Wed, Jun 25th 2008, 08:35
PHILADELPHIA — Chase Utley’s recent slump hasn’t made a dent in his popularity with All-Star Game voters.
Another week of voting has widened Utley’s already-sizable lead on Chicago’s Mark DeRosa, and he remains the National League’s leading vote-getter, period. All other second basemen will have to be named by NL manager Clint Hurdle to attend the Midsummer Classic.
Utley has more votes than the Astros’ Lance Berkman, the Yankees’ Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez, the Red Sox’s David Ortiz or Manny Ramirez and the Braves’ Chipper Jones.
Utley has been stuck on 22 home runs since victimizing St. Louis’ Todd Wellemeyer on June 13. Still, he’s had two stretches in which he’s homered in five straight games. Utley started the 2007 All-Star Game, going 0-for-2 in San Francisco at AT&T Park, and he played in the 2006 contest, going 1-for-2 in Pittsburgh at PNC Park.
His slump notwithstanding, the Phillies superstar is in line to make his second straight All-Star start. This would be Utley’s first career appearance at Yankee Stadium, and it would come in the final season of the historic ballpark.
michelle | on 6/7/08
Chase is a starting All-Star!!!!!!!!!! we all knew he was going to be with that lead, but still that’s amazing! =D andddd…he got the most votes in the entire NL! that’s awesomely well! that shows that all over the country people are noticing his talent and voted him in. He deserves it!
now that we got him in….Vote for Pat Burrell!!!!!!! He also deserves it! It would be great if we could get him in there along with Chase and Brad Lidge!!!!