Dee Gordon is fast but Kolten Wong continues to catch up to him.
Dee Gordon is fast but Kolten Wong continues to catch up to him.
Wong, a 2008 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate, is still second in fan voting among National League second baseman for the All-Star Game, but he’s narrowed the gap considerably, whittling Gordon’s lead to 113,058 votes.
In the voting tally released a week ago, Wong trailed the fleet-footed Miami Marlin by more than 345,000 votes, and it’s shaping up as a two-man race to start at second in the July 14 Midsummer Classic at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park. While Gordon and Wong each garnered more than two million votes, San Francisco’s Joe Panik was far behind in third, having collected 1,159,514.
The leadoff hitters have contributed in different fashions. Through Tuesday, Gordon was first in the NL with a .362 average and his 20 stolen bases were second in the league. Wong was hitting .303, his seven home runs were tops at his position and his 27 RBIs were third. Gordon had no homers and 16 RBIs.
Wong is trying to become the Big Island’s first All-Star and he would be the first player born in Hawaii to start in the game – Honolulu’s Charlie Hough, Sid Fernandez and Ron Darling and Maui’s Shane Victorino were All-Star reserves. Also, the University of Hawaii, Wong’s alma mater, has never produced an All-Star.
Voting is being conducted exclusively online at MLB.com, through July 2. According to an MLB release, fans can submit up to 35 ballots, which they also can receive by texting VOTE to 89269.
Keeping track of Kolten
Tuesday: 0 for 3 in 4-3 loss at Colorado.
Season (59 games): .303 average, .356 OBP, .824 OPS, seven home runs, 27 RBIs, four stolen bases
• Tracking St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong, a 2008 Kamehameha graduate