Fan voting for the 2018 All-Star Game began on June 1. Because we are of, for, and by the people, we've put together a quick walking tour of the process for you, the potential ballot-caster ...
How do you vote?
Here's a link to the official ballot. For those adventurous sorts, you can also find the ballot yourself by proceeding to MLB.com or any of the 30 team sites. As has been the case for that last handful of years, paper ballots are no more.
When does voting end?
Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 5, 2018.
Is there a clunky corporate name for this year's ballot?
Yes. It's the 2018 Camping World MLB All-Star Ballot.
How many times can I vote?
Fans can vote for starters a total of 35 times including five times within any 24-hour period.
Should you follow Rilke's imperative to "change your life" if you vote 35 times?
Possibly, but we're not here to judge.
Which parts of the roster will fans elect?
As usual, the fan vote will determine eight starting position players in the NL and nine in the AL (the DH makes it nine in the AL). Specifically ...
- One player for each infield position;
- One player for the catcher position;
- Three players for outfield positions (not subdivided into LF, CF, RF); and
- One player for the DH position on the American League ballot.
What players are on the ballot?
Glad you asked. Here, via MLB, is a look ...
Fan balloting for the 2018 @AllStarGame will begin at 12:00 pm ET on Friday via the 2018 @CampingWorld MLB All-Star Ballot. Fans can vote at https://t.co/7b16TAwzW0, all 30 Club web sites, & the MLB At Bat & Ballpark mobile apps for a chance to win a 2019 Freedom Elite Motorhome. pic.twitter.com/HMzkBRLUbU
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) May 30, 2018
What about write-ins?
Yep, on the ballot linked above -- and heck, linked again here -- there's space for write-in candidates at each position.
What's the best way to research selections if one is so inclined?
So glad you asked. Our own stats pages have handy dropdown menus that allow you to sort by position. That makes it quite easy to eyeball the candidates at each position.
Can you win anything by voting?
Yes. You can win a 2019 Freedom Elite Motorhome, which the MLB press release says is valued at more than $85,000. Here's the fine print.
Do you have a small, probably grainy screenshot of such a motorhome?
Yes. Here:
What else can fans vote on?
Closer to the game itself, fans will determine the final player on each team's 32-man roster by choosing one from a list of five. Also, fan vote will make up 20 percent of the process that determines the winner of the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award.
When and where does the 2018 All-Star Game happen?
The 89th All-Star Game will be hosted by the Washington Nationals. Here's the schedule of the major events ...
- GEICO All-Star FanFest at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center: July 13-17
- SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game: July 15
- T-Mobile Home Run Derby: July 16
- MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard: July 17
The logo, by the way, is pretty cool ...
You can get more information at AllStarGame.com, and we'll of course have much more to come as the early voting results come in and as we get closer to the Midsummer Classic.
