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Heck, he already has a scouting report on Phillies catching instructor Mick Billmeyer, who will throw to him for the All-Star contest.
"I have studied his tendencies," Utley said dryly. "He mainly throws fastballs."
Utley said yesterday that he pondered the invitation for a while, but ultimately decided the derby was an event he couldn't turn down. So the All-Star second baseman, who hit his major league-leading 25th home run last night, will join some of the sport's more prototypical sluggers Monday in the Bronx.
"I imagine that I might have my work cut out for me," said Utley, listed at 6-1, 200 pounds.
The Angels' Vladimir Guerrero is the defending champion. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard participated in the event the last 2 years, winning it in 2006.
"I'm going to tell him just to make sure you get in a rhythm and don't swing at every pitch because you'll get tired quick," Howard said.
Utley sounds as if he will be motivated partly by fear of failure. In 2001, while starring for Class A Clearwater, he appeared in the Florida State League derby and did not hit a single home run. In fact, he said nobody hit a homer in the first round of play.
"Everybody was shut out," he said. "The two guys that advanced were the guys that had the league lead at the time."
Billmeyer, who pitched to Jim Thome when he was a Phillies All-Star in 2004, thinks Utley will be OK this time around.
"He's competitive. He'll try to win it," Billmeyer said. "He doesn't want a bagel. I'm telling you. He doesn't want a bagel." *
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