June 8 -- ROLLINS, IBANEZ TAKE ALL-STAR LEAD

BY SCOTT LAUBER

NEW YORK -- Raul Ibanez deserves to start in the All-Star Game next month.

Jimmy Rollins does not.

But, in the latest polling results released today, Rollins and Ibanez have moved into the lead at their respective positions. With 1,415,493 votes, Ibanez has surged in front of the Brewers' Ryan Braun (1,269,033) and the Mets' Carlos Beltran (1,092,516) among outfielders, while Rollins, despite a 6-for-36 slump that has left his average at .222, inched ahead of Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Rollins has 936,377 votes, while Ramirez has 871,917.

Chase Utley, by the way, still leads second basemen with 1,749,457 votes, safely ahead of the Dodgers' Orlando Hudson (735,973).

Here's how other Phillies players are faring in fan balloting that continues through July 2 at MLB.com: Among first basemen, Ryan Howard is running second with 876,149 votes, well behind the Cardinals' Albert Pujols (1,751,945). At third base, Pedro Feliz is fourth with 598,563 votes, behind the Mets' David Wright (994,855), the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman (747,380) and the Braves' Chipper Jones (640,598). Carlos Ruiz, emerging as a deserving All-Star candidate, is fifth among catchers with 599,167 votes, behind the Cardinals' Yadier Molina (874,329), the Braves' Brian McCann (660,523), the Astros' Ivan Rodriguez (625,389) and the Brewers' Jason Kendall (619,954). And, in the outfield, Shane Victorino is sixth with 852,667 votes, while Jayson Werth is eighth with 636,818 votes.

I'm no pundit, but with the Phillies returning to the Bank on Friday night for a nine-game homestand, you'd have to figure we'll see another voting surge over the next two weeks.