Poor Mat Latos.  Right in the middle of a breakout season in his second year with the Padres, the baseball gods have dealt him a blow with a truly bizarre injury.

Latos landed on the DL Friday with a strained left side. He suffered the injury a week ago after a win over Colorado when he tried to hold in a sneeze while going down the dugout steps.

So...two or three weeks of anger management classes and suddenly Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano is a new man, huh?

You'll have to forgive me if I'm not buying what the Cubs are selling.

Apparently "cured" of the anger issues that have prevented Zambrano from reaching the full potential of his obvious talent, Big Z has been cleared to begin his baseball rehabilitation in Mesa.

From one "rehab" to another "rehab" and—Poof!—magically, all is well again.

If you're like me and have been distracted by the World Cup and LeBron-gate over these past few weeks, you were probably shocked to learn that baseball's midway point is already upon us.

So to help you get into the swing of things as we head toward the playoffs, here are 50 Reasons To Be Excited For The Second Half of the season...

After I was done making a Staples run (no, I didn’t scream “WOW THAT’S A LOW PRICE!!!”), I ran into my friend Tom walking on Park Ave. South.

One of the things we were talking about other than how awkward the pre-All Star Game mingle between the People All Stars and the MLB All Stars was, was the fact that not only is 2010 “The Year of the Pitcher,” but “The Year of the Rookie” as well.

What was once thought to be a disaster situation for the New York Mets turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

The Mets played the entire first half of the season without center fielder Carlos Beltran, and not only managed to keep their heads above water, but have been one of the best teams in the National League.

Allow me to introduce you to two mystery pitchers, Player A and Player B.

In their last eight starts, dating back to the beginning of June, both pitchers have been very good. Player A has been all but impossible to beat, having completed almost every game he's started, and going fewer than eight innings only once, when he went seven. He almost never walks anyone, generally keeps the ball in the yard, strikes batters out...everything you could want in a pitcher.

The much anticipated return of Carlos Beltran is only a day away. The Mets, their fans, and their manager are hoping that he can contribute immediately.

Is that realistic?

Normally, I don't have a problem giving a definitive opinion to a Mets related question. This one isn't that easy though.

With summer in full swing, now is the best time to take in a baseball game. And while there are terrific professional ballparks scattered around the country, some of the best collegiate players can be found each summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL).

Every year from June until August, 10 teams in the CCBL draw crowds to stadiums across the Cape in Eastern Massachusetts. Many players go onto higher levels of success, with over 200 CCBL alumni currently playing in the Major Leagues, including stars Tim Lincecum and Evan Longoria.

The All-Star Break is a great time to reflect on your favorite team's first half of the season: remembering the good times and the bad of the last three months.

So here they are (in my opinion): the five best wins and five worst losses for the Phillies during their first half of 2010.

Let's start with the five worst losses and finish with the wins, and therefore, a high note. Enjoy!

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