The Brewers' "get out the vote" efforts on behalf of leftfielder Ryan Braun appear to be paying dividends.
Braun, who ranked 10th in the voting a month ago, is closing in on Chicago Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome for the third and final starting outfield spot on the National League all-star team.
Braun trails Fukudome by 32,925 votes, with balloting at brewers.com set to end at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. The All-Star Game is slated for July 8 at Yankee Stadium. The teams will be announced Sunday.
"The ground that Ryan has made up in just the last week alone is a tribute to the great response from Brewers fans throughout Wisconsin," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said.
"As we have been saying for the last week, if everyone watching or listening to tonight's game broadcasts votes the maximum 25 times, this should be more than enough to send him to the All Star Game."
The Brewers sponsor a sweepstakes for fans that vote for Braun. The winner receives a suite with 12 tickets for a Brewers game and a visit from Braun and J.J. Hardy.
To be eligible for the sweepstakes, fans 21 and over can go to brewers.com through the conclusion of the online voting process. Everyone that votes 25 times or more will be eligible for the suite prize. A random drawing is held after the conclusion of voting.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
