Tue Jun 24 14:01:16 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Ramirez jumps ahead of Tejada at SS, Utley leads NL All-Star voting

---

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez leapfrogged Houston's Miguel Tejada in the latest National League fan balloting results for the 2008 All-Star Game.

Ramirez has totaled 1,123,516 votes, nearly 70,000 more than Tejada, who originally took over the lead from Ramirez in the third week of balloting. Ramirez is hitting .295 with 16 home runs and 33 runs batted in, while Tejada has compiled a .294 batting average, 10 homers and 43 RBI.

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley continues to lead all major league players with 2,179,006 votes. Utley's starting position is virtually locked up, as he has an edge of more than one million votes over his closest competition at second, Mark DeRosa of the Cubs.

In the outfield, Brewers slugger Ryan Braun has trimmed the deficit behind Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr., who sits in third place. Griffey has amassed 1,417,019 votes and leads Braun by just over 150,000. Cubs teammates Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome still hold the first two spots in the NL outfield.

The rest of the spots remained consistent, as Cubs catcher Geovany Soto, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones and Astros first baseman Lance Berkman all maintained leads at their respective positions.

All-Star starters and reserves for both leagues will be announced Sunday, July 6.

The 79th All-Star Game will be played July 15 at Yankee Stadium.