7 Rangers named to All-Star team

Texas will have a team-record three starters. Hamilton, who hit four homers in a game earlier this season and leads the majors in RBIs, will be in the outfield with Adrian Beltre at third base and Mike Napoli at catcher. A postseason star last year, Napoli has started only about half the time at that spot this year, but still easily outdistanced Minnesota's Joe Mauer.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler, shortstop Elvis Andrus, starter Matt Harrison and reliever Joe Nathan also made the AL roster from Texas. The two-time AL champions began the day with a major league-best 50 wins.

Derek Jeter became a 13-time All-Star shortstop and will start for the AL with Yankees teammates Robinson Cano at second base and Curtis Granderson in the outfield. Injured New York pitcher CC Sabathia was picked, too, and will attend the festivities but not play.

Prince Fielder of Detroit will start at first base. He was the MVP of last year's All-Star game while playing in the NL for Milwaukee.

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp edged Milwaukee's Ryan Braun by 100,000 votes for the third spot in the NL outfield. Kemp, beaten out by Braun for the NL MVP award last year, is on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring and looks doubtful to play.

Braun leads the NL in home runs. He was the league's top vote-getter last year, but may have been hurt by drug allegations.

Braun or perhaps Pittsburgh center fielder Andrew McCutchen could wind up starting in Kemp's place.

"I've always been a person that wanted something because I earned it and that's what people wanted," McCutchen said. "It would be awesome to get that but for me I'd still be feeling like I took someone else's place because someone got hurt."

Dickey, at 37, made his first All-Star team. He leads the majors with 12 wins and could become just the second knuckleballer to start an All-Star game. Dutch Leonard did it in 1943, STATS LLC said.

"It's an honor for every person who's ever helped me along the way and every fan that believed that special things could happen if you apply yourself," Dickey said. "So it's a need to be able to celebrate that with a network of people.

Strasburg is 9-3 with a 2.81 ERA and tops the majors in strikeouts for the NL East-leading Nationals. Last season at this time, he was working his way back to the big leagues while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

"It's going to be a tremendous experience, and it's a huge honor for me. It's amazing to think where I was a year ago, so it's great to see all the hard work has paid off, but it's not done," he said in Atlanta. "It's only the halfway point of the year. We've still got a long ways to go."

The fans, players and managers combined to pick 14 first-time All-Stars in the NL, including somersaulting Cincinnati reliever Aroldis Chapman and San Diego closer Huston Street.

"No way. Really?" Street said.

2012 MLB All-Star

Game rosters

July 10 at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City

(x-starter; y-injured, will not play)

American League

Pitchers

Ryan Cook, rh, Oakland

Matt Harrison, lh, Texas

Felix Hernandez, rh, Seattle

Jim Johnson, rh, Baltimore

Joe Nathan, rh, Texas

Chris Perez, rh, Cleveland

David Price, lh, Tampa Bay

Fernando, Rodney, rh, Tampa Bay

y-CC Sabathia, lh, N.Y. Yankees

Chris Sale, lh, Chicago White Sox

Justin Verlander, rh, Detroit

Jered Weaver, rh, L.A. Angels

C.J. Wilson, lh, L.A. Angels