Inside baseball: Whispers from around the league

Of the 254 players on the All-Star ballot, the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers produced 11 to 13 each. No American League team produced that many, with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays leading the way at 10 apiece. … Here’s hoping the Kansas City Royals’ Vin Mazzaro bounces back faster from his 14-run nightmare Monday against the Cleveland Indians than the Chicago Cubs’ Jeff Stevens has from throwing a career-high 89 pitches when Mike Quade left him in to take one for the team after Casey Coleman’s 51-pitch inning April 22. Stevens has been a mess at triple-A Iowa. … New Royals left-hander Danny Duffy is promising but raw. The Texas Rangers stole four bases off him in his big league debut. … “Super two” arbitration status could be a nonfactor for 2011 rookies. Sources say MLB is looking to get back to a full three years for eligibility in the labor talks that are in their opening stage. … How bad is Hanley Ramirez going? The New York Mets intentionally walked Chris Coghlan to get to Ramirez in the ninth inning of a tie game Monday. Albert Pujols … Ryan FranklinFernando SalasEduardoSanchezMitchell Boggs Before trying to trade for a third baseman, the Rockies probably will see what they can get from Josh Fields. He entered the weekend hitting .363 in triple A.Robert Whitenack

— Phil Rogers