"Trendy pick," Utley said, dismissing the topic with one of his typical shrugs. "Just talk."

Yeah, it's just talk. But it's completely justified.

Utley finished eighth in the voting last season and might have won if he hadn't missed a month after he was hit by a pitch, breaking his right hand.

The Phillies second baseman was a leading candidate when he went down July 26. At the time, he was hitting .336 with 17 homers and 82 RBIs. He was leading the NL with 41 doubles, and he ranked in the top six in batting average, RBIs, runs, hits, total bases, slugging, on-base percentage and multi-hit games.

Utley's double-play partner, shortstop Jimmy Rollins, ended up winning the award, following the lead of slugging first baseman Ryan Howard, who won in 2006.

Not since the New York Yankees trio of Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle and Elston Howard in 1961 through 1963 have three teammates won the MVP in consecutive seasons. (Maris also won in 1960.)

Could Utley make it a Phillies threesome?

Sure he could. He's that good.

How good?

"He's the best second baseman in baseball," one rival scout said. "It's not even close. He's a great hitter. He runs every ball out. He plays hard. He's improved immensely on defense. He's a gamer. Give me him over anyone else."

Utley, 29, became the Phillies regular second baseman in 2005. Over the last three seasons, he leads big-league second basemen in runs (328), hits (537), home runs (82) and RBIs (310).

He's also rated as the top defensive second baseman over that span by analyst John Dewan, author of The Fielding Bible. Dewan uses statistics and the opinions of 10 analysts in reaching his conclusions.

Utley is the baseball equivalent of a gym rat. He's always working at his game, never lets up, never cheats himself or his team.

As a youngster, Utley spent hours in the batting cage. He loved hitting and his dedication shows. He was a high school star in Long Beach, Calif., then went to UCLA, where the Phillies noticed his strong lefthanded bat and selected him 15th overall in the 2000 draft.

Defense was a struggle for the young Utley. He played shortstop as a freshman at UCLA, but moved to second as a sophomore.

"I really liked shortstop, but wasn't good enough to stay there," he said. "I struggled with the throw."

Utley paused.

"Defense has never come easy," he said.

That's what makes his status as an elite defensive second baseman so remarkable. There isn't a play he can't make. He turns the double play well. He's tremendous going to his left, halting a ball on one knee in shallow right field, popping to his feet and throwing the runner out. He made just 10 errors in 661 total chances in 2007.

Utley's strong defense didn't happen by accident. He fields dozens of ground balls every day. Off the field, he does agility and quickness drills - year-round.

"In the infield, your first step is key," he said. "You want to feel light on your feet."

As fine a hitter as Utley is, he takes pride in being a complete player.

"If it came down to making a great play to save a run or getting an RBI hit," he said, "making the play is more satisfactory."

Utley has started at second in the last two all-star games. His bat has brought him that honor. He has a short, quick, powerful stroke. He hit .372 at Citizens Bank Park last season, .332 overall.

Utley is a student of hitting. He spends hours in the batting cage, sometimes simply tracking pitches with his eyes, but that is not his only classroom. He watches extensive video. He studies his previous at-bats against that night's pitcher. He watches how the pitcher attacks other lefthanded hitters. He even watches opposing hitters so he can have an idea how to position himself defensively.

"I'm trying to pick up anything," Utley said of those video sessions. "Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't, but you have to give yourself that chance."

That all-out commitment is why the Phillies gave Utley a seven-year, $85-million contract extension in 2007. It's a big reason why Utley is the game's top second baseman.

"His attitude more than anything makes him a great player," said Rollins. "Of course, he has natural skills, but he does everything with the right attitude - from the batting cage to ground balls - and that carries over into the game."

Utley shuns talking about himself. He doesn't spend time wondering whether he might have been the 2007 MVP if he hadn't gotten hurt in July ("No biggie," he said. "We still did well when I was out"). He scoffs when people mention him as an MVP possibility for this season.

But he does have an individual goal and that, he hopes, will lead to his ultimate goal - a championship.

"Try to get better," Utley said. "That's my main objective. The better you get, the better you play, the better your team will do."

at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.