ST. LOUIS — In another example of baseball’s growing trend of highlighting and even requiring what Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon called an “SU” player — or “Super Utility” — the American League called on the versatile Chone Figgins to arrive today as a last-minute All-Star addition.

Figgins will take Tampa Bay Evan Longoria’s spot on the roster as the Rays’ second-year star third baseman will miss the game with an infected right ring finger.

Major League Baseball announced the move today, the afternoon of the 80th All-Star Game, which will be held tonight at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis.

Longoria was the leading vote-getter at third base and he received the second-most votes of any American League player despite not having played a full season yet in his big-league career. Texas third baseman Michael Young, transplanted to the position from shortstop just this season, will slide into Longoria’s spot on the starting lineup. Figgins has been the Los Angeles Angels third baseman this season, but in his career he has proven adept at second base, center field and really all over the field. The speedy Figgins is hitting .310 this season with an AL-best 68 runs.

In the press conference Tuesday, Maddon — Longoria’s manager — mentioned that players like specifically All-Star Ben Zobrist and now Figgins represent that growing profile in the game of uber-fielders, the kind of productive hitters and fielders who play many positions through a season. Another example would be the St. Louis Cardinals recently acquired infielder Mark DeRosa.

Maddon said someday he could see an “SU” spot on the All-Star ballot.

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