"There is a designated hitter every year now in the All-Star Game. And, though he has done that once in a while as a National Leaguer in interleague play and when he played last year with the New York Yankees, Cardinals All-Star outfielder Lance Berkman, who is 35 years old, has no use for it now. Or in his ballplaying future.

"If I can't play in the field, I'm not going to play," Berkman said during today's All-Star Game press sessions. "I'm not going to sit on the bench. That's 100 percent.

"Now, if that's the only job available and if, in my heart, I didn't feel like I could go out there and run around and catch the ball and play defense. . . I probably wouldn't be worth a dang anyway."

Berkman said, "The game is designed to be played with the pitcher hitting. I don't like the DH. And if you can' t play a position. . . that's not baseball."

"I think you get a stigma attached to you about what you can and cannot do. I think I've proven over the course of my career that I can play outfield and first base. That's probably all your options (as a lefthanded thrower), except maybe coming out of the bullpen. I haven't tried that yet."

Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday, because he finished as the top runner-up in the players' balloting (also the fans' balloting) was added to the starting lineup by National League manager Bruce Bochy to replace Milwaukee's Ryan Braun, who has a left calf injury.

Holliday said he hadn't heard that until he received a text from Cardinals teammate David Freese, saying that Holliday was starting. "I didn't know what he was talking about," said Holliday.

The Cardinals' normal cleanup hitter will be batting seventh, behind Berkman, and didn't remember the last time he had hit so low. "Maybe I should work on my bunting," he cracked.

The other starting lineup Holliday will be in is tonight's National League squad for the Home Run Derby. Holliday's two young sons, Ethan, who wants to meet David "Big Papi" Ortiz, and Jackson, will be on the field with him.

"They're excited about it," said Holliday. "It's kind of a fun thing for me to do. I pretty much do it every day anyway in batting practice. I'm not looking to hit the ball the other way on the ground."

There is a restaurant high atop the left-field wall and a swimming pool behind the right-center-field fence at Chase Field. Asked which would receive more action, Holliday offered, "I'll say pool. I can reach the pool righthanded."

While Hollday is starting in the All-Star Game, along with Berkman, Cardinals teammate Albert Pujols, an eight-time starter, will not be in the lineup. Nor will he be here at all as he was not selected via any of the processes."