RealGM Wiretap
Four-time National League All-Star Chase Utley of the defending N.L. Champion Philadelphia Phillies is Major League Baseball?s top vote-getter in the first N.L. balloting figures for the 81st All-Star Game, to be played on Tuesday, July 13th at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
Utley, a native of Southern California who attended UCLA, has started at second base for the N.L. in each of the last four Midsummer Classics, and has received 687,724 votes, well ahead of Rickie Weeks (169,941) of the Milwaukee Brewers. Three-time N.L. MVP and eight-time All-Star Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals leads the way at first base, ranking second overall in the Majors with 647,666 votes. Pujols, who recorded the second-highest vote total in M.L. history in 2009 (5,397,374), ranks ahead of Philadelphia?s Ryan Howard (329,673). Joining Utley among the N.L. leaders are his teammates Jimmy Rollins (340,747), who leads Hanley Ramirez (309,244) of the Florida Marlins at shortstop, and Placido Polanco (309,458), who is ahead of David Wright (236,387) of the New York Mets at third base. Rollins is seeking his fourth All-Star selection, while Polanco was a starter at second base for the A.L. in 2007. Behind the plate, Yadier Molina (316,795) of the Cardinals leads Carlos Ruiz (259,227) of the Phillies as well as veteran All-Stars Ivan Rodriguez (247,998) of the Washington Nationals and Brian McCann (203,377) of the Atlanta Braves in an attempt to make his second consecutive start.
The N.L. outfield is led by Milwaukee?s Ryan Braun, who has drawn 423,834 votes, and Phillies teammates Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino, who have totaled 365,402 and 348,841 votes, respectively. Braun, also a native of Southern California, has started in the outfield for the N.L. in each of the last two seasons. Werth made his first All-Star team in 2009, while Victorino led all vote-getters in the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote to claim his first All-Star selection. Andre Ethier of the Los Angeles Dodgers is fourth among N.L. outfielders with 316,383 votes, followed by Matt Holliday (309,463) of the Cardinals and Jason Heyward (304,547) of the Braves. Heyward?s vote total represents the third most in history by a rookie in the first balloting totals, behind two Cubs teammates in 2008: Geovany Soto (343,427) and Kosuke Fukudome (325,456).
Utley, a native of Southern California who attended UCLA, has started at second base for the N.L. in each of the last four Midsummer Classics, and has received 687,724 votes, well ahead of Rickie Weeks (169,941) of the Milwaukee Brewers. Three-time N.L. MVP and eight-time All-Star Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals leads the way at first base, ranking second overall in the Majors with 647,666 votes. Pujols, who recorded the second-highest vote total in M.L. history in 2009 (5,397,374), ranks ahead of Philadelphia?s Ryan Howard (329,673). Joining Utley among the N.L. leaders are his teammates Jimmy Rollins (340,747), who leads Hanley Ramirez (309,244) of the Florida Marlins at shortstop, and Placido Polanco (309,458), who is ahead of David Wright (236,387) of the New York Mets at third base. Rollins is seeking his fourth All-Star selection, while Polanco was a starter at second base for the A.L. in 2007. Behind the plate, Yadier Molina (316,795) of the Cardinals leads Carlos Ruiz (259,227) of the Phillies as well as veteran All-Stars Ivan Rodriguez (247,998) of the Washington Nationals and Brian McCann (203,377) of the Atlanta Braves in an attempt to make his second consecutive start.
The N.L. outfield is led by Milwaukee?s Ryan Braun, who has drawn 423,834 votes, and Phillies teammates Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino, who have totaled 365,402 and 348,841 votes, respectively. Braun, also a native of Southern California, has started in the outfield for the N.L. in each of the last two seasons. Werth made his first All-Star team in 2009, while Victorino led all vote-getters in the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote to claim his first All-Star selection. Andre Ethier of the Los Angeles Dodgers is fourth among N.L. outfielders with 316,383 votes, followed by Matt Holliday (309,463) of the Cardinals and Jason Heyward (304,547) of the Braves. Heyward?s vote total represents the third most in history by a rookie in the first balloting totals, behind two Cubs teammates in 2008: Geovany Soto (343,427) and Kosuke Fukudome (325,456).