Posted by basebal5 on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 7:48 am

Don't get me wrong. I like the idea…it's kind of cool to have a “mad rush” vote to send the last two players to the All-Star Game, even if it's a meaningless over-hyped game. Fans like it, and it's good publicity for MLB and Monster. But, has anyone noticed the amount of campaigning going on for the “Final Vote?” I swear, and I'm not kidding, I've seen more advertisements, emails, and interviews in the past three days telling me to vote for Jermaine Dye, Evan Longoria, and Pat Burrell than I've seen for Barack Obama. As someone who works for a public relations firm, I just have to say…WOW! Whoever planned the “Final Vote” campaign this year certainly got their point across to the entire league. That person or group deserves some recognition!

Between press releases, team emails, and commercials during game broadcasts, I believe I've been reminded to vote nearly twenty-five times an hour. For those of you scoring at home…that's A LOT!

Some of the lobbying going on is actually pretty funny. For example, the Yankees are sending out a picture of Jason Giambi's face in their bid to get the DH into the game. But it's not his entire face. It's a shot zooming in on his now famous mustache! In fact, you don't even see Giambi's eyes. Oh, and if you vote for Jason, you enter a drawing to win one of five baseballs autographed by the slugger. As of this evening, over 33 million votes were cast. So guess what your odds are of getting that autographed baseball?

The White Sox are doing something similar with Jermaine Dye, but they're being just a bit more aggressive (yes, that's a sarcastic understatement). In a special offer, fans who vote on-line for Dye through the end of the voting period will automatically be entered to win a jersey autographed by the White Sox outfielder.  A total of six winners will receive one Dye autographed jersey after the All-Star Final Vote. Again, you do the math. But that's not even the crazy part…

At about 6:00 PM today I received a press release from the White Sox breaking down their efforts to get Dye into the game. Are you sitting down? Here it goes…

The Chicago White Sox have turned up the campaign to send Jermaine Dye to the All-Star Game in New York City through Major League Baseball’s Monster 2008 All-Star Game Final Vote ballot. 

The latest phase will include an airborne component above Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.  Prior to this evening’s game vs. Kansas City, the White Sox will unleash the aerial phase of the campaign.  Fans in the ballpark’s vicinity will be able to observe a message from White Sox between 4-6 p.m. CT.

Tomorrow (Thursday) morning, White Sox mascot Southpaw and the White Sox Chevy Pride Crew will canvass the Chicago Loop, visiting the Farmers’ Market at Daley Plaza and local morning shows, lobbying fans for last minute votes.

Along with this evening and tomorrow morning’s efforts, White Sox fans have been relentlessly active in Jermaine’s behalf since the announcement of his place on the Final Vote ballot. 

Below are some of the highlights of the VOTE JD campaign:

- Snapping To It:  The White Sox front office quickly designed and printed VOTE JD signage, stickers and t-shirts that were distributed to fans by The Chevy Pride Crew during Sunday’s game (7/6) vs. Oakland.
- Sox Signers:  Immediately after the announcement of Jermaine’s Final Vote candidacy, VOTE JD signage was placed across the U.S. Cellular Field during the game vs. Oakland.
- Running Mate:  The White Sox created a partnership with the San Francisco Giants to get both Jermaine Dye (Bay-area native) and Aaron Rowand (member of the 2005 World Series Champion White Sox) voted to the 2008 All-Star Game.
- A Clubhouse United:  White Sox players, coaches and staff are currently sporting VOTE JD stickers and t-shirts in support of Jermaine.
- On The Campaign Trail:  Kauffman Stadium’s visitors’ clubhouse has been outfitted with VOTE JD signage, and will continue to over the next two days.
- A United Front:  The United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks, is running VOTE JD campaign messages on their video board on Madison Avenue.
- Kicking-In: The White Sox Chicago soccer cousins, the Chicago Fire, are running VOTE JD campaign messages on their video board visible from the Stevenson Expressway (Interstate 55).
- Online All The Time:  The White Sox have initiated a full-blown online campaign that includes periodic reminder and update emails, and breaking club news on the Inside the White Sox blog.
- Your JD Slogan: Sox fans have been invited to submit their slogans for JD’s campaign via the “Inside the White Sox” blog.

Fans may vote an unlimited number of times for Dye and Rowand by visiting whitesox.com or mlb.com and also via mobile phone by texting the word “VOTE” to the number 36197.

Running mate in Aaron Rowand? Isn't that collusion? Skywriters? Signage in an opposing team's stadium that has its own candidate (Jose Guillen)? Is getting Jermaine Dye to the All-Star game REALLY that important???

Boy have the times changed. I remember just about 15 or so years ago when Major League Baseball refused to spend any money on marketing and promotions. You rarely saw ads endorsing their star players. Well I guess they learned their lesson. At least the White Sox have!

Jermaine Dye should be thankful he has all this support…especially if he has an All-Star bonus clause in his contract! And Aaron Rowand should be appreciative as well. What the ????

Maybe this is just a precursor to the Sox' next campaign to have Rowand traded back to Chicago!