Cano closing in on Kinsler as All-Star starter

Robinson Cano made a big jump the past week in Major League Baseball’s All-Star balloting at second base in the American League and now trails the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler, who has been atop the voting all season, by only 15,260 votes. Since Cano has been named the AL captain for the Home Run Derby competition, it might be a good idea for him to make the league’s squad for the All-Star Game July 10 at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium.

Shortstop Derek Jeter and center fielder Curtis Granderson remain among the leaders for starting berths in the annual game between the leagues. Jeter’s total of 3,359,875 is still second only to Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton for the most overall votes. Despite missing most of the past week because of an intestinal virus, Hamilton has polled 5,414,880 votes.

Granderson is second among the outfielders with 2,818,535 votes. Moving into third place in the outfield was the Blue Jays’ Juan Bautista. The Rangers’ Nelson Cruz, who had been running third in the outfield, dropped into fifth place behind Bautista and the Orioles’ Adam Jones. The Yankees’ Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner ranked seventh and ninth, respectively, in the outfield.

Yankees fans need to throw some votes to first baseman Mark Teixeira, third baseman Alex Rodriguez, catcher Russell Martin and designated hitter Raul Ibanez to improve their chances for All-Star berths.

Teixeira is third at first base behind the Tigers’ Prince Fielder and the White Sox’ Paul Konerko; A-Rod is fourth at third base behind the Rangers’ Adrian Beltre, the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera and the Rays’ Evan Longoria; Martin is fifth at catcher behind the Rangers’ Mike Napoli, the Twins’ Joe Mauer, the Orioles’ Matt Wieters and the White Sox’ A.J. Pierzynski; Ibanez is third at DH behind the Red Sox’ David Ortiz and the Rangers’ Michael Young.

Major League Baseball’s All-Star balloting program last year produced a record-shattering 32.5 million ballots cast. More than 20 million Firestone All-Star ballots have been distributed at the 30 major-league parks – each of which will have 23 dates for balloting – and in approximately 100 minor-league yards. When the in-stadium phase of balloting concludes June 22, fans will have the opportunity to cast their ballots exclusively online at MLB.com until 11:59 p.m. June 28.

Firestone is the exclusive sponsor of the 2012 In-Stadium All-Star Balloting Program. The ballot features an All-Star sweepstakes, in which a winner will be rewarded with a trip for two to All-Star Week, including airfare, hotel accommodations, tickets to the All-Star Game and other MLB All-Star Week events.

Scotts is the sponsor of the retail All-Star Balloting Program that was launched May 4 in select Lowe’s stores and Chevrolet dealerships across the country.

All-Star rosters will be unveiled July 1 on TBS. The AL All-Star team will have nine elected starters via the fan balloting program, while the National League squad will have eight fan-elected starters. Pitchers and reserves for both squads – totaling 25 for the NL and 24 for the AL – will be determined through a combination of player ballot choices and selections made by the All-Star managers – AL skipper Ron Washington of the Rangers and retired NL manager Tony La Russa – in conjunction with MLB.