ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals first baseman and nine-time All-Star Albert Pujols is off to a sluggish start at the plate, but not at the ballot box.

Pujols is the National League's leading vote-getter in the first returns from fan voting around Major League Baseball's ballpark and online at MLB.com. From the release sent out by MLB this afternoon:

Pujols, a three-time N.L. MVP and five-time fan-elected starter, has started at first base in each of the previous two Midsummer Classics, and has received 988,784 votes, ahead of the N.L.'s reigning MVP, Joey Votto (806,346) of the Cincinnati Reds.

Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman are second and third, respectively, in voting for the NL outfield. They rank behind Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun.

Catcher Yadier Molina ranks third in the first round of voting returns, tracking behind San Francisco Giants' catcher Buster Posey and Atlanta Braves' catcher Brian McCann.

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