Rios, White Sox need fans' All-Star support
Position players trailing leaders; online voting runs through July 4
SEATTLE -- Because of injuries and ineffectiveness, the White Sox offense has had an extremely rough start to the 2013 season.
Right fielder Alex Rios has been the one consistent force, though, among these early struggles. Rios is not listed among the top 15 outfielders in the first American League ballot results, released on Monday, but certainly is deserving of All-Star consideration.
Rios entered Monday's contest in Seattle hitting a team-best .283 with a team-high 12 doubles. The White Sox right fielder has 10 homers and 28 RBIs, which rank second to Adam Dunn in both team categories.
Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or via a mobile device -- using the 2013 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot until Thursday, July 4, at 10:59 p.m. CT.
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, fans must be logged into their MLB.com account when submitting any online ballot. If fans do not have an MLB.com account, visit www.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 7 p.m. CT on Monday, July 15.
The 2013 American League and National League All-Star teams will be unveiled on Sunday, 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 Tuesday, 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 also will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.
Pitching carried the White Sox to 24 wins through the first two months of the season, with starters Chris Sale and Jake Peavy and closer Addison Reed standing as the most deserving of an All-Star nod. Sale had his consecutive scoreless innings streak end at 28 in Sunday's loss to Oakland, but still falls fifth among AL starters with a 2.44 ERA. Sale also ranks fifth with a .193 average against and checks in third with a 0.91 WHIP.
Reed is tied for third with Texas' Joe Nathan at 17 saves, trailing only the Yankees' Mariano Rivera at 19 and Baltimore's Jim Johnson at 18. Reed also has a 2.25 ERA, one blown save and 27 strikeouts over 24 innings.