Records may fall for RBIs, homers

If the second half of the season is anything like the All-Star game, big numbers are on deck. Really big numbers.

Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa taking aim at Roger Maris' home run record. Juan Gonzalez going for the RBIs mark. The New York Yankees trying to become the winningest team ever.The races all resume Thursday.

For now, baseball is still buzzing about the batty All-Star game Tuesday night. Coors Field was simply offensive, with the American League beating the National League 13-8 in the highest-scoring All-Star game ever.

"It's a hitter's paradise," said Paul O'Neill of the Yankees.

MVP Roberto Alomar and Alex Rodriguez homered for the AL. But the biggest blow was a three-run homer by Barry Bonds, a 451-foot drive to right field.

The Giants star's shot hit the "SF" banner draped from the third deck, about 3 feet from a sign that would've won a lucky fan $1 million. The letters signified "San Francisco," but they might as well have stood for "Slug Fest."

Now, once again, the home runs count for real as McGwire & Co. continue their pursuit of Maris' 61 in 1961. McGwire leads the majors with 37 homers, with Griffey and Sosa also on a pace to break the record.

"Everything people are talking about is a projection," McGwire said. "There's always projections at the All-Star break and nobody realizes the second half is the toughest part of the year.

"Let's be realistic, there's a long ways to go and a lot of things can happen," the St. Louis first baseman said. The Cardinals have 75 games left this season.

The big redhead assures all he's more concerned about keeping his sanity than rewriting the record book.

"My goal is to finish the season without having gray on my goatee," he said. "If this is all gray, I think it's a sign that the pressure hit me."

Gonzalez also might give history a run. He had 101 RBIs at the break, and he has 80 games left with Texas to challenge Hack Wilson's record of 190 set in 1930.

"The thing is staying healthy all season," Gonzalez said. "I'm trying to drive in my RBIs. I'm trying day by day, one at a time."

That's the same attitude the Yankees are taking as they approach records for the most wins.

These Yankees already are 61-20, a winning percentage of .753. For those wondering, the famed '27 Yankees - billed as the best team ever with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig - went 110-44 for a winning percentage of .714.