Utley leads all players in All-Star voting

Phillies four-time All-Star second baseman Chase Utley is baseball's top votegetter in the first N.L. balloting figures, released today. The game is July 13 in Anaheim.

Utley has received 687,724 votes, well ahead of Rickie Weeks (169,941), of the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Phillies have five players who would be voted in as starters if the ballotting holds.

The Cardinals' Albert Pujols 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 history in 2009 (5,397,374), ranks ahead of Philadelphia's Ryan Howard (329,673).

Joining Utley among the NL 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 AL in 2007.

Behind the plate, Yadier Molina (316,795) of the Cardinals leads the Phillies' Carlos Ruiz (259,227) as well as veteran All-Stars Ivan Rodriguez (247,998) of the Washington Nationals and Brian McCann (203,377) of the Atlanta Braves.

The NL 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. Werth made his first All-Star team in 2009, while Victorino led all votegetters in the 2009 All-Star Game 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).

Fans around the world can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the 2010 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot Sponsored by Sprint, available exclusively at MLB.com and all 30 Club Web sites. The in-stadium phase of balloting concludes on Wednesday, June 23rd. Fans can cast their final ballots exclusively online at MLB.com and the 30 club web sites until Thursday, July 1st at 11:59 p.m.