For the fourth straight week, Ian Kinsler is still leading American League second baseman in fan voting for the All-Star Game.  If Kinsler can continue to maintain this lead over Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox, he will be the American League’s starting second baseman at the All-Star Game on July 14 in St. Louis. “If I get voted in because of the fans … I don’t know what to say,” Kinsler said. “That would be a heart-felt awesome. Just to have fan recognition no matter where you play is gratifying.” Josh Hamilton is also still in the running for a spot in the American League outfield. He continues to sit second among outfielders behind Jason Bay and in front of Ichiro Suzuki. Hamilton, who underwent surgery to repair a partially torn abdominal muscle last week, wants to play during the All-Star festivities and repeat his appearance in the Home Run Derby, but that is doubtful at best. He is sidelined four to six weeks and has yet to resume baseball activities. Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites until July 2 at 10:59 p.m. CT. Starting rosters will be announced during the 2009 All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Chevrolet on TBS on July 5. Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select the final player on each team via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote at MLB.com. The voting doesn’t end there. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet at the Midsummer Classic via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint MVP Vote at MLB.com. The All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX and around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio play-by-play, while MLB.com will offer extensive online coverage. Among other Rangers, shortstop Elvis Andrus and third baseman Michael Young are third at their positions, catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia is fourth and first baseman Chris Davis is fifth. Nelson Cruz is seventh among outfielders. Kinsler and Hamilton are trying to make the team for the second straight year. Hamilton started last season in the American League’s 3-2 victory in 15 innings while Kinsler went as a reserve. Young is trying to make the team for the sixth straight season, all as a reserve.

Michael Young had the Rangers’ only two hits in an 8-1 loss to Jon Lester and the Red Sox on Saturday night.  When the game was over, Young was hitting .335, the eighth highest average in the American League and highest among all third basemen. He was tied for the AL lead in doubles. His .910 OPS (on-base plus slugging) was 15th in the league. In short, Young is having another All-Star-caliber season, but is still not getting full support in the fans’ voting to be in the starting lineup for the 2009 All-Star Game on July 14 at 7 p.m. CT in St. Louis. With 655,398 votes, Young, who spent the past few years trailing Derek Jeter at shortstop, is trailing both Evan Longoria (1,560,358) and Alex Rodriguez (678,227) at third base in the latest update of the fans’ voting. Young is trying to earn his sixth straight All-Star selection. He has never been voted onto the team as a starter by the fans, but keeps getting selected either by the players’ vote or by the manager of the team. He was the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 All-Star Game in Pittsburgh and drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 15th inning of last year’s Midsummer Classic at Yankee Stadium. Two of Young’s teammates continue to do well at the ballot box. Ian Kinsler continues to lead Boston’s Dustin Pedroia at second base and Josh Hamilton — despite being on the disabled list for the second time this season — is second among all outfielders, sandwiched between Boston’s Jason Bay and Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki. Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites until July 2 at 10:59 p.m. CT. Starting rosters will be announced during the 2009 All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Chevrolet on TBS on July 5. Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select the final player on each team via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote at MLB.com. The voting doesn’t end there. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet at the Midsummer Classic via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint MVP Vote at MLB.com. The All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX and around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio play-by-play, while MLB.com will offer extensive online coverage. Among other Rangers, Elvis Andrus is third among shortstops with 584,462 votes, Jarrod Saltalamacchia (583,033) is second among catchers and Chris Davis (461,183) is fifth among first basemen. Nelson Cruz (603,769) is ninth among outfielders.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler and outfielder
Josh Hamilton continue to have the best shots among Rangers
at starting for the American League in the 2009 All-Star Game
on July 14 at 7 p.m. CT in St. Louis. Kinsler continues to
lead all American League second basemen in voting (787,619),
according to the latest balloting update on Tuesday. Kinsler
is up on the AL East, with Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox
second, Robinson Cano of the Yankees in third, Aaron Hill of
the Blue Jays fourth and Placido Polanco of the Tigers fifth.
Hamilton, who was in the American League starting lineup in
2008, is second among outfielders (685,463), just behind
Jason Bay of the Red Sox and ahead of Ichiro Suzuki of the
Mariners. Hamilton put on a show during last year’s Home Run
Derby and has indicated that he would like to participate
again this year if selected. “If I go, I’d probably do it,”
Hamilton said. “The only reason people are voting for me is
so they can see me in the Home Run Derby.” Hamilton hit a
record 28 home runs in the first round of the Derby last year
at Yankee Stadium before losing to Justin Morneau in the
finals. Three of his blasts were measured at over 500 feet.
Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with
the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com and
all 30 club sites until July 2 at 10:59 p.m. CT. Starting
rosters will be announced during the 2009 All-Star Game
Selection Show presented by Chevrolet on TBS on July 5.
Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select
the final player on each team via the 2009 All-Star Game
Sprint Final Vote at MLB.com. And the voting doesn’t end
there. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the
official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player
Award presented by Chevrolet at the Midsummer Classic via the
2009 All-Star Game Sprint MVP Vote at MLB.com. The All-Star
Game will be televised nationally by FOX and around the world
by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will
provide exclusive national radio play-by-play, while MLB.com
will offer extensive online coverage. The Rangers continue to
do well in the overall voting. Michael Young is second among
third basemen (441,912), shortstop Elvis Andrus (393,906) and
catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (401,375) are third at their
positions and first baseman Chris Davis is fifth (320,912).
In the outfield, Nelson Cruz is ninth
(390,903).