Vying for his second straight appearance, Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler continues to rank among the A.L. leaders with 2,170,100 votes, but his advantage over last year's starter, Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox, has dwindled from 200,238 votes two weeks ago to 58,390 last week and now to 6,830 in the closing days. Pedroia, the 2008 A.L. Most Valuable Player, has collected 2,163,270 votes. Meanwhile, Pedroia's teammate, first baseman Kevin Youkilis, has reclaimed the top spot over Mark Teixeira of the Yankees in a classic race at first base, where the leader has changed in each of the last four weeks. The 1,915,303 votes for Youkilis, the 2008 A.L. starter, have once again pushed him ahead of Teixeira, a 2005 A.L. All-Star who has drawn 1,875,256 votes. The American League's two top vote-getters are on the left side of the infield, where Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has garnered 3,046,813 votes in his bid for his 10th All-Star appearance and Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, in his first year on the ballot, has notched 2,988,363 votes as he attempts to become an All-Star for the second time in his two Major League seasons. Behind the dish, two-time A.L. All-Star Joe Mauer of the Twins has jumped into contention for the overall number one spot with 2,851,819 votes. In the outfield, Jason Bay of the Red Sox is in front with 2,609,913 votes as he aims for his first A.L. All-Star berth and his third Midsummer Classic invitation overall. Bay is joined by Mariners eight-time A.L. All-Star Ichiro Suzuki, who has drawn 1,802,826 votes. Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton, the 2008 A.L. All-Star who is currently on the disabled list, is hanging on to third place with 1,635,781 votes, but a pair of two-time A.L. All-Stars, Torii Hunter of the Angels of Anaheim is fourth with 1,490,800 and Carl Crawford (.319, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 40 SB) of the Rays ranks fifth with 1,442,175.

Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez has dropped to seventh place in the All-Star voting among NL outfielders. There are just four days remaining in the balloting for starters. Ramirez had 1,343,011 votes and trailed Philadelphia's Raul Ibanez (2,970,139), Milwaukee's Ryan Braun (2,654.061), the Mets' Carlos Beltran (2,085,028), the Cubs' Alfonso Soriano (1,916,598), Philadelphia's Shane Victorino (1,642,248) and Milwaukee's Mike Cameron (1,345,763). The top three outfielders are elected to start the annual game.

Seven-time All-Star first baseman Albert Pujols of the Cardinals remains the overall leading vote-getter in balloting for the 80th All-Star Game. Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is still in contention to repeat as his League's most popular player in the final N.L. balloting update. Pujols currently leads all players with 3,602,765 votes as he seeks top overall vote-getter honors for the second time in his career and his third such N.L. crown. Utley, who took the N.L.'s top spot last year with 3,889,602 votes, is in line for his fourth consecutive start with 3,510,082 votes. On the left side of the infield, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez is fending off Utley's teammate, three-time N.L. All-Star Jimmy Rollins, for first place at shortstop with 2,026,174 votes, while another N.L. East competition features Mets third baseman David Wright, who has collected 2,049,487 votes, ahead of Chipper Jones of the Braves. Behind the plate, Pujols' teammate Yadier Molina continues to make a strong bid for his Midsummer Classic debut with 1,846,629 votes. Molina, who has led from the outset, is in front of a pack that includes All-Stars Brian McCann of the Braves, Ivan Rodriguez of the Astros and Jason Kendall of the Brewers. Yadier's older brother Bengie of the Giants is in fifth place. In the outfield, Raul Iba?ez of the Phillies is in a commanding position to be selected for his first All-Star Game with 2,970,139 votes. Ryan Braun of the Brewers still ranks as the only N.L. outfielder who has been among the leaders each week with 2,654,061 votes. The third spot remains closely contested among veteran All-Stars Carlos Beltran (2,085,028) of the Mets and Alfonso Soriano (1,916,598) of the Cubs.

Twins slugger Justin Morneau, the winner of the 2008 Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium, has entered the American League top three in the Home Run Derby Fan Poll, overtaking David Ortiz of the Red Sox. Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton have maintained their leads in the National League and American League, respectively. Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder and Evan Longoria also maintained their positions in the voting in their respective Leagues.

