Phillips, Mesoraco need late push in All-Star vote

CINCINNATI -- When it comes to their places in the National League All-Star ballot rankings, Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips and catcher Devin Mesoraco are holding steady.

In results released on Monday, Phillips stayed in fourth place among NL second basemen while Mesoraco was in fifth place among catchers.

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley led the position with 1,342,480 votes. Utley was followed by the Dodgers' Dee Gordon (735,831 votes), Neil Walker of the Pirates (614,273) and Phillips with 441,076 votes.

Behind the plate for the NL, Cardinals perennial All-Star Yadier Molina held a commanding lead with 1,621,944 votes. Molina was trailed by Buster Posey of the Giants (1,078,007 votes), Jonathan Lucroy of the Brewers (771,313) and Evan Gattis of the Braves (565,620), while Mesoraco (418,422) rounded out the top 5.

All voting results are combined totals from fans who vote online at MLB.com and in-stadium balloting.

Phillips is seeking his second-straight All-Star game start and fourth trip overall. Mesoraco, a first-time regular in Cincinnati's lineup, is seeking a first-time bid.

Phillips came into Monday's game batting .269/.305/.393 with four home runs and 22 RBIs in 59 games. Mesoraco, who was given a day off Monday while mired in a career-high 0-for-17 skid, entered batting .305/.352/.609 with nine homers and 27 RBIs despite two stints on the disabled list that have limited him to 33 games.

"I didn't think he was going to hit .475 all year," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Mesoraco. "I never was with Tony Gwynn or George Brett or those guys or Wade Boggs, but I was with Ichiro [Suzuki]. It was maybe a .380 month followed by a .280 month. In the ebb and flow of the game, it's hard to maintain that level."

Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or on a mobile device -- using the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot Sponsored by Experian until Thursday, July 3, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The 2014 All-Star Game will be played at Target Field on Tuesday, July 15.

Fans may submit up to 25 online ballots, but they 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, register on the site in accordance with the enrollment instructions for a free MLB.com account.

Fans this year once again can 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 2014 Home Run Derby will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 14.

The 2014 American League and National League All-Star teams will be unveiled on the 2014 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show during the weekend of July 5-6, with further details to follow on MLB.com. Immediately following the announcement of the AL and NL All-Star rosters, fans can begin voting to select the final player for each league's 34-man roster via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote Sponsored by Experian. Fans will cast their votes from a list of five players from each league over the balloting period.

And the voting doesn't end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the 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 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote Sponsored by Pepsi, and their voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.

MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities.

The 85th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, 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.