The fans have spoken, and they don't hold Cal Ripken's prolonged hitting slump against him.
In the first release of the American League All-Star balloting yesterday, the Orioles shortstop held the biggest lead at any position, a whopping 132,849 votes over the Detroit Tigers' Travis Fryman.
With a total of 198,427 votes, he is entrenched as the overwhelming favorite to start the 64th All-Star Game at Oriole Park on July 13.
Even with his .218 average, Ripken was the American League's second-leading vote-getter in the early fan returns. He trails Seattle outfielder Ken Griffey by 25,754 votes.
Ripken has won the AL balloting at shortstop in eight of the past nine seasons. The only break in that streak came in 1988, when he was beaten out by another Detroit shortstop, Alan Trammell.
While his offensive numbers didn't hurt Ripken with the fans, Orioles left fielder Brady Anderson wasn't as fortunate. Anderson, a first-time All-Star a year ago, ranked only 13th among outfielders. No other Oriole was listed in yesterday's count.
Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina (8-2) looms as a strong candidate to start this year's All-Star Game. The AL pitchers will be selected by Toronto manager Cito Gaston.
Minnesota fans managed to get three Twins in front-running positions. Brian Harper led AL catchers, and Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield ranked two-three in the outfield balloting. What's more, Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek and second baseman Chuck Knoblauch were second at their respective positions.
The Twins have not placed more than one player to a starting berth since Tony Oliva and Rod Carew were elected for the 1971 game at Tiger Stadium.
Other AL leaders are Mark McGwire of Oakland at first base, Roberto Alomar of Toronto at second, and Wade Boggs of New York at third.
While Ripken holds the biggest lead in the AL, the closest race is for the third starting spot in the outfield, where Jose Canseco of Texas trails Winfield by 7,209 votes.
Two players overlooked so far are Toronto's John Olerud, who ranks only seventh at first base despite a league-leading .392 average, and Cleveland's Albert Belle, who ranks eighth among outfielders despite a league-leading 18 homers.
And Detroit's Cecil Fielder, with 12 homers and 44 RBI, is only fourth at first base.
TOP VOTE-GETTERS
Overall leaders through Monday in voting for the American League team for the 64th All-Star Game:
Player, .. .. .. .. Team .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Votes
Ken Griffey, .. .. Seattle .. .. .. .. .. .. 224,181
Cal Ripken, .. .. Orioles .. .. .. .. .. .. 198,427
Kirby Puckett, .. Minnesota .. .. .. .. .. ..192,002
Wade Boggs, .. .. New York .. .. .. .. .. .. 122,224
Roberto Alomar, .. Toronto .. .. .. .. .. .. 113,178
Chuck Knoblauch, .. Minn. .. .. .. .. .. .. 100,221
Brian Harper, .. .. Minnesota .. .. .. .. .. 90,439
Mark McGwire, .. .. Oakland .. .. .. .. .. .. 89,543
Robin Ventura, .. ..Chicago .. .. .. .. .. .. 87,491
Dave Winfield, .. ..Minnesota .. .. .. .. .. 86,235
AL ALL-STAR VOTING
Results through Monday in voting for the American League team for the 64th All-Star Game, July 13 at Oriole Park:
Catchers 1, Brian Harper, Minnesota, 90,439. 2, Ivan Rodriguez, Texas, 66,490. 3, Sandy Alomar, Cleveland, 65,926. 4, Mickey Tettleton, Detroit, 58, 385. 5, Terry Steinbach, Oakland, 51,149. 6, Tony Pena, Boston, 44,337. 7, Pat Borders, Toronto, 20,199. 8, Matt Nokes, New York, 18,919.
First basemen 1,Mark McGwire, Oakland, 89,543. 2, Kent Hrbek, Minnesota, 78,555. 3, Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox, 67, 021. 4, Cecil Fielder, Detroit, 53,260. 5, J.T. Snow, California, 39,752. 6, Don Mattingly, New York, 38,443. 7, John Olerud, Toronto, 36,708. 8, Mo Vaughn, Boston, 24,346.
Second basemen 1, Roberto Alomar, Toronto, 113,178. 2, Chuck Knoblauch, Minnesota, 100,221. 3, Carlos Baerga, Cleveland, 63, 423. 4, Bill Ripken, Texas, 40,544. 5, Steve Sax, Chicago, 28,871. 6, Jose Lind, Kansas City, 28,293. 7, Lance Blankenship, Oakland, 24,249. 8, Lou Whitaker, Detroit, 21,144.
Shortstops 1, Cal Ripken, Orioles, 198,427. 2, Travis Fryman, Detroit, 65,578. 3, Greg Gagne, Kansas City, 37,230. 4, Pat Listach, Milwaukee, 30,005. 5, Mike Bordick, Oakland, 29,442. 6, Ozzie Guillen, Chicago, 28,704. 7, Scott Leius, Minnesota, 27,977. 8, Juan Bell, Milwaukee, 25,174.
Third basemen 1, Wade Boggs, New York, 122,224. 2, Robin Ventura, Chicago, 87,491. 3, Dean Palmer, Texas, 59,627. 4, Kevin Seitzer, Oakland, 31,053. 5, Edgar Martinez, Seattle, 29,252. 6, Scott Cooper, Boston, 24,727. 7, Terry Jorgensen, Minnesota, 18,878. 8, B.J. Surhoff, Milwaukee, 18,260.
Outfielders 1, Ken Griffey, Seattle, 224,181. 2, Kirby Puckett, Minnesota, 192, 002. 3, Dave Winfield, Minnesota, 86,235. 4, Jose Canseco, Texas, 67,478. 5, Juan Gonzalez, Texas, 79,478. 6, Joe Carter, Toronto, 64, 306. 7, Rickey Henderson, Oakland, 63,587. 8, Albert Belle, Cleveland, 62,547. 9, Shane Mack, Minnesota, 50,123. 10, Ruben Sierra, Oakland, 41,607. 11, Kirk Gibson, Detroit, 33,442. 12, Andre Dawson, Boston, 31,269. 13, Brady Anderson, Orioles, 29,589. 14, Robin Yount, Milwaukee, 28,453. 15, Dave Henderson, Oakland, 27,122. 16, Brian McRae, Kansas City, 25,801.
