How often did you vote?

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria was the fan's choice for the final spot on the American League All-Star team, despite being matched against players from much bigger markets, including Jermaine Dye of the Chicago White Sox and Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees.

Longoria got help from a Red Sox fansite -- bostondirtdogs.com -- that encouraged fans to vote for Longoria to keep votes away from Giambi, and basketball announcer and Rays season ticketholder Dick Vitale, who made a video pitch.

But Longoria wouldn't have made the team without an outpouring of support from fans in the Tampa Bay area. How often did you vote? We want to hear your story.

(Pictured: Evan Longoria fields a ball against Baltimore earlier this season. Times photo -- James Borchuck. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Ted]

I voted a little over 400 times

[Ted]

I voted a little over 400 times

[Matt]

I voted continuously while watching the Rays games on TV. I took breaks when my eyes got blurry from filling in valildation codes, but I'd say over 4 days I voted somewhere between 800-1000 times.

[Diane]

I voted at lest 30 times and also put a link on my "Tagged" homepage

[Keith Gibson]

On the last day of voting O voted right up too 5.00 P.M. and on other days for several minutes I must have voted 200 times= I should have kept count- ANYHOW MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, WE GOT HIM IN.

[Claire Brantley]

We were at the Rays game when it was announced that Kaz and Navi had made it, and that there was still a chance for E-Love - so I started texting at the game, got about 200 votes in before leaving the game.
But I texted off and on over the next several days so probably about 400 in all -- but then . . .
We travelled to NYC to go see Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium before they knock them down -- so during those games, I sat and texted A4 during the entire game.
I may not have texted the most, but I bet I did it in the most different ballpark locations! The Bronx, Queens, and St. Pete -- chuckle --
Wish the Rays had beat the Yankees though -- ugh -- we were there for the mustache give-away -- so it was delicious irony to be voting for Evan while sitting in Yankee Stadium
Go Rays!
Claire from Tampa

[Jennifer]

I proudly carried my cell phone around the dining room at the restaurant I work at pitching regular customers :) I may not have been the best hostess, but I was an excellent multi-tasker voting nearly 5,000 on my phone and simultaneously sending text votes on a co-worker's phone. I squeezed in another couple hundred online votes, but unlimited text messaging plans made the text voting a lot easier and more time efficient.

[Jennifer]

I proudly carried my cell phone around the dining room at the restaurant I work at pitching regular customers :) I may not have been the best hostess, but I was an excellent multi-tasker voting nearly 5,000 on my phone and simultaneously sending text votes on a co-worker's phone. I squeezed in another couple hundred online votes, but unlimited text messaging plans made the text voting a lot easier and more time efficient.

[Jennifer]

I proudly carried my cell phone around the dining room at the restaurant I work at pitching regular customers :) I may not have been the best hostess, but I was an excellent multi-tasker voting nearly 5,000 on my phone and simultaneously sending text votes on a co-worker's phone. I squeezed in another couple hundred online votes, but unlimited text messaging plans made the text voting a lot easier and more time efficient.

[Jennifer]

I proudly carried my cell phone around the dining room at the restaurant I work at pitching regular customers :) I may not have been the best hostess, but I was an excellent multi-tasker voting nearly 5,000 on my phone and simultaneously sending text votes on a co-worker's phone. I squeezed in another couple hundred online votes, but unlimited text messaging plans made the text voting a lot easier and more time efficient.

[Don in St. Pete]

I only voted for him about 100 times. I couldn't let my boss catch me. I switch up on which national leaguer got my vote so they each got about 20. Rock `em in the home run contest Evan! Go Rays!

[FortMyersDave]

I voted 225 times for Evan. NMow just hope the Rays beat Cleveland tonight!

[Frank W]

I am an avid Rays fan, retired & love Evans enthusiasm & demeanor. I voted every day for about 3/4 hours. I estimated I voted over 4000 times.

[Mark G]

I let the window stay up the whole time and voted here and there, every chance I got, I email my local fantasy baseball team(Carl Crawford, Troy Percival,and Andy Sonnastine on my team)told them to vote for Long. I voted in total around a hundred times. I really thought he was the one that deserve it.

