Werth basks in All-Star glow; Coste set to move on to Astros

It was the best of times for Werth, and, well, not the worst of times for Coste.

Werth, 30, who had homered in four straight games entering last night, was selected to his first All-Star Game by manager Charlie Manuel as a replacement for injured Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran. He joins fellow Phillies outfielders Raul Ibanez and Shane Victorino on the squad, marking the first time since the 1995 Cleveland Indians that a team has had three outfielders on the same All-Star team.

Second baseman Chase Utley and first baseman Ryan Howard also are making the trip to St. Louis for the Midsummer Classic.

"It's an honor, and I'm definitely excited," Werth said before last night's game with the Pirates. "I knew [Manuel] had a decision to make with one less guy because of Beltran. I didn't get a chance to talk with him about it. I didn't know what he was thinking about it. But he told me [yesterday] when I first got to the yard that he was going to take me with him."

It should be quite a festival for the five Phillies. The game is in Howard's hometown and about 100 miles from Werth's (Springfield, Ill.). It will also be the first appearance for Ibanez and Victorino and the fourth straight start for Utley.

"It's an honor to go with the guys who are going," Werth said, referring to his teammates. "You have perennial All-Stars in Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. And to be there with Raul for his first time is great. And Victorino winning the last vote like he did, and the fashion that he won it with all the votes. It says a lot about the character of this team and the guys on this team and what we accomplished last year."

Victorino won an online voting contest on Thursday to fill the final National League roster spot. His cause was aided by much campaigning, including going door-to-door in a quest for more votes - a practice that didn't go unnoticed by Werth.

"I wouldn't have been out there knocking on doors," Werth said, laughing. "But I think him getting voted in actually got me in, too. Everything seemed to kind of work out. If somebody else was voted in, then Charlie may have taken Shane. I think the way it worked out, it may have helped my cause a little bit."

For Coste, his storybook career with the Phils seemed to come to an end when the team activated Ibanez from the disabled list before the game and released the 36-year-old catcher. Coste first made the squad in 2006 after spending 11-plus years in the minors.

"I wouldn't say it was a huge shock; my playing time decreased a lot," he said. "I'm disappointed. At the same time, at least I'm not going back to the minor leagues. That would have been much tougher. Getting sent back to the minors in 2006 and 2007, that was pretty tough. Obviously, with my situation for the past 4 or 5 years, leaving Philadelphia is tough. But in Houston, I'm going to a good situation.

"When I first got into the big leagues in 2006, I wanted to get 1 day in the big leagues. After 1 day, I wanted to get a full year. Once I got that full year, I wanted 10 years. That's been my approach. I just want to stay in the big leagues as long as I can. I don't know any other city that would take to me the way Philadelphia has. It's almost the kind of stuff you can write a book about."

Of course, Coste did just that, authoring "The 33-Year-Old Rookie" following the 2006 season.

Now, a new chapter of his baseball life awaits. *