The American League races at first base and second base are emerging as classic contests in balloting for the 2009 All-Star Game. Mark Teixeira of the Yankees has again overtaken Kevin Youkilis of the Red Sox for the lead at first base. Youkilis led for the first two weeks before Teixeira took a slim margin in the third update. Last week, the Red Sox slugger regained an edge by just 1,315 votes, angling the race to go down among closest in All-Star balloting history. Teixeira, a 2005 A.L. All-Star, has now surged to 1,561,292 votes, ahead of the 1,525,660 cast for Youkilis, last year's starter. Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins looms in third with 1,275,694 votes. At second base, Ian Kinsler (1,791,177) of the Rangers is staving off Boston's Dustin Pedroia (1,732,787). Kinsler, a 2008 A.L. All-Star, has set the pace since the outset of balloting, but Pedroia, last year's starter, is the closest to the lead that he has been at any point in this year's balloting. The two leading vote-getters remain on the left side of the A.L. infield, but nine-time A.L. All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter (2,563,093) of the Yankees has now jumped over 2008 A.L. All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria (2,488,076) of the Tampa Bay Rays for the number one spot. Jeter held the A.L.'s overall lead in the first week of balloting, but Longoria, who is in his first year on the ballot, had been atop the A.L. totals each week since then. Remaining in contention for the overall A.L. lead is Twins catcher Joe Mauer, whose 2,298,544 votes put him in line for his third A.L. All-Star berth. In the outfield, two-time All-Star Jason Bay of the Red Sox remains in position to represent the A.L. for the first time with 2,077,504 votes. Eight-time A.L. All-Star Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners has risen from third place to second with 1,455,266 votes. The third spot is held by 2008 A.L. All-Star Josh Hamilton of the Rangers with 1,385,212 votes, but a pair of two-time A.L. All-Stars, Torii Hunter of the Angels and Carl Crawford of the Rays, are within striking distance with 1,186,097 and 1,172,241 votes, respectively.

Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins has reclaimed first place among National League shortstops in the latest balloting update for the 2009 All-Star Game. Vying for his second consecutive start in the Midsummer Classic, Ramirez has vaulted over Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the topsy-turvy contest, which has featured three different All-Stars in the lead since balloting updates began. Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy was the leader at the outset before Ramirez went to the top in the second week. Rollins had led the previous two weeks. Ramirez has collected 1,648,482 votes, while Rollins and Hardy have garnered 1,494,466 and 1,051,309, respectively. The N.L.'s leading vote-getter is still being decided among Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols (2,934,794 votes) and Phillies second baseman Chase Utley (2,922,796). Pujols, a seven-time N.L. All-Star, had been the most popular N.L. choice throughout the balloting process until the three-time N.L. All-Star Utley, last year's top vote-getter in N.L. balloting, shot to the top in last week's update. Rounding out the N.L. infield is Mets third baseman David Wright, the three-time N.L. All-Star whose 1,698,366 votes are outpacing the total for his longtime friend and fellow Virginia native, Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals. Catcher Yadier Molina (.284, 5 HR, 23 RBI) continues to join Pujols as a host player bidding to be in the starting lineup in the Midsummer Classic. Molina's 1,496,285 votes put him out in front of the 1,180,312 cast for three-time N.L. All-Star backstop Brain McCann (.325, 6 HR, 28 RBI) of the Braves. Philadelphia's Raul Iba?ez, who was placed on the disabled list on June 18th, remains ahead among all outfielders with 2,465,539 votes as he seeks his Midsummer Classic debut in his 14th Major League season. Milwaukee?s Ryan Braun, a 2008 N.L. All-Star, follows with 2,178,144 votes. The third spot remains tightly contested between Carlos Beltran (1,779,344) of the Mets and Alfonso Soriano (1,639,664) of the Cubs.

American League All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Rays and National League All-Star manager Charlie Manuel of the Phillies have announced the managers who will serve as their coaches at the 80th All-Star Game, to be played on Tuesday, July 14th at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Maddon has appointed Royals manager Trey Hillman and Mariners skipper Don Wakamatsu as the A.L. coaches. Maddon's Tampa Bay coaches ? Tom Foley (third base), Steve Henderson (hitting), George Hendrick (first base), Jim Hickey (pitching), Dave Martinez (bench) and Bobby Ramos (bullpen) ? will comprise his staff. Blue Jays head trainer George Poulis and Athletics head athletic trainer Steve Sayles will round out the A.L. staff. Manuel has named Tony La Russa of the Cardinals and Dodgers skipper Joe Torre as the N.L. coaches. Manuel's Philadelphia staff ? Mick Billmeyer (bullpen), Rich Dubee (pitching), Davey Lopes (first base), Pete Mackanin (bench), Sam Perlozzo (third base) and Milt Thompson (hitting) ? will assist with batting practice and other field duties, while Cardinals head athletic trainer Barry Weinberg and Cubs director of athletic training Mark O'Neal will tend to the N.L. All-Stars.

