Final Vote can return Robertson to All-Star Game

NEW YORK -- Yankees reliever David Robertson has earned the nickname "Houdini" thanks to his reputation for pitching out of some serious jams, but even he needs a little help now and then. This is one of those situations.

Robertson has been named one of the five American League candidates for the 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote. He will need you, the fans, to punch his ticket for the July 16 All-Star Game at Citi Field so he can join teammates Robinson Cano and Mariano Rivera on the AL roster.

"I'd love to make the All-Star team," Robertson said. "I had such a great time in 2011. I found out the day before the game [that I was an injury replacement for the Rays' David Price], and everything was a little rushed for me, but it was such a wonderful experience. I think it'd be even better to do it here in New York."

It would be the second career All-Star selection for Robertson, who also represented the AL in the 2011 Midsummer Classic at Chase Field. Robertson will have to hold off four other talented hurlers: Joaquin Benoit of the Tigers, Steve Delabar of the Blue Jays, Tanner Scheppers of the Rangers and Koji Uehara of the Red Sox.

"I feel excited and hopeful that I'll be selected to go to my second All-Star Game," he said. "I know there are four other guys in the mix, but hopefully, I can get enough votes. To be able to sit alongside Mariano in that bullpen in his final All-Star Game appearance would be an awfully special moment in my career. Yankees fans are the best, and I know that they will make every effort to send me to Queens."

Now in its 12th year, the 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote sponsored by freecreditscore.com gives baseball fans around the world the opportunity to select the final player on each All-Star team. Balloting began immediately following Saturday's Major League All-Star Selection Show presented by Taco Bell and goes through Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. The winners will be announced on MLB.com shortly thereafter.

There will be an extra treat for fans who participate in the Final Vote online. If you are not a current MLB.TV subscriber (MLB.TV or MLB.TV Premium), you are eligible to receive a 14-day free trial of MLB.TV from July 12-26. If you are a current MLB.TV subscriber (MLB.TV or MLB.TV Premium), you will receive a 15-percent discount to the MLB.com Shop. MLB.com will send an email on July 12 to all Final Vote voters with instructions on how to redeem the applicable offer.

Mobile voting in the U.S. and Canada is open to everyone. In the U.S., to receive the 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote sponsored by freecreditscore.com mobile ballot, text the word "VOTE" to 89269. To vote for Robertson, simply text message A3 to 89269. In Canada, fans should text A3 to 101010. Standard message and data rates may apply. To vote for another player via text message, use the codes below.

For the second consecutive year, the 2013 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote Sponsored by freecreditscore.com (#FinalVote) will include a social balloting element as Twitter support from the candidates' fans over the last six hours of balloting will count toward their final vote totals. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, any tweet that includes a designated player hashtag will be tabulated as part of the overall vote total used to determine the American League and National League winners. Fans may follow @MLB on the popular social networking service for the latest standings updates in advance of the 4 p.m. balloting deadline.

The fun doesn't end there, however. Fans, having already decided the starters and final player on each team, once again will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet via the 2013 All-Star Game MVP Vote on MLB.com during the All-Star Game.

The 84th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM also will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Robertson, 28, is 4-1 with a 2.29 ERA in 38 appearances this season through Saturday, finishing three games.

"It's been kind of an up-and-down season," he said. "I've strung together a lot of good outings, and I've escaped a few jams here and there. Other than that it's been OK. I think there's a lot of room for improvement."

In 35 1/3 innings, Robertson has permitted just 23 hits and three home runs while walking 12 and striking out 45.

"Robbie has done a tremendous job," said Rivera. "Sometimes he gets himself in little jams, and he gets them out. That's how you do it."