2013 All-Star Game: Vote for Koji

The Guru
Contributing Writer

Three Red Sox players will be making the trip to Citi Field in New York July 16 for the annual All-Star game. David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and Clay Buchholz will all be part of the festivities.

There is still hope that one more Red Sox player could be added to the team. Red Sox reliever Koji Uehara was selected as one of five candidates for the final spot on the AL roster.

The winner will be determined by on-line fan voting. Going up against Uehara for the final spot on the AL squad are relief pitchers Joaquin Benoit, Steve Delabar, David Robertson and Tanner Scheppers.

The 38-year-old Uehara has never been selected to an All-Star game. “If I get actually chosen, [I'll] probably explode with excitement,” Uehara said through an interpreter. “I didn’t think I was in a position to be chosen this year for the All-Star team. I don’t know what to feel.''

Uehara has appeared in 39 games for the Red Sox and is 2-0 with five saves, a 1.95 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 37 innings.

Japanese players have done well in the past with many votes coming in from home. Uehara joked that fans in Japan might not support him. “I’m not popular,” Uehara said in English before laughing.

Koji is popular with his teammates, however. Jarrod Saltalamacchia said, “He’s the most reliable reliever in the American League.”

Nine time All-Star David Ortiz said, “I’ll bring him with me. That’s my boy.” Big Papi also wants to see what would happen if Koji high-fives the entire dugout. "He might get into a fight because he might slap somebody in the face."

Make Koji an All-Star with MLB's Final Vote. Voting ends July 11.

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