Rangers Dominance Of All-Star Game Balloting Continues In New AL Update!
The defending 2-time American League champion Texas Rangers potential takeover of this year’s 2012 MLB All-Star Game isn’t slowing down anytime soon. As earlier this afternoon in the second update in balloting for the American League in this year’s All-Star Game the Rangers still have five players on pace to start in the 83rd Midsummer Classic on July 10th in Kansas City. With Outfielder Josh Hamilton, who lead all vote-getters in the majors still remaining the top vote-getter in the AL with 3,833,504 votes.
All the leaders who lead the AL in voting remained the same with the only real significant change being first baseman Paul Konerko of my hometown Chicago White Sox incredible season moving him into the second spot for the race at first base. Right behind first base slugger Prince Fielder of their AL Central rival Detroit Tigers, who leads with 1,421,786 votes to Konerko’s 1,147,089.
So far though the only real competition in the AL among voters is in the outfield, where Hamilton’s teammate Nelson Cruz is currently just edging out last year’s top vote-getter Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays by fewer than 42,000 votes for the third and final starting outfield spot, while also trailing Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees by fewer than 35,000 votes for the second outfield spot. Despite being in fifth place among outfielders Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles is in the mix as well, trailing Bautista by fewer than 40,000 votes. If Granderson’s teammate Robinson Cano could somehow make up his 188,005 vote deficit to the Rangers Ian Kinsler at second in the AL that’s the only other real possible competition thus far.
Most of the rest of the American League’s leading vote-getters so far have extremely marginal cushions, with Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter’s 970,964 vote gap over the Rangers Elvis Andrus having Jeter on pace to without a doubt make his 13th All-Star game appearance. While catcher Mike Napoli of the Rangers 727,163 vote gap over the Twins Joe Mauer has him on pace to without a doubt not only start, but also make his first All-Star Game. Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz 361,567 vote margin over the Rangers Michael Young has him on his way to possibly starting his eight career All-Star Game, while Young’s teammate third baseman Adrian Beltre 320,994 vote cushion over the Tigers Michael Cabrera, has Beltre on pace to start his third consecutive Midsummer Classic.
Despite the Rangers dominance of the voting so far with five players currently on pace to start the Yankees are the only AL team with more than one player who has reached two million votes. As the AL’s current No. 2 and 3 top overall vote-gettters thus far are Jeter and Granderson. For those who want to feel free to keep on voting to as All-Star Game Online Balloting runs up till June 28th and lookout for the next update for the NL tomorrow afternoon.
