Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

On Reds' ballot, Phillips seeks return to ASG

Second baseman joins Votto and Co. as potential Cincinnati representatives

CINCINNATI -- The Reds had three All-Stars in 2012, including first baseman Joey Votto, the top vote-getter among National League first basemen. But there was feeling among Cincinnati that some deserving teammates were missing.

One of them was second baseman Brandon Phillips, a two-time All-Star in 2010-11. He was not elected by the fans, nor chosen as a reserve by the league, player ballot or NL manager Tony LaRussa. The only way for Reds fans to guarantee no snubs in '13 is to turn out and vote.

Major League Baseball released the All-Star ballots on Wednesday with Phillips, Votto and two-time All-Star Jay Bruce among the eight Reds that are featured this year.

Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or via your mobile device -- using the 2013 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot until July 4, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Fans may submit 25 online ballots during the voting period, but can also earn a one-time bonus of 10 additional online ballots. To access these additional online ballots, you must be logged into your MLB.com account when you submit any online ballot. If you do not have an MLB.com account, visit mlb.com and register in accordance with the enrollment instructions for a free MLB.com account.

Fans can also once again participate in the Home Run Derby Fan Poll. Fans will have the opportunity to select three players in each league who they would most like to see participate in the Home Run Derby. The 2013 Home Run Derby -- part of Gatorade All-Star Workout Day -- will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 8 p.m. ET on July 15.

The 2013 American League and National League All-Star teams will be unveiled on July 7 on the 2013 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show, televised nationally on TBS. Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select the final player on each team via the All-Star Game Final Vote sponsored by freecreditscore.com on MLB.com.

And the voting doesn't end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the official voting for the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com via the 2013 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote, and their voice will represent 20 percent of the official vote determining the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.

The 2013 All-Star Game will be played at Citi Field on July 16. Come to MLB.com for extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities.

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 will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

In 2012, Votto received 7,343,110 votes via fan balloting, which bested the Giants' Brandon Belt by nearly four million votes. Votto entered the final week of balloting with the most votes in all of the NL, but was overtaken by Giants catcher Buster Posey by 278,000 votes.

Besides Votto, Phillips and Bruce, other Reds on the NL ballot include new center fielder Shin-Soo Choo, catcher Ryan Hanigan, shortstop Zack Cozart, left fielder Ryan Ludwick and for the first time, third baseman Todd Frazier.

For those who'd like to vote the old-fashioned way, in-stadium ballots at Great American Ball Park will be available from April 24-June 20.

Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon
Read More: Cincinnati Reds, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto