Winn solicits advice before hectic day

MILWAUKEE -- Randy Winn did his homework.

Before the Rays centerfielder left for his first All-Star Game, he consulted a trio that had midsummer classic experience.

Winn asked teammate Greg Vaughn, Rays trainer Jamie Reed and current Cubs first baseman and former Ray Fred McGriff about the ins and outs of being involved with an All-Star Game.

"I got as much information as I could to just kind of find out what I was up against," he said Monday. "I don't have anything I want to get out of this. I just want to kind of sit back, take it all in and really appreciate the moment."

Winn's first day as an American League All-Star began with an overnight flight that whisked him from Southern California to Wisconsin, where he landed at 9 a.m., got to his hotel a little after 10 a.m. and tried to take a nap.

"It was real short," Winn said. "As soon as I put my head down my alarm went off and it was time to get everything started."

The first order of All-Star business was an hour-long media interview session at 2:15 p.m. at the Pfister Hotel, where he would be asked about contraction, steroids, trade rumors and contract negotiations with the Rays, among other things. A camera crew from the children's network Nickelodeon also stopped by Winn's table to ask about sportsmanship.

"As I stepped in here, I was just kind of wandering around, lost, just looking at everybody's names," said Winn, who later took batting practice at Miller Park. "Now it's just kind of starting to set in. It's kind of surreal."