Phillies' Victorino, voted an all-star, may not play

Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco are both battling injuries heading into the All-Star Game. (Ron Cortes/Staff file photo)

By Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: July 08, 2011

The fans have voted Shane Victorino into the All-Star Game, but it remains to be seen if he'll actually play for the National League in the 82d midsummer event in Phoenix.

Victorino has missed the last three games with a Grade 1 sprain of his right thumb, an injury that prompted him to leave the team for an appointment with a hand specialist. The Phillies have offered no update on Victorino's injury status.

If Victorino does not play at all this weekend against the Braves, it's unlikely he goes to Arizona to play in the All-Star Game.

Victorino leads the Phillies in batting average (.303), on-base percentage (.376), and slugging percentage (.524), so his vote was warranted. He received 9.2 million votes from fans to defeat Andre Ethier, Todd Helton, Michael Morse, and Ian Kennedy.

The injury complicates matters. If the team is uncertain as to whether Victorino will require the full two weeks on the disabled list or only a few days of inactivity, it has the luxury of waiting. With a four-day break beginning Monday, there are only three more games to play with a "short" roster. The Phillies can backdate a disabled list stint up to 10 days, meaning a decision can linger until Wednesday. Victorino was injured Sunday in Toronto.

"I don't see him playing for a few days," Charlie Manuel said Wednesday.

The all-star "Final Vote" began in 2002, and Victorino is the only two-time winner. (He was also victorious in 2009.) A Phillie has won it three times, the other being Bobby Abreu in 2004.

The five Phillies all-stars - Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Placido Polanco, and Victorino - tie a franchise record equaled in 1976, 1979, 1981, 1995, and 2009. Polanco will start at third base for the National League.

"The past few days have been incredible," Victorino said in a statement from the team. "To take the lead from day one shows how supportive the fans have been from the start of the campaign. Just to be on the ballot was exciting, but to be the first player to be selected by the fans twice is such a tremendous honor. The fans in Philadelphia and Hawaii as well as my offseason home in Las Vegas are so loyal to me - that's what means more than anything."

To view video of Mayor Nutter voting for Shane Victorino, go to www.philly.com/votevictorino

Contact staff writer Matt Gelb

at mgelb@phillynews.com

or @magelb on Twitter.