Chipper in contention for All-Star Game start

NEW YORK -- While pointing out Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium is the only current ballpark he has not played in, Chipper Jones quickly said this did not mean he wanted sympathy votes when it came time for fans to cast their All-Star ballots.

Nearly two months later, Jones remains in contention to be elected to what would be his final All-Star Game.

Atlanta's Dan Uggla continues to lead all National League second basemen. With online voting set to conclude next week, Jones is the only other Braves player who appears to have a legitimate chance to be elected to start the Midsummer Classic.

Despite missing nearly three weeks with a badly bruised left leg, Jones ranks third among NL third basemen with 1,547,221 votes. The Mets' David Wright ranks first with 1,977,388 votes and San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval ranks second with 1,612,497 votes.

Uggla leads all second basemen with 2,054,920 votes. Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips ranks second with 1,272,389 votes.

Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or via your mobile device -- using the 2012 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot until Thursday, June 28, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Fans can also once again participate in the State Farm Home Run Derby Fan Poll. Fans will have the opportunity to select three players in each league who they would most like to see participate in the State Farm Home Run Derby. The 2012 State Farm Home Run Derby -- part of Gatorade All-Star Workout Day -- will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 9.

The 2012 American League and National League All-Star teams will be unveiled on Sunday, July 1, on the 2012 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show, televised nationally on TBS. Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select the final player on each team via the 2012 All-Star Game Final Vote on MLB.com.

And the voting doesn't end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the official voting for the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com via the 2012 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote, and their voice will represent 20 percent of the official vote determining the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.

The 2012 All-Star Game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on Tuesday, July 10. Come to MLB.com for extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities.

The 83rd All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and Sirius XM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com or royals.com/asg.

The odds of Brian McCann earning a seventh consecutive All-Star appearance have improved as he has recently shown some consistency at the plate. But it does not look like McCann will be voted to make a second straight start. He ranks fourth among NL catchers and has garnered nearly one million fewer votes than the leader, San Francisco's Buster Posey.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman ranks second among first basemen, but he trails Joey Votto by nearly two million votes. Each of Atlanta's outfielders rank among the top 15 in balloting to determine the NL's three starting outfielders. Michael Bourn ranks eighth but sits approximately one million votes behind San Francisco's Melky Cabrera, who currently is in position to earn that final starting spot for NL outfielders.