Mets' Wright isn't a 'ZOOperstar' either

This just in: Not only is David Wright not a true superstar like Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, he's not even a "ZOOperstar" like the two Yankees.

Jeter and A-Rod are among the athletes who have been immortalized in jest and inflatable costume by a Louisville, Ky., company called "ZOOperstars!" Wright is not.

"ZOOperstars!" is a group of mascots that this year will entertain at about 150 minor-league baseball games and other events and, for the first time this year, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game FanFest in Phoenix.

But "ZOOperstars!" can't use the real names of its stars. Trademarks and all that. So company founders and brothers Dominic and Brennan Latkovski made up characters that merge famous people names and members of the animal kingdom. Jeter, for example, is parodied by Derek Cheetah. Rodriguez becomes Alex Frogriguez.

Wright? He's as big a star as the Mets have. But owner Fred Wilpon said last week that Wright is "not a superstar," leading Wright to say, "I don't know what qualifies as a superstar."

We don't know either. But we know what makes a "ZOOperstar" and we also know why Wright isn't one.

"How do we pick the names? David Wright is certainly a great baseball player," Dominic Latkovski said. "He's certainly well-known in New York. But we kind of have our own way around here. Like, I ask my wife. She knows who Darryl Strawberry is, but she wouldn't know who David Wright is because she doesn't follow baseball."

Plus, what animal name play can you make off David Wright? It's what has led Latkovski to keep one of baseball's true superstars, Albert Pujols, off his furry and feathered roster.

"Albert Pujols is a great player and he certainly deserves it," he said. "He's a superstar beyond every doubt. He's earned the right to be a ZOOperstar. It's just that we haven't come up with a great name for him."

Each costume costs $5,000 to $6,000, Latkovski said, and "ZOOperstars!" can have up to five groups appearing on any given day around the country. They also have done gigs in Japan and Mexico.

The first "ZOOperstar" was Harry Canary, based on legendary Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray. The Latkovskis branched out from there to include Shark McGwire, Pee Wee Geese, Cow Ripken Jr. and Ken Giraffey Jr.

Now there are 39.

(Rejected character names to date? Babe Kangaruth. Wade Hoggs. Pony Gwynn. Muhammad Aligator.)

The "ZOOperstars!" have appeared on Long Island at Islanders and Ducks games and at Stony Brook events. Their busy upcoming schedule includes a trip on Friday to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the home of the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate.

What about the All-Star Game FanFest? Will Derek Jeter, if he's elected by the fans, run into Derek Cheetah? That could be really awkward -- or really funny. It's unlikely because the FanFest is on the weekend before the All-Star Game, when Jeter will be playing the Rays at Yankee Stadium.

We asked Jeter, by the way, if he was aware of his (sort of) alter-ego. He said he was not. He asked, "Are they using my name?" When told the details, he repeated, "I don't know anything about it."

"I'm surprised Derek Jeter has never heard of Derek Cheetah," Latkovski said, partly in disappointment and partly in disbelief.

Latkovski said Cal Ripken Jr. and Ken Griffey Jr. are among the stars who are aware of and fond of their counterparts. Wayne Gretzky saw Whale Gretzky when he was coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. "I don't know that he was particularly happy about it," Latkovski said. "But it's all in good fun."

Cleaning up

Look around the majors and you'll see a ton of prototypical cleanup hitters. Alex Rodriguez. Ryan Howard. Prince Fielder. Miguel Cairo.

Miguel Cairo?

Cairo, the former Mets and Yankees middle infielder, batted in the No. 4 spot for the Reds on Thursday. That's the same Miguel Cairo who had 33 career home runs entering last night's game and a career slugging percentage just above .360.

But Reds manager Dusty Baker hasn't gone daft. After the Reds played a 19-inning game Wednesday, Baker gave third baseman Scott Rolen the day off and kept his batting order intact by defensive position with Cairo playing third and batting fourth, between lefthanded sluggers Joey Votto and Jay Bruce.

Plus, it seems as if batting fourth isn't the coveted spot we think it is.

"If you're in Little League, it means a lot," said Mets leftfielder Jason Bay, who has spent time in the fourth spot with David Wright injured. "In here, in a major-league clubhouse, it doesn't mean quite as much. People think it's a big deal: You're batting cleanup, so all of a sudden you're bigger than this or that. It's really not."

Cairo acquitted himself nicely in his power-spot cameo, going 3-for-4 with two doubles. But the Reds lost to the Phillies, 10-4.

Cairo started a game in the cleanup spot once before, on April 5, 2003, when he was with St. Louis. Manager Tony La Russa had Cairo start in the same spot in the batting order and the same defensive position as a young leftfielder named Albert Pujols, who was nursing a hamstring injury.

Cairo went 0-for-4 and the Cardinals lost to the Astros, 2-1.