Jose Bautista named starter for AL all-star squad
Rangers' Josh Hamilton tops in fan balloting; Texas, Yankees leads with 3 starters apiece
Slugger Josh Hamilton led seven Texas players chosen for the all-star game, while three San Francisco Giants rallied in the final week of fan voting to claim starting spots.
Toronto Blue Jays right-fielder Jose Bautista, who set the record for all-star votes last year at 7.45 million, also made the American League squad as a starter.
He was among 66 players in both the AL and National League chosen Sunday for the all-star game July 10 in Kansas City.
After a slow start to the 2012 campaign, Bautista entered Sunday's action with 26 home runs and 62 runs batted in through his first 78 games.
American League
- C Mike Napoli, Texas
- 1B Prince Fielder, Detroit
- 2B Robinson Cano, New York
- 3B Adrian Beltre, Texas
- SS Derek Jeter, New York
- OF Josh Hamilton, Texas
- OF Curtis Granderson, New York
- OF Jose Bautista, TORONTO
- DH David Ortiz, Boston
Texas rookie pitcher Yu Darvish is among the AL choices for the final slot, with fans able to vote online through Thursday.
Hamilton drew a record total of more than 11 million votes to start in the AL outfield, along with Texas teammates Adrian Beltre at third base and Mike Napoli at catcher. A postseason star last year, Napoli has started only about half the time at that spot this year, but still easily outdistanced Minnesota's Joe Mauer.
Second baseman Ian Kinsler, shortstop Elvis Andrus, starter Matt Harrison and reliever Joe Nathan also made the AL roster from Texas. The two-time AL champion Rangers began the day with a major league-best 50 wins.
"There's so many all-stars out there, and we have a whole team of them," AL manager Ron Washington of Texas told TBS.
Shortstop Derek Jeter, second baseman Robinson Cano and outfielder Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees were chosen to start in the AL.
Prince Fielder of Detroit will start at first base. He was the MVP of last year's all-star game while playing in the NL for Milwaukee.
Few of the races for starting slots were close. Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp edged Milwaukee's Ryan Braun by 100,000 votes for the third spot in the NL outfield — Kemp, beaten out by Braun for the NL MVP award last year, is on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring and looks doubtful to play.
Angels outfielder Mike Trout, leading the majors in hitting at .360, was added as an AL reserve. The 20-year-old rookie drew more than 800,000 write-in votes.