Kevin Youkilis of the Red Sox and Mark Teixeira of the Yankees continue to be locked in a battle to be the American League's starting first baseman in the 2009 All-Star Game. Teixeira took over the lead from Youkilis for the first time last week, but the Red Sox first baseman has now made up the 1,209-vote gap to take a slim 1,315-vote advantage of his own. Youkilis, the A.L. starter in the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, has drawn 1,110,366 votes, while 2005 A.L. All-Star starter Teixeira has collected 1,109,051. In the infield, 2008 A.L. All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria of the Rays and nine-time A.L. All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter of the Yankees are competing to be the A.L.'s top vote-getter. Longoria, who has drawn 1,957,380 votes in his first year on the ballot, is ahead by 35,612 votes over Jeter's 1,921,768. Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler is pushing for his first All-Star start with 1,451,201 votes, holding off last year's starter, Boston's Dustin Pedroia, who has collected 1,250,963. Behind the plate, two-time A.L. All-Star Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins is the third most popular A.L. player with 1,656,595 votes. In the outfield, two-time All-Star Jason Bay of the Red Sox has maintained the top spot with 1,494,784 votes as he seeks an A.L. All-Star berth in his first full year in the League. Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, the 2008 A.L. All-Star who is currently on the disabled list, is second with 1,162,966 votes. The third outfield slot is held by Seattle Mariners eight-time A.L. All-Star Ichiro Suzuki, who has collected 1,069,599 votes. Two-time A.L. All-Star Carl Crawford of the Rays has garnered 902,105 for fourth place.

Manny Ramirez has dropped to sixth place among NL outfielders in the latest National League All-Star voting results. The Dodgers outfielder was suspended for 50 games for violating baseball's drug policy, and is eligible to return on July 3. He ranked as high as fourth in previous returns. The top three vote-getters will start in the outfield.

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has overtaken first baseman Albert Pujols of the host Cardinals as the leading N.L. vote-getter in the fourth balloting update for the 2009 All-Star Game, to be played Tuesday, July 14th at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Pujols and Utley ranked first and second, respectively, in the first three weeks of N.L. balloting. Utley, who drew an N.L.-best 3,889,602 votes in 2008 as he earned the starting nod for a third straight season, has now taken first place among all N.L. players for the first time in 2009 with 2,273,355 votes. Pujols, a seven-time N.L. All-Star, has garnered 2,158,036 votes. Mets third baseman David Wright, who has collected 1,256,736 votes, maintains an edge over his boyhood friend, Nationals mainstay Ryan Zimmerman, who has drawn 920,780 votes. The tightest contest in the infield is at shortstop, as Jimmy Rollins holds the advantage over his N.L. East rival, Hanley Ramirez (.330, 8 HR, 34 RBI) of the Marlins. Rollins has accumulated 1,216,007 votes, ahead of the 1,128,547 cast for Ramirez. Behind the plate, Yadier Molina of the Cardinals continues to lead with 1,051,485 votes as he seeks his first All-Star invitation, while Braves backstop Brian McCann, an All-Star in each of his first three full seasons, remains in contention with 895,663. Yadier also is outpacing his older brother Bengie of the Giants, who ranks fifth with 793,580 votes. In the outfield, slugger Raul Iba?ez of the Phillies is in front of the pack with 1,897,905 votes as he pursues the first All-Star berth of his 14-year Major League career. Ryan Braun of the Brewers ranks second with 1,667,029. The third spot is contested between two veteran All-Stars, as Carlos Beltran of the Mets holds a slim lead over Alfonso Soriano of the Cubs. Beltran has attracted 1,367,412 votes, ahead of Soriano's 1,340,699. Iba?ez's teammate, Shane Victorino, ranks fifth with 1,116,524.