Rivera would skip the game to rest an inflamed ankle.

Torre chose Seattle reliever Jeff Nelson to replace Rivera on the AL squad.

Nelson learned of his first career All-Star selection in a call on the bullpen phone from Mariners pitching coach Bryan Price during the third inning of Seattle's 2-1 loss at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

"It was hard to believe. You don't expect it. It's exciting," Nelson said. "At first, I didn't believe Bryan. He said, 'No, no. It's for real. It's for real.' Obviously, when you're a middle reliever, obviously you're going to be surprised to make the All-Star team."

Nelson entered Saturday's game in the sixth and struck out his first four batters.

"I think it was more nerve-racking than anything, because you don't want to go into the All-Star game with a loss," Nelson said. "So I felt I had to go out and do a good job and get a win so my stats look halfway decent Tuesday when they put them up on the board -- if I get a chance to pitch."

Nelson's strikeout streak was broken when he hit Paul Lo Duca on the bill of the helmet with a 1-2 pitch.

A year ago, Torre passed over Nelson -- then a Yankees setup man -- for the All-Star team, causing a major rift between them. Nelson signed as a free agent with the Mariners in the offseason.

There had been speculation that Torre might choose Nelson for Tuesday night's game in Seattle, but the Yankees manager went for Rivera, who had two wins and 28 saves.

Nelson was angered by the choice.

"Maybe this will motivate some guys who are upset. What we have to do is win the World Series, and then (Mariners manager Lou Piniella) can take his guys next year," Nelson said at the time.

The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.29 ERA and four saves over 38 appearances. He has struck out 53 batters and allowed just 15 hits in 35 1-3 innings.

Rivera was charged with a 3-0 loss against the Mets on Saturday and Torre announced his decision immediately after the game.

"It has nothing to do with today," Torre said. "We began considering this two days ago. He has some inflammation in his right ankle. It comes and goes. Some days it's worse than others."

Torre said the ankle bothered Rivera more in Thursday night's appearance against Baltimore than it did on Saturday. "He got them 1-2-3, though," the manager said.

Originally, Rivera asked not to be selected for the AL team, saying he would benefit from three days of rest. After he was chosen, Torre said the reliever wanted to go.

"He didn't not want to go," Torre said. "He felt since I chose him he should go."

That changed in the last two days, when Torre huddled with Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre.

"We just felt the rest would help him. It's his push-off leg. He's had treatment and wears a pad. He's had this thing but he's been able to pitch with it. It doesn't affect his pitching. Over the winter it should get better."

The bullpen switch means the Mariners -- 62-23 through Friday for baseball's best record -- will have an All-Star game-high seven participants, with Nelson joining first baseman John Olerud, second baseman Bret Boone, outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, designated hitter Edgar Martinez, and pitchers Freddy Garcia and Kazuhiro Sasaki.

Friday, NL manager Bobby Valentine launched a thinly veiled attack on Torre in a letter to Cliff Floyd, whose exclusion from the All-Star team created controversy.

"Almost everyone believes Nelson didn't get picked for personal reasons," Valentine said. "Floyd doesn't get picked for professional reasons and I get criticized for making it personal."

After Valentine's comments, Torre denied his feelings had anything to do with not picking Nelson for this year's team.

"The day I do anything for personal reasons is the day I should walk away from the game," Torre said. "I would be hurting the team if I did that. That adversarial relationship I had with Jim Leyritz was very difficult but we accepted him on this team and I think that gives us an idea of my mindset. It's ridiculous to think that I would not pick Jeff for personal reasons."