Rodriguez, Griffey, Jr. Headline 2007 MLB All-Star Game Starters

Alex Rodriguez finishes as overall leading votegetter; Griffey, Jr. tops National League.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

NEW YORK - New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. have finished as their League's leading vote-getters in Major League Baseball fan balloting, which drew a record 18.5 million ballots, and will be among the starters at the 78th All-Star Game, to be played on Tuesday, July 10th at San Francisco's AT&T Park.

Rodriguez, now an 11-time American League All-Star who has been fan-elected 10 times, finished as baseball's overall balloting leader with 3,890,515 votes, marking the first time in his career that he has garnered the highest total.

Griffey, who totaled 2,986,818 votes to lead the National League, has now earned 13 fan elections, accounting for each of his All-Star appearances.

"Junior" has been Major League Baseball's top votegetter in All-Star balloting five times (1994, 1996-1999) and has finished first in his League in All-Star votes eight times (others: 1991, 1993, 2007).

Griffey has now accumulated 44,397,033 votes since the start of his Major League career in 1989, the most of any player in the history of fan balloting.

Three members of the Detroit Tigers will start in Jim Leyland's American League lineup, the most fan-elected starters for the franchise since Lance Parrish, Lou Whitaker and Chet Lemon started in the 1984 Midsummer Classic.

Catcher Ivan Rodriguez (2,343,425), whose 14 All-Star appearances are tied for most among active players, has set a new record for catchers by being elected for the 12th time, breaking the mark he shared with Mike Piazza.

Outfielder Magglio Ordoñez (2,715,389), who joined the A.L.'s leading outfielders in the final stages of balloting, finished second in voting at his position and will start for the first time in his six career All-Star appearances.

Second baseman Placido Polanco (2,317,713), a 10-year Major League veteran, will make his Midsummer Classic debut.

Polanco's double-play partner in San Francisco will be Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who finished second in the A.L. with 3,199,571 votes and will start in the All-Star Game for the third time in his career.

Rounding out the American League infield will be Boston Red Sox first baseman David Ortiz, who drew 2,857,848 votes.

The American League's leading outfielder was Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero, an eight-time All-Star who will start for the fourth consecutive year and for the fifth time in his career.

Guerrero's 3,151,387 votes trailed only New York teammates Rodriguez and Jeter.

Ichiro Suzuki (2,341,409) of the Mariners has earned another trip to the Midsummer Classic, the seventh in his seven-year Major League career.

Ichiro has now been elected by fans to be a starter six times.

The Seattle All-Star edged Boston's Manny Ramirez (2,153,242) in fan balloting, marking the first time since 1998 that Ramirez did not finish among the A.L.'s three leading outfielders.

Griffey will be a part of a veteran National League outfield, joined by Carlos Beltran (2,511,242) of the New York Mets and Barry Bonds (2,325,391) of the hometown San Francisco Giants.

Bonds overtook Alfonso Soriano (2,202,513) of the Chicago Cubs in the final phase of balloting.

For the second straight year, Beltran will start in the Midsummer Classic alongside Mets teammates Jose Reyes (2,213,606) and David Wright (2,302,836).

Like Reyes and Wright, Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley (2,112,142) has been elected by fans for a second consecutive year.

Newcomers to Tony La Russa's National League All-Star squad who will start will be Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, whose 2,706,020 votes trailed only Griffey among N.L. players, and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin (2,039,130).

Both Fielder and Martin are in their second full Major League season.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson collected the most write-in votes of any player in Major League Baseball with 376,033.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Josh Hamilton led all National League players in write-in votes with 151,245.

Forty-six of the remaining 48 slots were determined by a combination of the results of the Player Ballot and the choices by the two All-Star managers, Leyland and La Russa.

Fans will have the opportunity to select the final position player for each League's 32-man roster at MLB.com.

The Monster 2007 All-Star Final Vote will provide fans the opportunity to cast their votes from a list of five players from each League over a four-day period.

For the third year, fans will also be able to vote for their Final Vote selections on their mobile phone.

Both winners of the Monster 2007 All-Star Final Vote will be announced after the voting has concluded on Thursday, July 5th.

Fans once again will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet at the 78th All-Star Game via the Monster 2007 All-Star Game MVP Vote on MLB.com.

For the fifth consecutive year, the outcome of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game will have an impact on postseason play, as the winning League in this year's All-Star Game will have home-field advantage in the 2007 World Series.

The 2007 All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 8:00 p.m. (EDT).

ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage. XM will provide satellite radio play-by-play coverage of the XM All-Star Futures Game in addition to its other live coverage from San Francisco.

MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of all festivities surrounding the 78th All-Star Game.

2007 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR BALLOTING WINNERS BY POSITION

Position Player Club Votes All-Star Selections All-Star Elections

Catcher Ivan Rodriguez Tigers 2,343,425 14 12

First Base David Ortiz Red Sox 2,857,848 4 3

Second Base Placido Polanco Tigers 2,317,713 1 1

Third Base Alex Rodriguez Yankees 3,890,515 11 10

Shortstop Derek Jeter Yankees 3,199,571 8 3

Outfield Vladimir Guerrero Angels 3,151,387 8 5

Outfield Magglio Ordoñez Tigers 2,715,389 6 1

Outfield Ichiro Suzuki Mariners 2,341,409 7 6

2007 NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR BALLOTING WINNERS BY POSITION

Position Player Club Votes All-Star Selections All-Star Elections

Catcher Russell Martin Dodgers 2,039,130 1 1

First Base Prince Fielder Brewers 2,706,020 1 1

Second Base Chase Utley Phillies 2,112,142 2 2

Third Base David Wright Mets 2,302,836 2 2

Shortstop Jose Reyes Mets 2,213,606 2 2

Outfield Ken Griffey, Jr. Reds 2,986,818 13 13

Outfield Carlos Beltran Mets 2,511,242 4 3

Outfield Barry Bonds Giants 2,325,391 14 12

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