Abreu, Alexei looking to chase down All-Star leaders

CHICAGO -- Jose Abreu isn't thinking about his first All-Star Game as another major highlight of his first year in the Major Leagues.

It certainly would be an honor for Abreu to be selected. But the slugging White Sox first baseman has other daily matters on his mind.

"I don't really think about those things," said Abreu through interpreter and White Sox manager of cultural development Lino Diaz during a recent interview with MLB.com. "I just think about being healthy all the time. I think about being healthy every day and being able to help the team.

"That's the biggest thing with me. You know, the other part, those are the things that are great but they are out there and it's too early to be thinking about those things."

"The other part" might be something Abreu thinks about sooner than later, as he continues to hold strong in the American League voting at first base, based on results released Monday evening. Abreu stands second behind Miguel Cabrera, with Cabrera featuring 2,030,773 votes to Abreu's total of 1,117,743. Alexei Ramirez, Abreu's White Sox teammate, stands a close second to Derek Jeter at shortstop, with Jeter checking in at 1,810,451 and Ramirez standing at 1,568,620.

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 10:59 p.m. CT. 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 7 p.m. CT 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.

Jeter now has a career All-Star vote total of 45,315,271, which ranks second behind Ken Griffey Jr., who posted an all-time high of 50,045,065 during his 22-year career. Jeter looks as if he'll need every vote to hold off Ramirez for his ninth fan-elected start, as Ramirez attempts to become the first White Sox shortstop to be selected to the All-Star Game since Ozzie Guillen in 1991.

Entering Monday, Ramirez was tied for the AL lead with 26 multi-hit games, tied for fifth with 84 hits and ranked eighth with a .311 batting average. Ramirez leads all AL shortstops in average, homers (seven) and slugging percentage (.437), while ranking second at the position with 36 RBIs.

Abreu's 19 homers trail only Nelson Cruz and Edwin Encarnacion in all of baseball. His 51 RBIs leave him tied for sixth, while his .603 slugging percentage places him fourth despite missing time on the disabled list with left ankle tendinitis.