[chad]

1000+. I have nothing to do at my work

[James B]

I just could not stop...even when I had work to do or just wanted to go to bed, I just could not stop. My laptop went with me everywhere.

I wound up voting 1,138 times.

And that was after not having voted at all on the original ballot. I guess I felt like I had to make my earlier laziness up to this team.

[Anthony T]

I voted 1492 times online and 4000 times by text messages (thank god I have unlimited txt plan). I couldn't stop there so I linked the voting page to my MYspace page and my friends voted another 3000 times (thanks everybody). I'm just glade our boy LONGO got in, he deserves it.

[cg]

4x. Whoopie.

[Gene]

My wife and I eached voted at least 200 times for Evan. I'm proud of him and all the Rays fans that took up the cause!

[Mark D.]

About 200 times.

[Doug Holmes]

I voted on my laptop at 620's site over 4000 times,kept it in my lap from Tuesday to Thursday at every available moment.Those numbers got smaller and smaller,but Evan is in,so it's worth it.

[Tom Testa]

I voted about 1000 times. I started text voting at the game on Monday and continued when I got home that day. I kind of lost track that day combining email votes and texts. The next day I voted 250 times and continued Weds and Thurs voting 250 times each day. I was surprised to see that he got 9 million votes. Thanks to all Rays fans that voted. He deserves it!

[Chuck Rulison]

I voted approx. 40 times. Proud of Longo for making the allstar team, he definitely deserves it. Hopefully he'll have an even better second half of the season. Go Go Longo!!

[RJ]

By Wednesday morning I had voted about 500 times for Evan. Then on Wednesday morning I had a minor medical procedure that required anethesia. After that, the Doc told me I couldn't drive, work, or do anything that required a clear head for a couple of days. So I sat at the computer voting for the next 2days. I was averaging 3 or 4 votes an hour when I got rolling. I know I voted at least 15 hours, so I'd say I voted between 5000 and 6000 times all told.....Oh yeah, my wife was keeping an eye on me so she sat at her computer and voted too. So add at least another 2000-3000 votes from her. That's like 7000-9000 votes from our household.

[LUIS DURAN]

me and my 9 y/o son voted around three hundred each per day for 3 days, what totals about 1800. we went to al lang in spring training just to see him play. have been 10 times this season at the trop.my son is a mustang pony baseball player in Town & Country, tampa who just got an article yesterday in the sport section of the st.pete times. they are going to nationals in texas and just last night the team received a donation of $5000 from the Tampa Bay Rays to have their dream come true. Isn't all this wonderful? My son is the star pitcher of the team and just like Longoria, had a loving helping hand to go forward as athlets in the game they just love to play. thank you.

[Corinna]

I voted 1,500 times!!!! My dad voted another 500 times. We hoped Evan would make it. He is the greatest!

[Ray F]

lots and lots and lots over 50 in one hour yesterday and probably 50 times a day since Sunday. Him making the team is not only good for him and the Rays, but great for baseball.

They need this kid to be the next big thing.

[The Uhurus]

We did not vote for Evan.
Our vote went to DYE

Down with Whitey!

[Ed O'Melia]

the next Brooks Robinson. I stopped counting after 200 votes. The gavel went down to start the union meeting Thursday, so I had to stop voting. GO RAYS !!!

[Jeanne]

I'm and old lady. I love baseball..and I voted more than 100 times..He's such a nice boy!

[Judy]

I have no idea how many times, but I voted continuously for about 4 hours over a 3-day period. How many times can one vote in an hour? Longo deserved all the votes he got. Contragulations!

[Joe Carollo]

I said to myself " If I vote at least 100 times and everyone else does, he is sure to get in ". I am so glad that I did, Longoria deserves it. Thanks Boston Fans. Not!! We did it, not you. Stop trying to get the credit for everything. We are better this year, now just accept it!!!

[Jim]

I voted 94 times,how's that!

