"Yes, there's a shadow that's hanging over top of him. The commissioner and Hank Aaron are torn whether they should celebrate the breaking of the all-time home run record," Ripken said today. "But when I think of Barry, I think of him as an All-Star player."

Bonds began today with 749 homers, six shy of Aaron's record. After hitting 11 homers in his first 76 at-bats for the San Francisco Giants, he has four in 109 at-bats since.

Still, his .292 batting average leads Giants' regulars, and the 13-time All-Star outfielder tops the major leagues in on-base percentage (.498) and walks (75).

"There has to be one guy from each team, and there's no question, I think, he's having the best year on that team," Gwynn said. "They're playing it in his home park. And I honestly think he deserves to be there."

In the latest fan voting for starters at the July 10 game in San Francisco, Bonds was fourth with 1,213,423, trailing the New York Mets' Carlos Beltran (1,698,217), Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. (1,640,575) and the Chicago Cubs' Alfonso Soriano (1,332,581).

Players vote eight more position players to the NL roster and the St. Louis Cardinals' Tony La Russa, the NL All-Star manager, selects three non-pitchers in conjunction with the commissioner's office.

Rosters will be announced Sunday. Ripken and Gwynn, both set for induction to the Hall of Fame on July 29, are among the hosts.