It’s looking less and less likely that Hilo’s Kolten Wong is going to become the first Hawaii-born player to start in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game this year.
As Wong’s average has dipped in recent weeks for the St. Louis Cardinals, the gap between him and Miami Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon has increased to more than 1.2 million votes in a National League update released Tuesday.
Wong finished 0 for 4 on Tuesday in the Cardinals’ 4-3 victory at Miami and was batting .279 amid a slump that has seen him compile just 10 hits in his last 60 at-bats. The 2008 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate’s average peaked at .323 on May 23, and he trailed Gordon by only 113,058 votes two weeks ago.
Gordon (5,244,914 votes) went 1 for 4 on Tuesday and remained second in the NL in average (.354.) and stolen bases (24).
Wong (4,025,055) likely would be faring better during the pre-Internet days in which balloting was done at the ballpark, instead of online. The Cardinals have drawn almost twice as many fans as the Marlins despite two fewer home games.
Fans have until July 2 to vote at MLB.com.
Meet and greet
Whether he’s an All-Star or not, fans have an opportunity to talk to Wong before a Cardinals’ game at San Francisco on Aug. 29.
Visit jumbahawaii.com to enter a sweepstakes to win four round-trip tickets to San Francisco, two nights’ accommodations, transportation and four tickets to the game at AT&T Park.
Wong signed an endorsement deal with Jumba Juice Hawaii in January.