Utley, Lidge earn All-Star berths

Chase Utley, who led all National League players with 3,889,602 votes, will be the starting second baseman for the third straight year. He's the only Phillies second baseman to be elected as an All-Star starter more than once.

Utley started play yesterday batting .296 with 24 home runs and 67 RBI.

Brad Lidge, who earlier in the day agreed to a 3-year, $37.5 million contract extension, was seleceted by NL manager Clint Hurdle Colorado Rockies. He'll be making his second All-Star appearance after representing the Houston Astros in 2005.

He's 19-for-19 in save opportunities with an 0.77 earned run average since being acquired from Houston last November, along with infielder Eric Bruntlett, for Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary and Mike Costanzo last November.

There is also a chance that the Phillies could have at least one more All-Star.

Leftfielder Pat Burrell, who leads all NL outfielders with 21 home runs, is one of five NL candidates for the Final Vote 2008, with by fan balloting on mlb.com to decide the 32nd and final roster spot for each league.

Competing against Burrell will be Milwaukee's Corey Hart, Houston's Carlos Lee, San Francisco's Aaron Rowand and David Wright of the Mets.

Phillies who didn't make it, but could be considered in case injury replacements are needed include lefthander Cole Hamels. He's 9-5 with a 3.22 earned run average but may have been passed over in part because he's scheduled to start next Sunday against Arizona, the last day before the break.

Righthander Chad Durbin, with a 1.50 ERA in a set-up role, could receive consideration.

Also overlooked were 2006 NL MVP Ryan Howard and 2007 NL MVP Jimmy Rollins.

Howard is having an interesting season, leading the league with 76 runs batted in despite a .224 batting average. Rollins didn't make the All-Star team last year, either . . . before going on to be voted the league's best player at the end of the year.