Cruz and Jones talk about being voted into All-Star Game

BOSTON - Nelson Cruz is happy to be an All-Star for the third time in his career, but he's truly honored to be voted in as a starter. That's a first for him. "Yeah, no doubt," he said today after collecting three more hits and his 71st RBI in the Orioles' 7-6, 12-inning win over the Red Sox. "Anytime you get selected by the fans, it's more special. That means they want to see you there. Thanks to the fans for the chance and the opportunity to be there." Cruz's 27 home runs are tied with Jose Abreu for the major league lead, and he's first in RBIs with 71. He received 3,942,138 votes to finish ahead of Victor Martinez (2,513,831). "Like anything else, I'm excited," Cruz said. "I'm happy to be a part of it. And like I said before, I'm more happy about the fans." Cruz joins Adam Jones and Matt Wieters as starters. Wieters won't play due to his season-ending elbow surgery, but he will attend the game. Wieters received 2,701,310 votes to beat out Oakland's Derek Norris (2,689,324). "I think Jones did a good job," Cruz said. "I don't want to say it, but (Nick) Markakis should be there, too. He had a great year. He's been unbelievable for us. That's my point of view." Cruz had to wait until late February to sign as a free agent, settling for a one-year, $8 million deal. He's bound to reflect on a turbulent winter. "It's always a blessing when you're an All-Star," he said. "Like I said before, I'm happy where I am and I know that I made the right decision to be a part of this team." Jones is an All-Star for the fourth time, including twice as a starter. He received 2,817,419 votes to vault into third place ahead of Yoenis Cespedes (2,744,074). "It means that you're on the field play is respected around the game," Jones said after extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Jones becomes the sixth player in Orioles history to earn multiple fan elections, joining Hall of Famers Frank Robinson (1970-71), Brooks Robinson (1971-74), Cal Ripken Jr. (1984-87; 1989-2001) and Roberto Alomar (1996-98), as well as Boog Powell (1970-71). Jones is also the first Orioles outfielder to garner consecutive fan elections since Frank Robinson and the first Orioles outfielder to make at least three consecutive All-Star teams since Robinson in 1969-72. "That's how you want to play the game," he said. "If you believe that you're one of the one, think that you're one of the top players in the game or represent yourself at a certain caliber, then you always want to play at that caliber. It's just the caliber I want to play in, and I think that's the caliber of baseball that this organization holds me accountable for." Jones was in fifth place until the final week of voting. "To start, it comes down to voting," he said. "First, you've got to do it on the field. If I'm not hitting, if I'm not playing good, then I'm not going to vote. I think the timing of it was good, playing good baseball and the voting. We did a lot of campaigning, doing some giveaways, then the Orioles wanted to sneak themselves in and help out. "At the end of the day, Baltimore, Birdland, fans across baseball, you want some respect, a debt of gratitude. They took to the computers, whoever they vote, and they voted me in. I have nothing but the upmost respect for everybody that marked my name, marked Cruz's name, marked Wieters' name, I just have the upmost respect, and I appreciate it." Jones separates the All-Star selection from the Orioles being in first place. "That doesn't mean anything," he said. "It's just the fact that we're playing good baseball. The fans elect us in. It doesn't mean that you won the World Series or anything. It just means that's just an accolade. I'd rather have a ring." The Orioles are the only team in baseball with three players voted in as starters. "That's pretty cool," Jones said. "I didn't look at like that. You put yourself in a certain category. You want to always play that way and fulfill, not fulfill anybody else's things, but play the game the right way and be rewarded for your hard work." Chris Davis finished third among AL first basemen with 1,753,679 votes. J.J. Hardy was third among shortstops with 2,126,357 votes. Manny Machado placed third among third basemen with 1,927,273 votes. Ryan Flaherty was sixth among second basemen with 963,534 votes. Markakis was seventh among outfielders with 1,905,068 votes and David Lough was 14th with 1,021,287. This marks the first time since 1997 (Alomar, Ripken and Brady Anderson) and 1998 (Alomar, Ripken) that the Orioles have multiple fan-elected starters in back-to-backs seasons.