[Charles]

I'm a Red Sox fan, and I voted for Evan well over a hundred times. After voting about 100 times, I kept the browser open at work, and would fire off a couple of votes every time I was waiting for something else to finish. Not only is Longoria ROY at mid-season, there is no way Mustache-Boy was getting onto the All Star Team if I could do anything about it! I suspect the fact that a popular Red Sox fan page (Boston Dirt Dogs) was actively promoting Longoria as the anti-Giambi candidate helped his candidacy somewhat...

[justin]

a little over a thousand

[GRACE PAYTON]

I VOTED ONLY ONCE FOR EVAN AND ONLY
BECAUSE MY CHOICES DIDN'T GET THAT FAR.
I DID VOTE FOR NAVARRO.. HE DESERVED IT
.. BUT MY OTHER CHOICES WERE UPTON AND
SONNANSTINE, WHO HAS 10 WINS AND IT
WOULD HAVE BEEN 11, IF PERCIVAL HADN'T
BLOWN SONNY'S SHUT-OUR BACK IN... APRIL
OR MAY. SONNY CAN HIT, TOO, REMEMBER?
AND UPTON HAD AN OVER .300 AV FOR PART
OF THE SEASON...AND DOES SOME VERY
SPECTACULAR DEFENSE IN CENTER FIELD,
WHERE HE COVERS A LOT OF TERRITORY.
THANX FOR ASKING. GO RAYS!
I HAD A PLATE MADE FOR MY CAR, THAT
SAYS "GO RAYS!" RED ON WHITE

[Diana]

Voted at least 500 times. Way to go Evan! I'm so glad Evan made it! Go Rays!

[taseana_lynn]

I voted off and on all day ( when not busy at work)and probably voted at least 500 times per day.I even tried sneaking another vote in at 5:01 last evening... no go

[John Sacco]

Number 3, 3rd Baseman Evan Longoria makes 3 Rays on the All Star Team in 2008 got 3 Votes from me. Told my buddies up in Boston to watch this kid as he has tremendous raw power and reminds me of Brooks Robinson flashing the leather and barehanding the bunts and dribblers. What a future this kid has! First time I voted for anybody.

[Kennybear]

Once.

[Debbie]

2000+ I was on the computer voting every spare moment since voting started. That's about 45 minutes every morning and two or three hours each evening after work. I didn't keep track of the count but I figure at least a couple of thousand votes. I was so addicted to voting that I actually missed it last night. I've been a Rays fan since before they built the dome...remember those days!!
Way to go Fans and Evan...you rock!!
And a big round of applause for Mr. Sternberg and his staff. I appreciate what you've done with Tropicana Field and the team!!

Please keep supporting the Rays, let's hope they go all the way!!

[CharlieRay]

My wife and I took turns sending out votes all day for 4 days, approximately 3 Hrs each. I did not count all but decided to see how many in 1 Hr. and it came to 217 per Hr X 6 = 1302 X 4 days = 5208 votes for our household. I think it was a great effort by everyone. If they voted just once they did their job. Not everyone is crazy as the die hearted fans of the Rays. Thanks to all that voted.

[Wayne]

Voted at least 800 time.

We did it TampaBay

[Rob]

All in all I estimate at least 500 times. I voted more than 230 times Thursday between 4pm and the close of voting. Go Rays!

[Harry]

I voted in two online sessions the same night after one of the wins vs the Royals between 550 and 600 times based on about 5 votes per minute.

[Scott L.]

I voted for an hour straight everyday. I don't know how many votes that is but it has to be a lot.

[Fox]

I voted a couple times online but as soon as I found out that you could text your votes in by phone and there was no limit, I lit up the polls. Id say I voted 1200 times in 3 days. Way to go Evan. You deserve it.

[Jeff]

I voted 49 times. I went to the Yankee series last weekend (where frankly they played like the Devil Rays) and voted once for every time they advertised Giambi and that stupid facial hair disaster.

[rob]

I'm a wandering Tampa-native living in Oregon that caught Rays fever in 2006 when Delmon got the call up. I can't get enough of this team now and I rarely get a chance to express my excitement for this ballclub. So, yeah, I voted 50 times or so. I wonder what the final tally was?

[Joe from St Pete]

Hope Evan remembers what his fans did for him.