SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants are making a push to get right-hander Ryan Vogelsong in the All-Star Game ahead of the official selection show on Sunday.
Catcher Buster Posey leads the voting at his position and indications are that outfielder Melky Cabrera is getting a surge in the balloting to move past Milwaukee's Ryan Braun and into third place among outfielders.
Right-hander Matt Cain, after authoring a perfect game, is considered a lock to make the NL staff for the third time. Cain will be well rested, too, so he is expected to pitch in the game for the first time. (He wasn't able to do so last year because he pitched the Sunday before the game; prior to his other All-Star appearance, he was struck on the arm by a line drive and wasn't able to appear.)
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Vogelsong leads a group of worthy candidates that also includes Madison Bumgarner, Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo.
Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is responsible for picking the remaining pitchers and reserves after the fan balloting picks the starters and player vote is tabulated to determine the first round of subs.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he hasn't been able to reach La Russa, but he got word to major league officials and made his recommendations. While Bochy wouldn't get specific, it's believed he made a special push to get Vogelsong on the team for the second consecutive year.
Vogelsong is putting up even better numbers than a year ago, when Bochy named him to the All-Star squad for the first time. He's 7-3 with a 2.23 ERA and has thrown quality starts in 13 of 14 outings while going at least six innings each time.
San Francisco Giants
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Bochy dropped a hint that he'll keep Hector Sanchez paired with Tim Lincecum when the Giants begin their road trip Tuesday night at Washington DC. The Giants play a rare 11 a.m. game the following day, so Buster Posey wouldn't catch both times.
"The first bus is at 7 a.m.," Bochy said, of the July 4 start time. "And the second bus is at 8 a.m. I've never heard of that before."
Sanchez has caught each of Lincecum's last two starts, with very good results; the right-hander has a streak of 12 consecutive scoreless innings.
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Bochy said he expects Sanchez will play winter ball because he hasn't been playing every day this season.
"That will keep him in the flow of the game," Bochy said.
Sanchez was named rookie of the year in the Venezuelan League last winter.
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Five of Pablo Sandoval's last seven hits have gone for extra-bases, and Bochy acknowledged he's looking at moving the Panda back into the middle of the order.
"We've talked about it," Bochy said. "I'd say it's a strong possibility here real soon."