Jeter, Longoria vie for most votes in American League All-Star Balloting

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria are in a closely contested race to be the American League’s leading vote-getter in balloting for the 2009 All-Star Game, to be played on July 14th at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Only 570 votes separate Jeter (.287, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 10 SB entering play today), a nine-time All-Star whose 664,630 votes lead all American Leaguers, and the 2008 A.L. Rookie of the Year Longoria (.324, 11 HR, 49 RBI, 20 2B), who has garnered 664,060 votes as he bids for his first starting assignment and his second All-Star nod in his two Major League seasons. On the right side of the infield, Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis (414,693 votes) and Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler (514,645) are ahead at their positions. Both players made their Midsummer Classic debuts in 2008, with Youkilis (.379, 7 HR, 28 RBI, .486 OBP) earning a start via fan balloting and Kinsler (.283, 12 HR, 33 RBI, 10 SB) becoming an All-Star via the Player Ballot.

Behind the plate, two-time A.L. All-Star Joe Mauer (.429, 11 HR, 31 RBI) of the Minnesota Twins leads a crowded field with 381,443 votes, while his four nearest competitors all have more than 272,000 votes. In the outfield, Boston’s Jason Bay (.282, 13 HR, 47 RBI), a two-time National League All-Star looking to make his A.L. All-Star debut, is setting the pace with 446,183 votes. Less than 4,000 votes behind Bay with 442,553 is 2008 A.L. All-Star Josh Hamilton (.250, 6 HR, 21 RBI) of the Texas Rangers. The third A.L. outfield spot features a remarkably tight race between Seattle Mariners teammates Ichiro Suzuki (.333, 4 HR, 14 RBI), who is third with 306,453 votes, and Ken Griffey, Jr. (.226, 5 HR, 12 RBI), who ranks fourth with 305,046. Ichiro has been an A.L. All-Star in each of his eight Major League seasons and a fan-elected starter seven times. Griffey, a 13-time All-Star, represented the A.L. as a Mariner each year from 1990-1999 and is the most popular player in the history of Major League Baseball’s fan balloting program with 47,304,779 votes entering the 2009 season.

Press Release writing hurts the eyes, so I’ll translate:

1B: Kevin Youkilis (2. Miguel Cabrera 3. Mark Teixeira)
2B: Ian Kinsler (2.Dustin Pedroia 3.Aaron Hill)
3B: Evan Longoria (2.Michael Young 3.Alex Rodriguez)
SS: Derek Jeter (2.Marco Scutaro 3.Elvis Andrus)
Catcher: Joe Mauer (2.Victor Martinez 3.Jason Varitek)
OF: Bay, Hamilton, ICHIRO! (runners up: Griffey, Markakis, Crawford)