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Last week was filled with laser shows from coast to coast. There were 14 players who hit three or more home runs last week. There were a lot of hot streaks going on. But these few players stood out as the studs of Week 12.

By the time the New York Mets get through with Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals this weekend they will be exactly half way through their 162-game regular season schedule.

As we near the mid point of the season, let's revisit five questions the Mets had coming into the season.

Nine walk-off losses this year for the Diamondbacks. They have come in all shapes and sizes. There have been extra inning losses that just come from a simple base hit. There have been game-ending home runs.

Some have been a bit more absurd. There was a game ending in a balk. Last night, two throwing errors led to three runs to score, ruining an otherwise stellar start by Dan Haren. It was a horrible loss to suffer, one that prompted Cardinal player Skip Schumaker to say, "You don't see mistakes like that much in the big leagues."

Major League Baseball will announce the All-Star rosters on Sunday, and there has beenmuch debate about whether or not Washington Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg, deserves to be a member of the National League team.

Those who want Strasburg in the All-Star game mention that he has been dominant in four of his five starts and point to his 2.27 ERA and 48 strikeouts in just 31.2 innings pitched. But, that last stat is exactly why the Nationals' starting pitcher does not deserve to be a 2010 National League All-Star.

2010 certainly seems to have provided one of baseball's most dynamic draft classes in years. Every corner of the Majors seems to have itself a prominent and productive rookie.

Whether its speed, power, consistent hitting, or power pitching; every base seems to be covered.

Here's to the rookies of 2010. If an All-Star team was strictly comprised of MLB rookies, it would probably look something like this...

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The Mid-Summer Classic is an event that baseball celebrates to determine the better of the two leagues.

So far this season we have seen outstanding pitching, especially in the National League. For this reason, I would like to list the five most-deserving pitchers to start this years' Mid-Summer Classic.

Here we go. Hope you enjoy!

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The "Phil Hughes Rules" have claimed their first start, which would have been last Friday. Those same rules have also claimed their first loss as the Yankees fell to the Mariners 7-4. 

When Oakland Athletics fans (well, the ones that are left) walk into the Oakland Coliseum, they see a third deck covered in forest green tarp (not because of rain but because it makes the rest of the stadium "look more packed") and a team full of super...who's?

Since 2000, the A's have won the Western Division four times and the wild card once.

But since 2006, the low-budget ball club has yet to make the playoffs and seem poised for another run ending on October 3 against fellow division bottom feeder, Seattle.

We are nearing the halfway point for the MLB season, which means it's almost time to play the All-Star Game.

Who deserves to make it over the guys that will make it just because of their name? Which players are having the most under-the-radar seasons?

Check out this slideshow to find out the 34 players who will be making the trip to Anaheim in a couple of weeks to represent the AL in the All-Star Game.

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