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2014 MLB All Star Game: Milwaukee fans go crazy; two Brewers players are in line to start All Star Game

Brewers fans are making their mark once again as Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Gomez are both in line to start the All Star Game.

Doug Pensinger

Major League Baseball released their latest update on the NL All Star Game vote totals last night.

Catcher:

Player June 16 June 23 % Change
Yadier Molina 2,003,557 2,600,853 30%
Jonathan Lucroy 1,138,212 1,911,745 68%
Buster Posey 1,414,363 1,709,685 21%
Evan Gattis 774,409 1,055,119 36%
Devin Mesoraco 537,165 679,745 27%

First Base:

Player June 16 June 23 % Change
Paul Goldschmidt 1,291,052 1,962,386 52%
Adrian Gonzalez 1,049,222 1,239,509 18%
Freddie Freeman 920,361 1,112,465 21%
Mark Reynolds n/a 1,067,419 n/a
Matt Adams n/a 1,021,846 n/a

Second Base:

Player June 16 June 23 % Change
Chase Utley 1,678,843 2,090,110 24%
Neil Walker 997,347 1,328,959 33%
Dee Gordon 898,226 1,129,759 26%
Rickie Weeks n/a 849,316 n/a
Brandon Phillips 574,300 798,784 39%

Shortstop:

Player June 16 June 23 % Change
Troy Tulowitzki 2,593,387 3,287,460 27%
Jean Segura 786,529 1,272,273 62%
Brandon Crawford 899,641 1,089,457 21%
Jhonny Peralta n/a 851,613 n/a
Hanley Ramirez 667,162 821,934 23%

Third Base:

Player June 16 June 23 % Change
Aramis Ramirez 814,627 1,279,902 57%
David Wright 1,051,640 1,260,895 20%
Pablo Sandoval 973,221 1,194,607 23%
Matt Carpenter 692,745 1,049,472 51%
Nolan Arenado 895,905 1,019,161 14%

Outfielders

Player June 16 June 23 % Change
Yasiel Puig 1,942,701 2,468,376 27%
Andrew McCutchen 1,727,534 2,461,722 42%
Carlos Gomez 1,628,401 2,409,860 48%
Giancarlo Stanton 1,659,430 2,130,519 28%
Ryan Braun 1,386,578 1,974,845 42%
Charlie Blackmon 1,352,564 1,608,755 19%
Angel Pagan 1,055,707 1,261,458 19%
Michael Morse 1,051,431 1,260,419 20%
Justin Upton 1,003,943 1,203,302 20%
Hunter Pence 936,528 1,146,060 22%

This may not be the most popular opinion, but I'm not a big fan of stuffing ballots with only players on the team one supports. I mean, I don't really care that much. The All Star game doesn't mean anything or, at least, it shouldn't, anyway. It's a silly exhibition. But if it has any import at all, the best players or most popular players in the league should be represented at the game.

Which category player should be in the game is totally up to different people. It's like the MVP vote. Is it the best player in the league, end of discussion? Is it player who actually contains the most value to his team? Is it the best player on a winning team? No answer is wrong, really. It's how you choose to interpret it. Similarly, I don't care if people vote for Yadier Molina over Jonathan Lucroy. If they're doing it because they feel his long-term success and name recognition is more important to them than Lucroy being the best catcher in the National League this year, then fine. That's their prerogative.

But I think it's silly to vote only for your own team's players. Mark Reynolds is awesome and has been a steal for the Brewers but he should absolutely not be in the All Star Game. The home run derby, maybe. Mariners fans voting for Michael Saunders, Cubs fans for Luis Valbuena. Those are wastes of votes that could be used to get the correct player in based on whatever criteria you prefer. Then, sometimes, guys like Reynolds actually have an outside shot to knock someone more deserving out of the lineup. It's strange to me.

Again, I don't care terribly much. I'm not sitting here angrily typing with a furrowed brow or anything. If you want to vote all Brewers, knock yourself out. I'll enjoy rooting for them in the game. Again, the ASG is not really a big deal, and I'm certainly not going to go crazy to preserve the sanctity of the game more. Hell, I'd prefer total chaos. But we don't get chaos.

All that being said, holy cow the Brewers fans voting for the All Star game are not joking around, and that's pretty awesome.

The three biggest percent changes in vote totals in the NL since the last update were Jonathan Lucroy, Jean Segura and Aramis Ramirez -- all Brewers. In fact, the Brewers had five of the top nine largest changes. There would probably be even more Brewers in the top-10 if I could count Mark Reynolds and Rickie Weeks, both of whom entered the top-5 for the first time.

That's crazy! I still doubt Lucroy overtakes Molina, but for the first time there is a little doubt in my mind of that conviction. Mark Reynolds and Rickie Weeks have no shot at the starting lineup, but dammit they somehow made their way to the top-5. The fact that Segura is the most highly-voted shortstop non-Tulo category is amazing, too.

For now, the Brewers have two players who would start in the All Star game if these rankings hold. Carlos Gomez gets in over Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield and Aramis Ramirez is just eking by at third base. Ramirez is a direct result of the Brewers' fan voting surge. It's not that he isn't deserving at all, but he's not the most deserving (Todd Frazier), nor does he hold the most name recognition (David Wright).

The Brewers have the best record in the NL. They also have the best voting contingent in the MLB.

A voting contingent that still has until July 3 to make an even bigger mark.