CHICAGO -- The Cubs' Kosuke Fukudome, Ryan Theriot, Geovany Soto and Felix Pie join veterans Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Mark DeRosa on this year's All-Star Game ballot.

Fukudome, Theriot, Soto and Pie are on the ballot for the first time. Soriano will be vying for his seventh straight trip to the All-Star Game, while Lee has been selected twice and Ramirez has been chosen once, back in 2005.

Fukudome, 31, was a four-time All-Star in Japan, getting selected in 1999, 2002, '03 and '04. Even though the Cubs' right fielder played nine seasons in Japan, he's technically considered a rookie, and he could be the franchise's first one to be chosen to the All-Star Game since Sam "Toothpick" Jones in 1955. The only other Cubs rookies to make the All-Star event were Don Johnson in 1944 and catcher Toby Atwell in '52.

It's a shame there isn't a "Most Versatile" category on the All-Star ballot. DeRosa might win that.

Last year, DeRosa was on the ballot for the first time in his career. He had played so many different positions in the past that DeRosa never was considered a regular anywhere else.

But DeRosa moved around again in the first part of 2007 with the Cubs, and he didn't pick up enough votes to win the second baseman's spot. Philadelphia's Chase Utley was the National League's starter at second.

DeRosa has another chance this year -- and is in the same predicament. The All-Star ballot, released on Tuesday, lists him at second base, yet he has played eight games in left field, two in right and 12 at second.

It'll be up to the fans to cast their votes.

Soriano and Lee were the Cubs' All-Star representatives last year. It was the first time the Cubs had two representatives since Lee and Ramirez went in 2005.

In his first trip to the All-Star Game as a Cub, Soriano went 1-for-3 with a ninth-inning two-run homer off Seattle's J.J. Putz, making him the first player to homer in the Midsummer Classic for three different teams. Soriano also did so with the Yankees in 2002 and with the Rangers in '04. He's the second player to homer for both the American League and NL All-Star teams, joining Hall of Famer Frank Robinson.

The 79th All-Star Game will be played on July 15, and it'll be the fourth held at Yankee Stadium and the eighth in New York City. The Yankees previously hosted the All-Star Game in 1939, '60 and '77; the Polo Grounds held the game in '34 and '42; Ebbets Field was the site in '49; and Shea Stadium hosted the '64 Midsummer Classic.

Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the Monster 2008 All-Star Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites until July 2 at 10:59 p.m. CT.

Each team also will have 24 home dates for in-stadium balloting, which begins at Wrigley Field on Thursday and runs through June 22.

Starting rosters will be announced during the 2008 All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Chevrolet on TBS on July 6. Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select the final player on each team via the Monster 2008 All-Star Final Vote at MLB.com.

And the voting doesn't end there. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet at the All-Star Game via the Monster 2008 All-Star Game MVP vote at MLB.com.

The All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX and around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio play-by-play, while MLB.com will offer extensive online coverage.

Some Cubs All-Star notes: Ernie Banks was selected 14 times, the highest total for any Cubs player. Ryne Sandberg is second with 10 All-Star appearances (nine starts).