Opinion

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.

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.

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.

Looking at the A's rotation so far, it's clear that Dallas Braden is every bit the good #2 guy I thought he could be. Josh Outman looked very good before blowing out his elbow, and Vince Mazzaro should be a good starter for years to come.

As for Trevor Cahill...well, his terrible peripherals indicate he's in the need of some Triple-A time.

The other starter in the Oakland rotation is 21-year-old rookie Brett Anderson.

Anderson posted ERAs above 5.00 in April, May, and June, leading many to categorize him as the weakest link in a young rotation.

Not so fast.

One of the worst interviews the state of Minnesota has ever seen is also one of their most valuable assets.

Priceless to his organization, Joe Mauer has a tough decision looming just around the corner.

Should he stay in Minnesota with a contract that will doubtless be smaller than anything offered by the Yankees or Red Sox, or should he move on to greener pastures?

Yesterday: infielders

Again, these grades are based on a combination of my own personal expectations and each player's WAR.

For a full archive of my articles, check out my page at Examiner.com.

The San Francisco Giants can no longer fall back on the Cinderella story line. They have the third best record in the league, and lead the wild card chase by two games.

They are fourth in the league in hitting and first in pitching.

They have one of the best young hitters in the league in Pablo Sandoval, and two of the best starters in Lincecum and Cain. Their closer is tied for the league lead in saves and their bullpen has been excellent of late.

The lack of power excuse no longer holds water as they are among the league leaders in home runs since June 9.

Thankfully, for the Braves, the first half is over. Well technically, the first 54 percent of the season is over, but I digress.

Due to the up-and-down nature of Braves baseball in '09, I have decided to split this article up. The past will refer to the time period between April to late June. The present will cover late June to now. And, as day follows the night, the future will refer to the second half of the season.

Now that I've dedicated an entire paragraph to setting the article up, it's time to get to it!

The Past

Here is the un-official mid-way point of the Major League Baseball season.

It's the All-Star break!

We've got a day of long balls, followed by a day of a game that is supposed to mean something, followed by the one true day in America where the sports world stops.

Nothing happens in any major sport. MLB, the NBA, NHL, NFL, NASCAR, and the PGA are all idle.

That is, it really feels like a day that never ends. I'm working on that day this year, so who knows about that?