Red Sox slugger David Ortiz will miss the 2008 MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium because of an injured left wrist, according to The Associated Press. "I'm going to go to the All-Star Game. Show respect for the fans," Ortiz said Monday night. "I'm not going to be able to play." He has been hitting off a tee as of lat, and has been out since May 31 with a partial tear of the sheath that surrounds his tendon. "I'm still working my way up," Ortiz said. "I'm feeling better everyday. I'm not going to tell you when I'm going to be 100 percent because I don't know."

Chicago Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, who has been among the National League?s leaders at the position since the start of balloting, is in a tight race with the surging Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers in the final weekly balloting update for the 79th All-Star Game, to be played on Tuesday, July 15th at Yankee Stadium. Fukudome has drawn 1,783,983 votes, trailing his teammate, Alfonso Soriano (2,120,635), and the most popular player in the history of Major League Baseball All-Star Game balloting, Ken Griffey, Jr. (1,917,739) of the Cincinnati Reds, among N.L. outfielders. Braun, who was as low as 10th place among outfielders on June 3rd, has collected 1,751,058 votes, leaving him only 32,925 votes behind Fukudome. Fukudome, a longtime member of the Chunichi Dragons and the Most Valuable Player of Japan?s Central League in 2006, is batting .299 with six home runs, 33 RBI, 55 runs scored, 51 walks and a .407 on-base percentage on the season. Braun, the 2007 N.L. Rookie of the Year, is batting .287 with 20 home runs, 58 RBI, 45 runs scored and a .552 slugging percentage. Another tight race is at shortstop, where the topsy-turvy contest between Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins and Miguel Tejada of the Houston Astros will go down to the wire. Ramirez led the race for the first two weeks before Tejada took the top spot for the ensuing pair of updates. Ramirez, the 2006 N.L. Rookie of the Year, regained the mantle last week. Ramirez, seeking his Midsummer Classic debut, has accumulated 1,483,875 votes. Tejada, a four-time A.L. All-Star, has drawn 1,315,240 votes. Ramirez is batting .294 with 18 home runs, 35 RBI, 69 runs scored and 20 stolen bases, while Tejada is hitting .287 with 10 home runs, 43 RBI and 56 runs scored. Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley continues to be Major League Baseball?s leading overall vote-getter with 2,645,027 votes. Other position leaders are first baseman Lance Berkman (2,132,663) of the Astros; Major League Baseball?s leading hitter, third baseman Chipper Jones (2,433,753) of the Atlanta Braves; and Cubs rookie catcher Geovany Soto (1,827,279).

Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer, Boston Red Sox teammates Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia and Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who is vying for the third starting outfield slot, cling to tight leads in the AL All-Star race. Mauer (1,632,338 votes), who has an edge for the second straight week, leads Boston?s Jason Varitek (1,487,390) by less than 145,000 votes. On the right side of the infield, the pair of Red Sox continues to hang on in their bids to make their Midsummer Classic debuts; Youkilis (1,915,376) is in front of Minnesota?s Justin Morneau (1,641,467) at first base and Pedroia (1,669,216) is outpacing Ian Kinsler (1,485,530) of the Texas Rangers at second. Suzuki, an A.L. All-Star in each of his seven Major League seasons and a fan-elected starter six times, leads a crowded pack in contention for the final starting outfield position with 1,397,460 votes. Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero is fourth with 1,187,273 votes. The two leading American League vote-getters comprise the left side of the infield of the host New York Yankees. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who was Major League Baseball?s most popular choice in last year?s All-Star balloting, has vaulted to the top of this year?s A.L. totals for the first time with 2,518,067 votes. Right behind him is his teammate, shortstop Derek Jeter, with 2,507,534 votes. Rounding out the top five most popular American Leaguers are designated hitter David Ortiz (2,482,981) and outfielder Manny Ramirez (2,409,388) of the Red Sox along with Major League Baseball?s RBI leader, outfielder Josh Hamilton (2,327,467) of the Rangers.

Cubs' pitcher Carlos Zambrano is hoping to pitch for the National League at the All-Star Game next month, according to The Chicago Tribune. "I'm ready," Zambrano said. "I want to pitch in the All-Star Game. I want to help the National League so we can be have home-field advantage in the World Series. A little help from me and [Cincinnati ace Edinson] Volquez and all the pitchers who go and all the hitters, we can finally win one." He is scheduled to come off the disabled list on the fourth of July.

The Athletics, Rangers, and Phillies each had four players selected for next month?s Futures Game during the All-Star festivities at Yankee Stadium, as reported by the Associated Press. MLB announced the 25-man rosters for the USA Olympic trial and World teams on Thursday. Players from all full-season minor leagues were eligible for the squads.

Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins has reclaimed first place among National League shortstops, swapping places with Miguel Tejada of the Astros. Ramirez, who has totaled 1,123,516 votes, led balloting for the first two weeks before Tejada (1,052,852 votes) took hold of the lead in the third and fourth weeks of balloting. Chase Utley of the Phillies continues to lead all Major League Baseball players in All-Star balloting with 2,179,006 votes. Utley is up by more than one million votes over Chicago?s Mark DeRosa, who is second among N.L. second basemen with 940,404 votes. Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, who ranks fourth among N.L. outfielders with 1,241,843 votes, has continued to trim the deficit behind Cincinnati?s Ken Griffey, Jr., who remains third with 1,417,019 votes. Cubs teammates Alfonso Soriano (1,736,434) and Kosuke Fukudome (1,454,257) continue to rank first and second, respectively, rounding out the National League outfield. Other players who have set the pace throughout the balloting process have remained in first place. Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones has maintained his lead with 1,916,829 votes. Across the diamond, Lance Berkman of the Houston Astros leads N.L. first basemen with 1,682,362 votes. Behind the plate, Geovany Soto of the Cubs remains in first place at catcher with 1,497,579 votes.

Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer has taken the lead behind the plate in the latest American League balloting figures. Mauer, a 2006 A.L. All-Star, has collected a total of 1,178,630 votes, vaulting him slightly ahead of Boston Red Sox backstop Jason Varitek (1,133,855), who had led from the outset of this year?s balloting. The next tightest competition is at second base, where Boston?s Dustin Pedroia (1,286,962 votes) has maintained the top slot that he has held throughout the balloting process. Pedroia is trying to stave off surging Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler (1,120,439) as both vie to earn their first All-Star Game invitations. New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (1,988,251), an eight-time A.L. All-Star, has moved to the front of a crowded pack to become the American League?s leading vote-getter. Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (1,982,786) is right behind the New York captain. Jeter and Ortiz are followed by Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (1,940,827), who was Major League Baseball?s overall leading vote-getter in last year?s balloting, and Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez, whose 1,917,207 votes make him a candidate for his 12th A.L. All-Star selection. Outfielder Josh Hamilton (1,791,623) of the Rangers trails only Ramirez among A.L. outfielders, making him well positioned to start in the Midsummer Classic in just his second Major League season. Seven-time A.L. All-Star Ichiro Suzuki (1,120,279) of the Seattle Mariners is currently in line to be a fan-elected starter for the sixth time in his Major League career, but Vladimir Guerrero (933,191) of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Bobby Abreu (908,935) of the Yankees are among the A.L. outfielders who are still within reach. At first base, Kevin Youkilis (1,482,011) of the Red Sox hangs on to an edge over Justin Morneau (1,214,603) of the Twins.

A week after becoming only the sixth player in history to join the 600 home run club, Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Reds has held on to his third place position among NL outfielders in balloting for the 79th All-Star Game. Griffey has collected 1,081,665 votes, trailing only Cubs teammates Alfonso Soriano (1,444,153) and Kosuke Fukudome (1,188,459) among NL outfielders. The race between Miguel Tejada of the Astros and Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins to be the NL?s starting shortstop remains closely contested. Tejada, who moved into first place last week, has 894,797 votes, while Ramirez, who led the voting for the first two weeks, is right behind him with 826,685. The rest of the NL leaders have managed to hold onto their positions in first place. Second baseman Chase Utley of the Phillies continues to be Major League Baseball?s top vote-getter with 1,743,548 votes. Lance Berkman of the Astros has earned the most votes at first base with 1,368,030. Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who currently holds the highest batting average in the Major Leagues (.402), has collected 1,499,185 votes. Geovany Soto of the Cubs remains in first place behind the plate with 1,248,216 votes.

Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox continues to lead at second base, but Ian Kinsler of the Rangers gained ground last week. Pedroia, the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year, has collected 1,027,788 votes while Kinsler has drawn 816,793. The 24-year-old Pedroia is batting .262 with five home runs, 31 RBI, and 41 runs scored while the 25-year-old Kinsler is hitting .305 with 10 home runs, 42 RBI, and 59 runs scored. The tightest race continues to be behind the plate, where Red Sox captain Jason Varitek (896,022) saw his lead narrowed to little more than 40,000 votes over Joe Mauer (855,200) of the Twins. Another Red Sox-Twins' competition is at first base, with Boston?s Kevin Youkilis (1,187,909) currently edging Minnesota?s Justin Morneau (897,199). In the outfield, 11-time A.L. All-Star Manny Ramirez (1,539,753) continues to lead alongside Josh Hamilton (1,352,372) of the Rangers and Ichiro Suzuki (882,712) of the Seattle Mariners. Vladimir Guerrero (757,881) of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Bobby Abreu (711,588) of the host New York Yankees are next in line among A.L. outfielders. Yankees' teammates Derek Jeter (1,564,029) and Alex Rodriguez (1,481,875) continue to lead on the left side of the infield. Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has maintained his status as the A.L.?s overall leader with 1,605,660 votes.

Shortstop Miguel Tejada of the Houston Astros has overtaken Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins in National League balloting for the 79th All-Star Game. Tejada leads the race among NL shortstops with 726,835 votes while Ramirez, who led in the first two balloting updates, is second with 607,528. Chicago Cubs' rookie Geovany Soto is still top contender behind the plate with 969,853 votes, ahead of two-time All-Star Brian McCann of the Atlanta Braves (578,276) and last year?s starting N.L. backstop Russell Martin (350,694) of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Philadelphia Phillies' second baseman Chase Utley has remained the leading vote-getter among all National Leaguers with 1,284,961. Also holding onto first place with more than a million votes are Houston Astros' first baseman Lance Berkman (1,046,249) and Atlanta Braves' third baseman Chipper Jones (1,110,171). Cubs' teammates Alfonso Soriano (1,088,866) and Kosuke Fukudome (918,262) are the leading outfielders and are joined by Cincinnati Reds' 13-time All-Star Ken Griffey, Jr. (775,759).