Baseball

A lot has been said about the six degrees of separation between a person and Kevin Bacon.

Does anyone know if he's a Marlins fan because every six years we've seen the Marlins do what they are doing this year.

The All-Star break is before us, which means the first half of the season has come to a close, and while most will sit back and analyze their team’s progress—or lack thereof—I can’t help but wonder what that will get me aside from headaches and the occasional fit more true to a diabetic or schizophrenic.

No offense to either, but you get the point.

After witnessing one of the oddest sights in all of sports in 2002—a baseball game ending in a tie—MLB Commissioner Bud Selig elected to make a change to the "Mid-Summer Classic."

From 2003 onward, the winning league in the MLB All-Star Game would get home-field advantage for their World Series representative come October.

However, the decision to award home-field advantage to the victor of the ASG has been met mostly with criticism.

The MLB All-Star Game is one of the greatest games in sports. It is a time when both leagues put forth their best players and play to see who's better.

But most of all, it is a time to reflect on the first half of the season as well as look ahead to the second half.

In this "Great Debate", the top teams of the NL East have put forth their top writers to discuss what will happen in the second half of the season.

Mets top writer Richard Marsh and I have selected the participants.

For the Philadephia Phillies, we have Scott Eisenlohr and Cody Swartz.

The Houston Astros enter the All-Star break 44-44 and are fourth in the NL Central, three and a half games back from the division leading Cardinals. The Astros are in the best place in the division at the All Star Break since 2003, when they were leading the

division.

Here is a recap of the Astros' season before the All-Star Break.

The Rays closed the second half with a good week, going 4-2 against the Jays and the A's.

Despite the 4-2 record, the Rays let one slip away Sunday, as they took a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning and the stellar bullpen showed a second straight rocky outing.

Perhaps the break was needed.

Another disappointing facet of the Rays' losses was that they only gained one game against the Yankees after they were swept by the Angels. Now the Rays sit 3.5 behind the Yankees and 6.5 behind the Red Sox.

Here are some thing to look forward too:

Think of it as an orgasm for the eyes.

The All Star break is officially upon us signaling the end of baseball's first half. It's a time to reflect on past success or build upon past failures.

This is a time to step back, take a deep breath, and clearly analyze where our teams have been, and where they are going.

So, on the day of the Home Run Derby, the Washington Nationals reflected on their first half of the 2009 baseball season, and decided it was time to make a change.

That change was the firing of manager Manny Acta.

The first half of the 2009 season has come to an end, which has included several stories.  We have seen the Rangers flourish and Cubs stumble, Albert Pujols putting himself into talks of a Triple Crown, Joe Mauer hittting near .400, Manny Ramirez' shocking 50-game suspension, and one of the most improbable no-hitters thrown by Jonathon Sanchez, who wasn't even suppose to pitch on that historic night. 

Once upon a time, baseball’s All-Star Game was the gem of July. The best players from the National and American Leagues faced-off with bragging rights on the line.

Believe it or not, those rights mattered.

Now, the game’s luster is gone. Interleague play shows the best matchups. Albert Pujols vs. Zack Greinke. Yawn. It’s already happened this season. It probably will next.