Here’s some reading material while you watch the MLB Home Run Derby on mute.
The first half of the baseball season is in the books. In reality, it was over quite a while ago, but like the birthdays of Lincoln, Washington and King, we celebrate when it’s convenient. So even though some teams have played 94 games of a 162-game season, the party in New York marks the breaking point.
It’s also the 10th anniversary of “This Time It Counts,” and who can forget the importance of the home-field advantage won at the 2003 All-Star Game in Chicago? Bad example. Moving on…
First 4
1. (1/3/9/2/3/5/15) A’s: Finished the first “half” on a high note, taking a series against Boston with a walk-off win in the 11th.
2. (2/4/3/1/1/1/1) Cardinals: Rivalry or not, they need to do better than a split in Chicago. Salvaged the finale in the 10th inning, with MVP Yadier Molina providing the exclamation point.
3. (4/1/¼/6/6/9) Pirates: Even with the last 2 years’ collapses fresh in Pittsburgh’s mind, no Pirates fan can complain about being a game out and 19 over .500 at the All-Star break.
4. (5/5/8/7/7/7/12) Red Sox: Can’t hold losing 2 of 3 to the No. 1 A’s too much against them, so we’ll welcome Boston to the First 4 for the first time. Best record in the AL at the break.
Middle of the majors
5. (6/9/7/9/10/11/5) Tigers: Erased losing the series to the White Sox by taking 2 of 3 from the Rangers to close the “half.”
6. (7/11/19/18/14/13/17) Rays: Still beating the teams in front of them. If they were of a slightly higher caliber, the hottest team in baseball would be higher on this list.
7. (3/2/4/8/4/2/3) Rangers: They’re less impressive against other good teams, but they are in position to face the best again in the postseason.
8. (10/7/6/6/11/8/13) Orioles: Chris Davis’ 37 home runs at the break have fans and media trying desperately to party like it’s 1998, but what’s done is done. Never has an AL record been so hallowed while the NL version seems so hollow.
9. (11/6/13/17/27/12/7) Indians: Managed to put distance between themselves and the rest of the division with a sweep of the Royals. The Tigers, just 1 ½ games ahead, pose a much tougher challenge.
10. (9/8/2/3/5/3/2) Reds: Splitting with the Braves after losing a series in Milwaukee whets the appetite for a Cincy-Atlanta playoff series. We think.
11. (12/10/11/5/2/4/4) Braves: Splitting with the Reds after winning a series against Miami whets the appetite for an Atlanta-Cincy playoff series. We’ll keep telling ourselves that.
12. (13/24/24/23/20/27/25) Dodgers: Swept the Diamondbacks in Arizona to solidify themselves as a second-half threat. Being .500 at the break looks a whole lot better now than it would have at the beginning of the year.
13. (16/14/10/11/8/9/10) Diamondbacks: It helped that the only 3 they lost in their last 10 were against the Dodgers… until the Brewers finale.
14. (8/13/12/13/9/14/6) Yankees: Derek Jeter returns to much fanfare, then doesn’t finish his first game. Cal Ripken Jr. has to see that as an opportunity to promote himself.
15. (15/15/21/19/17/19/14) Nationals: Maybe it’s just us, but it probably didn’t matter if Bryce Harper got ejected against the Marlins or not.
16. (20/21/20/20/16/18/19) Phillies: 24 innings in a day against the White Sox. Another 10 the next day. Even with the break, it’s got to have an effect on the bullpen – but not the pennant race.
17. (18/12/5/10/13/16/20) Blue Jays: It was all good just 3 weeks ago.
18. (19/16/15/14/15/10/8) Rockies: Refused to let the Dodgers run away from them by earning a split in L.A.
19. (22/25/25/25/23/24/27) Cubs: Is a split with the Cardinals their high point of the year? It is in our book.
20. (21/22/18/22/22/22/22) Mariners: Not particularly impressive against Boston, but they hit the break with the momentum of a 3-game sweep of the Angels.
21. (17/18/17/12/19/26/23) Royals: Streaky all year, Kansas City limps into the break on a 5-game skid.
22. (14/19/23/24/24/23/21) Angels: Get swept by Seattle, get their usual parking spot.
23. (23/26/28/29/29/25/24) Mets: March into the defending champions house, sweep them, and end up in the exact same spot in the next week’s power rankings. Welcome to 2013. Enjoy hosting the All-Star Game.
24. (24/20/14/16/12/15/11) Giants: Tim Lincecum’s no-hitter gave San Francisco something to cheer about in what is quickly becoming a lost season for the Giants.
25. (26/28/27/26/25/28/26) Brewers: Celebrated winning a series against the Reds with a four-game losing streak.
26. (27/27/30/30/30/30/29) Marlins: Followed a 5-game losing streak with 3 wins before dropping the finale to the Nationals.
Final 4
27. (25/23/22/21/21/20/30) Twins: Sandwiched a win in Toronto between two 6-game losing streaks, then finished the “half” with 2 wins against the same Yankees that smoked them at home.
28. (29/30/29/28/26/21/16) White Sox: The Twins lost 12 of 13 and the Sox still couldn’t pass them.
29. (28/29/26/27/28/29/28) Astros: Getting 2 wins in 8 games against Texas, St. Louis and Tampa Bay is to be expected. So is sitting one spot lower when the second half ends.
30. (30/17/16/15/18/17/18) Padres: Still spiraling. Ended a 10-game skid, then turned around and lost 4 more with a no-hitter capping it for good measure. That’s no way to climb out of this cellar.