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Jul 6, 2008 8:07 pm US/Central
Rangers Sending 4 Players To All-Star Game
BALTIMORE (AP) ―
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Josh Hamilton #32 of the Texas Rangers bats against the Seattle Mariners during the game on April 2, 2008 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington.
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
Michael Young is headed to the All-Star game again, and this time the smooth-fielding shortstop will be joined in New York by three of his teammates on the Texas Rangers.
Outfielder Josh Hamilton was elected by the fans in balloting announced Sunday. Young, second baseman Ian Kinsler and designated hitter Milton Bradley were selected by the players to represent the Rangers on the AL squad on July 15 at Yankee Stadium.
Hamilton, Kinsler and Bradley will be going for the first time. Young has been selected four times previously. All four players led the AL in player voting at their respective positions.
"There is nothing more satisfying than your peers saying you deserve to do something in this game. Those are the guys you play with, those are the guys you play against," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I'm very happy for all of them. They deserve it."
Hamilton is the first Texas outfielder elected to start since Juan Gonzalez in 1998 and the first position player since Mark Texiara in 2005. Acquired in a December trade with the Cincinnati Reds, Hamilton leads the majors with 84 RBIs and is among the leaders in home runs and total bases.
"If it weren't for the fans coming out and watching us, supporting us, we wouldn't be doing this for a living. The fans are a big part of the game," Hamilton said. "I really appreciate their votes and hopefully I'll give them something exciting to watch."
In the closest race in either league, Kinsler received 2,458,455 votes to fall just 34,243 votes shy of beating Boston's Dustin Pedroia for the starting job at second base. Kinsler entered Sunday leading the AL in hitting, hits, multihit games and extra-base hits.
Bradley played for six teams before earning his first All-Star selection. He ranks among the AL leaders in slugging percentage, home runs, RBIs and intentional walks.
Young, the MVP of the 2006 game, continues a run of success for the Rangers at shortstop. Texas has had its starting shortstop go in eight straight seasons, beginning with Alex Rodriguez from 2001-03.
Texas has had 16 players selected in the last five years. It is the sixth time the Rangers have had at least four All-Stars and the first time four position players made the team.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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