Support Thrown Behind Molina

The Angels have embarked on a last-minute campaign to elect catcher Bengie Molina as the final American League All-Star, calling on their fans to make their voices heard in Internet voting that ends at 3 p.m. today.

A sign adorning the wall in right-center field at Edison Field on Tuesday before the Angels played the Kansas City Royals read “Vote Molina” and reminded fans of the voting deadline.

Molina said he wasn’t counting on a horde of votes from family and friends in his homeland.

“I don’t think we have the Internet in Puerto Rico, do we?” Molina quipped during an afternoon news conference.

Molina was in last place in the most recent tally of Internet votes, trailing Boston’s Jason Varitek, Chicago’s Frank Thomas, Oakland’s Eric Byrnes and New York’s Jason Giambi.

Molina said he did not like waiting while his fate was being determined on the World Wide Web.

“It’s just not easy to be in this position because you don’t know what’s going on, what’s happening,” said Molina, hitting . 289 with nine home runs and 47 runs batted in.

Molina said it would be an honor to be selected; if not, he would use the three-day All-Star break to recharge for the second half.

Angel All-Star reliever Brendan Donnelly credited Molina with much of his first-half success, including a major-league best 0.41 earned-run average.

“I wouldn’t be up here without Bengie putting down the right fingers and busting his tail,” Donnelly said. “He’s an All-Star.”

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Third baseman Troy Glaus and left fielder Garret Anderson, the Angels’ other All-Stars, said they did not believe the exhibition game July 15 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago should determine something as important as home-field advantage for the World Series.

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia countered by saying he didn’t think a home-field edge was the “end-all” factor in a playoff series, noting that the Angels won the American League division and championship series last season without home-field advantage.

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Shortstop David Eckstein was held out of the lineup Tuesday and could sit out the next couple of games because of a bruised shoulder and a strained trapezoid muscle, which spans the neck and upper back.

Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angels’ medical director, confirmed the initial diagnosis during an examination Tuesday.

The good news for Eckstein, who collided with Anderson on Sunday while chasing a fly ball, was that he no longer wore a sling on his right arm and said he felt better.

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to go pretty soon,” said Eckstein, replaced at shortstop by Benji Gil and in the leadoff spot by Chone Figgins.

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Tim Salmon said he has passed the kidney stones that had prevented him from playing Sunday against Oakland.

He started at designated hitter Tuesday against Kansas City and went 0 for 3.