Opinion

In the American League East are two elite second basemen in line to get paid: Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees and Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox.

Now we have an idea as to who's going to be paid first, which naturally means we have to ponder what it could mean for the other guy.

The Philadelphia Phillies suffered another setback on their way to winning the 2013 NL East crown, as relievers Mike Adams and Jeremy Horst are both done for the year.

“He’s excited.”

That’s how St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny characterized RHP Chris Carpenter as he continues to make his way back to the major leagues.

Carpenter has been sidelined for the entire season following complications with a nerve condition he received an operation on last year.

Heading into the second half of the season, the Rookie of the Year races in MLB's two leagues will be looking to answer two different questions.

For the National League: All right, who wants it the most?

And for the American League: Seriously, does anybody want it, like, at all?

Last season, the Boston Red Sox had a fire sale, jettisoning Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto for James Loney and other considerations.

Cal Ripken Jr. joins Behind the Mic just as MLB holds one of its most celebrated events in New York City, the 2013 MLB All-Star Game. While Cal was obviously in town for the game, he was also in town because he's been working on providing children in need with eye exams and new eyeglasses fitted with Transitions lenses while teaching the kids life lessons through baseball.

The MLB All-Star Game is always a highlight of the summer. This week on Behind the Mic, Ron Darling and John Smoltz join us to let fans and players know the inside intel on the historic game. They go behind the scenes and reveal what no one knows about the MLB All-Star Game. This is a video you don't want to miss. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2013 MLB All-Star Game Tuesday night at Citi Field in New York has a chance to carry an interesting and historical meaning, opening the proverbial door for special opportunities in communities that need them. 

Matt Garza is arguably the best starting pitcher on the Chicago Cubs. He's certainly the best starting pitcher on the trade market this year. And that's good news for the Cubs, as their ongoing rebuild could very much benefit from a trade of Garza to a team that needs him more than they do.

All of this, however, doesn't necessarily make Garza a top-of-the-rotation starter.

The National League seeks its fourth straight victory over the American League at the 2013 All-Star Game on Tuesday at Citi Field.

Of course, before the 3-1 victory in 2010, the NL hadn't won since 1996 (in 2002, we had the dreaded extra-inning game that resulted in a tie).

So, the question is, who will win on Tuesday?