Candidates Have All-Star Numbers

The drought can’t compare to the 17 years since the last World Series title, but it is startling: The Dodgers haven’t had a player voted onto the All-Star team since catcher Mike Piazza in 1997.

Three Dodgers are giving fans good reason to punch their names on the ballots -- second baseman Jeff Kent, shortstop Cesar Izturis and center fielder Milton Bradley.

Kent, who holds the record for home runs by a second baseman, could win in a landslide as he did last season with the Houston Astros, when he had 2,898,381 votes, 1,864,367 more than his closest competitor. It helps that he is among league leaders in runs (31), runs batted in (32) and home runs (eight).

The last Dodger second baseman to start in the All-Star game was Steve Sax in 1983 and the last shortstop to do so was Bill Russell in 1980.

Izturis did not finish among the top eight vote-getters at shortstop last season, but he won the Gold Glove and has established himself as one of the league’s best leadoff batters. He is batting .339, has a league-high 20 multi-hit games and is among league leaders in hits (57) and runs (28).

With last season’s National League all-star shortstop, Edgar Renteria, in the American League and longtime fan favorite Barry Larkin retired, the position is wide open.

“I think it would be a great honor,” Izturis said. “I just have to keep playing hard and trying to help us win.”

Bradley is building the credentials, batting .325 with 10 home runs, 31 runs and 25 RBIs, but he faces tough competition. Although Barry Bonds is injured and Sammy Sosa is in the American League, the emergence of Carlos Beltran, Miguel Cabrera and Bobby Abreu, among others, should make for a close race for the three spots.

The last Dodger outfielder to start was Darryl Strawberry in 1991. Since then, Piazza is the only Dodger to be voted onto the team.

Kent has been an All-Star in four of the last six years. Normally reluctant to talk about individual honors, he said that the first time he was voted in as a starter was especially meaningful.

“It’s a great experience going to the game,” he said. “I cried the day in Atlanta [in 2000] when I was introduced with my kids. It was an unbelievable experience.”

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Infielder Antonio Perez skipped the last day of his triple-A rehabilitation assignment with Las Vegas to travel from Nashville and be available for today’s game.

Perez, who injured his left hamstring April 9, is expected to quickly become the sixth player the Dodgers have used at third base. He played 16 games for Las Vegas, batting .232 with 20 strikeouts and three walks in 56 at-bats.

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Fun runs

The Dodgers’ Milton Bradley, Jeff Kent and Cesar Izturis are among the league leaders in runs scored:

Clint Barmes, Colorado...32

* Brady Clark, Milwaukee...32

* Milton Bradley, Dodgers...31

* Jeff Kent, Dodgers...31

* Bobby Abreu, Philadelphia...28

* Cesar Izturis, Dodgers...28

* Derrek Lee, Chicago...28

* Luis Gonzalez, Arizona...26