Yanks' Robertson remains second in Final Vote
Righty reliever needs a final push from fans on Thursday when ballots close
NEW YORK -- Campaigning for votes doesn't come naturally for David Robertson, and this week's experiences lobbying for All-Star Game Final Votes have given him a new appreciation for what politicians must go through as elections approach.
The Yankees reliever continues to sit in second place behind the Blue Jays' Steve Delabar in the American League Final Vote, stumping to secure a trip to Tuesday's All-Star Game at Citi Field, but he may have a secret weapon in social media.
Twitter votes using the hashtag #HighSocksForVotes will count on Thursday from 10 a.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET, and Robertson -- who boasts more than 100,000 followers on the service, more than 10 times what Delabar has -- believes that could tip the race.
"I'm very hopeful of that," Robertson said. "That could be where we catch him. You never know, though. By the end of the day, we could pull into first. We need people to vote."
Robertson said he is looking to pull some strings to expand his audience. He said his wife, Erin, had suggested reaching out to Bravo television personality Andy Cohen for a Twitter boost; Cohen boasts more than 1.1 million followers.
"I've got a few more interviews and chances to be on TV," Robertson said. "Hopefully we can get New York behind me. I feel like, if we can get New York, we can win. I'll call up some people and see.
"I don't know if it's going to be enough. I hope it is, but I don't know."
Until the Twitter votes count, Robertson needs fans to go to MLB.com to make their voices heard. Robertson is listed alongside Delabar, Koji Uehara of the Red Sox, Joaquin Benoit of the Tigers and Tanner Scheppers of the Rangers.
By coincidence, Robertson said that he had already been planning to swing by Citi Field for the festivities; he's scheduled to host a Lipton Tea promotional event on Monday.
Within 24 hours, Robertson should know if he'll need to bring his uniform.
"Right now, if you're a Yankees fan and want to see me go to the All-Star Game, go to MLB.com and vote for David Robertson as many times as you want," Robertson said.
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 ends 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.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
A1 - Joaquin Benoit, Detroit
A2 - Steve Delabar, Toronto
A3 - David Robertson, New York Yankees
A4 - Tanner Scheppers, Texas
A5 - Koji Uehara, Boston
NATIONAL LEAGUE
N1 - Ian Desmond, Washington
N2 - Freddie Freeman, Atlanta
N3 - Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles
N4 - Hunter Pence, San Francisco
N5 - Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles
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. - 4 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, July 11, 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. EDT 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.