Voting for the 2013 All-Star game will finally close on Thursday at 11:59 p.m. I believe it started sometime in January.

It’s looking good for Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto. According to the story on Reds.com, when the tallies were last announced Votto had 3,622,608 votes, which is more than a half-million ahead of his closest competition, Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks. It’s simply a fact that Votto is the All-Star first baseman of the NL. This vote doesn’t prove it; it just reflects it.

But while Votto’s lead is increasing, Brandon Phillips’ lead at second base is actually shrinking. Phillips’ 3,411,839 votes only puts him a quarter of a million ahead of the Cardinals’ Matt Carpenter. Now, I appreciate that some people, especially Cardinals’ fans, really hate Phillips, but BP is the most fun second baseman to watch–maybe ever. It would be worth putting in a few minutes to cast your votes for Phillips just to give the rest of the country the treat that we all get most every day.

And that does it for the Reds’ starters you’re going to see on the team. Jay Bruce and Shin-Soo Choo are All-Stars in our hearts, but back-up is the best they can hope for this year. I don’t know if it might be different if they voted by position instead of lumping all the outfielders together. This one-outfield-position-fits-all system that they have going is just weird to me.

The rosters will be announced Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on a special All-Star Selection Show they’re airing on FOX. It’s sure to be unnecessarily long and overdramatic. You still have time affect those rosters: go to the All Star Game Ballot to cast your vote.