All Star Game Voting

[biedergb]

Don't know if this was reported, noticed in another thread (or forum?), but I was looking at the final All-Star votes, and in the NL, the Brewers placed in the top 4 in all positions (including 1-12 for OF since there are three spots there):

1b Fielder, #2 behind Pujols

2b Weeks, #3

3b Hall, #4 (yes Bill Hall ahead of everyone in the NL except Wright, Chipper, and Zimmerman)

ss Hardy, #3

of Braun #1

of Cameron #6

of Hart #8

c Kendall #4

 

Given the attention the Game has had in St. Louis and its large fan-base, Brewers were voted ahead of the Cardinals' in every position except 1b (Pujols) and c (Molina). Their highest placed OF was at #9 (Ankiel) behind Hart at #8.

The only team to have players in the 5 was the Red Sox, and Philly was close (no one at catcher). This is truly remarkable given the size of the Milwaukee area and demonstrates how the region has gotten behind the Brew Crew. So my question is this just a loyal fan base finally mobilizied because the team has been a contender for 2 going on 3 seasons? Or is this a reflection of the success of the sites like Brewerfan.Net which can mobilize the internet (remember the effort to vote in Geoff Jenkins as the 'extra' All Star a few years back?

[pretendastronaut]

You have to give credit for the Brewers promotional staff for most of the mobilization I think. They hit the ground running on getting people in the park to vote for the Brewers very early in the season and running promotions at the park to encourage people to hand in multiple ballots. People complain that internet voting up to 25 times (per email address) has made voting at the park irrelevant, but I don't think the Brewers staff thinks that way. From time to time I would fill out the 10 ballots to get a raffle ticket they hold each game, and I would see plenty of people turning in nearly 100 ballots themselves.

 

Of course, all the promotion in the world doesn't matter if the fan base isn't there to participate or willing to do so as well.

[biedergb]

Of course, all the promotion in the world doesn't matter if the fan base isn't there to participate or willing to do so as well.

Exactly -- my in-laws live in St. Louis, and I know they have been promoting it pretty hard, and they did place a number of players. But again the fans in Milwaukee did a phenomenal job in following through, and getting all these guys in the top 4 spots.

[crewcrazy]

I was also impressed with the TV push, specifically the ads saying "x many people watch the Brewers every night! If everyone goes to brewers.com and votes their 25 times for the Brewers, your favorite players WILL make it in!" I thought it was a clever strategy to build the campaign around, and it definitely seemed to have a big effect considering how many votes guys like Hall and Kendall got.

[hawing]

As much as I'd like to think that Brewerfan had a hand, our role would pale in comparison to that of the Brewers' promotional staff. In addition to all of the in-house promotion, they reach a lot of people on Facebook too.

 

With the move to Miller Park, it seemed to me that the organization made a quantum leap in just about all facets of their promotional efforts. It occurred to me at many an early-2000s game that they had most if not all of the pieces needed for a successful MLB operation, and only had to wait for the on-field results to catch up. The success of 2008 (and near-success of 2007) were the ultimate catalyst.

 

Besides - with apologies to Hall Nation - no all-star vote heavily influenced by Brewerfan would have had Bill Hall placing 4th in the 3B vote. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[owbc]

This was the first year I can remember that someone actually handed us ballots in the terrace level.

[CrewDood]

Can someone point me to the final voting numbers?

I see Braun moved from 2 to 1 at the near end.

(The last day we voted for him and Prince 150 times)