By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Lotte Giants outfielder Karim Garcia is leading the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) All-Star game voting.
According to the KBO, the former U.S. Major Leaguer has received 197,637 votes out of 294,949 to lead runner-up Lee Dae-ho, a Giants teammate, by 10,323 as of Monday. A third baseman, Lee collected 341,244 last season, which was the most in the history of the KBO All-Star game.
Garcia, a 32-year-old Mexican, has compiled a league-best 15 homers, and his 45 RBIs are second to Kim Tae-kyun's 49, while his .537 slugging percentage is the sixth best in the league.
Along with Garcia, diehard Giants fans have made their players the top vote-getters at all 10 positions, including starting pitcher, for the East squad, which will be comprised of players from the Doosan Bears, Samsung Lions, SK Wyverns and the Giants.
Giants right-handed pitcher Son Min-han, who is 7-1 with a 2.03 ERA, leads Wyverns lefty Kim Kwang-hyun by more than 130,000 votes, 181,607 to 50,182, while Giants designated hitter Ma Hae-young has 50,000 more than the Lions' Yang Joon-hyuk.
In 2003, nine Samsung Lions made the All-Star starting lineup of the East team, with the only non-Lion starter being the second baseman. It was the most starters a single team has ever produced for a KBO All-Star game.
To operate the poll fairly, the KBO has assigned each of its 10 teams 100,000 All-Star ballots, which are given to stadium visitors.
Plus, any person can vote once a day with their real name in an online poll.
On the West's side, the Hanwha Eagles and Kia Tigers each have four players leading the voting at their positions, while the LG Twins and the Woori Heroes have one apiece for catcher Cho In-sung and designated hitter Cliff Brumbaugh, respectively.
The spot poll will be conducted until July 13, while the online voting will come to an end one week later.
This year's All-Star game will be held at Munhak Stadium in Incheon on Aug. 3.