Garciaparra by Technical Knockout

Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, backed by Boston’s high-tech campaigning, was elected to the All-Star game Monday. Four Cleveland Indians benefited from more traditional methods to gain their starting spots.

The Indians, who lead the major leagues in attendance, will have first baseman Jim Thome, second baseman Roberto Alomar and outfielders Kenny Lofton and Manny Ramirez in the All-Star game that will be played at Fenway Park on July 13.

But in the biggest shake-up of the final week, Garciaparra passed the Yankees’ Derek Jeter and Cleveland’s Omar Vizquel to start at shortstop.

Paul Beeston, baseball’s chief operating officer, said Thursday none of the Internet votes would be counted until the last week. Fans were allowed to vote 22 times on the Internet--the average number of home games for each team during the balloting.

Shortstop was the most competitive position, with the active campaigning for all three. Yankee Manager Joe Torre argued Jeter’s case through the media, the Red Sox campaigned Garciaparra on the Internet and the Indians flashed scoreboard messages at Jacobs Field urging fans to vote for Vizquel.

Garciaparra apparently benefited from the on-line voting. He trailed Jeter by 30,655 votes last week and finished 20,446 ahead (1,089,974 to 1,069,528). Vizquel was third with 1,038,362.

“Who’s to say who should start,” Garciaparra said. “When I look at Derek, looking at what he’s doing this year, it’s unbelievable. If you ask me, I believe he deserves to start.”

Through Monday, Garciaparra was batting .366 with 14 homers and 57 runs batted in. Jeter was second in the American League with a .377 average to go with 14 homers and 58 RBIs, and Vizquel was batting .336 with two homers, 35 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.

Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. was the leading All-Star vote-getter for the fourth consecutive year and seventh time overall. Elected to start for the 10th consecutive time, he got 2,918,055 votes.

Others elected to the American League starting lineup and their vote totals: Texas’ Ivan Rodriguez (1,897,774) at catcher, Thome (1,364,692), Alomar (2,793,891), Baltimore’s Cal Ripken (1,285,728) at third base, Lofton (1,676,595), Ramirez (1,898,430) and Tampa Bay’s Jose Canseco (1,664,282) at designated hitter.

Ripken will make his 17th consecutive All-Star appearance and 16th start in a row.

Torre will manage the American League team, but for the second consecutive year, the world champion Yankees won’t have an All-Star starter.

National League starters will be announced today, and reserves for both leagues will be announced Wednesday.