[Dukie98]

Here are some of the major storylines from across the league at the 2041 All-Star Break:

Exceeding Expectations: The Toronto Predators rebounded from an 80-82 season by going 45-30 in the first half, in second place in the Great Lakes Division. The Predators ended the half ranked second in the league in runs scored, as third baseman Garrett Atkins hit .348 and slugged .659 with 25 doubles, 21 homers and 78 RBI's. First baseman Donn Clendenon hit .346 with 28 doubles, 11 homers, and 58 RBI's. Righthander Javier Vazquez went 9-3 with a 3.57 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts, while Dave Morehead posted an 8-3 mark with a 3.84 ERA. In the Northwest Division, the San Francisco Longshoremen looked to snap an eleven-year streak without finishing above .500, entering the break with a 43-31 record, just two games out of first place. The Longshoremen ranked 20th in the league in runs scored and dead last in baseball in homers, but right fielder Vladimir Guerrero blossomed into a star, hitting .306 with 18 homers and 53 RBIs, while none of his teammates smacked more than six round-trippers. But the Longshoremen boasted the best pitching staff in baseball, yielding just 242 runs, and four starters posted ERA's below 3.00. Southpaw Scott Kazmir went 6-3 with a sparkling 2.35 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts, while Oliver Perez went 7-4 with a 2.56 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 100 strikeouts. Hard-luck George Mulling went just 5-7 despite a stellar 1.96 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP.

In the Continental League, the Virginia Beach Admirals rebounded from a dreadful 95-loss season, going 43-31 in the first half, and threatening to make their first postseason in thirteen seasons. Second-year first baseman Carmelo Martinez had a breakout season, hitting .295 with 18 longballs and 55 RBI's. Right fielder Reggie Jackson missed half the season, but he hit .348 and slugged .703 with 13 homers and 42 RBI's in just 37 games. Southpaw James Paxton went 7-5 with a 2.75 ERA, while Joe Magrane went 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA. In the Texas Division, the Houston Pythons rebounded from back-to-back 88-loss seasons to go 40-35, ending the half just one game out of first place, as they looked to snap a seven-year postseason drought. Houston finished the half ranked second in the league in runs scored, led by center fielder Garry Maddox, who hit .343 with 12 homers, and 56 RBI's. Shortstop Buck Weaver hit .355 and slugged .527, scoring 59 runs in 72 games, with 20 doubles, 10 homers, 42 RBI's, and 21 steals. Left fielder Jim Greengrass hit .338 with 14 homers and 44 RBI's. Journeyman Matt Chico led an otherwise middling staff, going 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA.

Disappointments: The Kansas City Mad Hatters won 100 games last year, thanks to a powerful offense but a mediocre pitching staff. They ended the first half in last place in the Great Plains division with a 37-37 record, with the Mad Hatters' offense ranking just 15th in the league. Right fielder Bernie Carbo, an MVP candidate a year ago who led the league with 50 homers, saw his slugging percentage decline by 200 points as he slumped to hit just .259 with 12 homers and 37 RBI's. Veteran third baseman Manny Machado's batting average declined by 50 points to .247, and his slugging percentage tailed off by 60 points. On the mound, Mike Foltynewicz went just 5-8 and saw his ERA rise by over two runs per game. Although the Portland Skunks won 92 and 89 games in the past two seasons, making the playoffs each year, they stumbled to a 31-43 start. Right fielder Drew Stubbs, who unexpectedly hit 43 homers last year, hit just .188 and slugged .286, with just 3 homers and 19 RBI's. First baseman Mike Epstein hit just .235 in the first half and saw his slugging percentage decline by over 100 points. Roger Wolff, who won 34 games over the prior two years, went just 2-6 with a 4.27 ERA, and Portland sported the worst bullpen ERA in the league.

In the Continental League, the Jacksonville Gulls, who won 105 games last year solely due to a record-setting offense, dropped off to a 33-41 mark after their offense tailed off, while their pitching staff yielded the most runs in baseball. Star shortstop Robin Yount missed most of the first half with a labrum injury, and played only 17 games. Defending MVP Beals Becker declined from hitting .369 and slugging .662 to hitting .298 with a solid, if unspectacular, .525 slugging percentage. Catcher Victor Martinez, who hit .364 and slugged .589 with 28 homers and 125 RBI's last year, dropped off to hit .307 and slug .427, with just 6 homers and 40 RBI's. Only one starter posted an ERA below 6.00, and closer Keith Foulke posted a ghastly 8.49 ERA and a 2.17 WHIP in 35 thoroughly ineffective innings. The Atlanta Ducks, winners of 94 games last year, tailed off to a 35-39 mark. Catcher Keith Moreland, who hit .313 with 19 homers last year, tailed off to a .274 mark with a lone homer and just 19 RBIs's. On the mound, southpaw Mel Parnell saw his ERA spike from 2.76 last year to 4.87 at the break, despite a superficially solid 8-5 record. Kent Mercker, who posted a 3.00 ERA last year with 39 saves, struggled with his move into the rotation, going 3-7 with a 4.52 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP.

North-Least: The Northeast Division threatened to be the worst division, from top to bottom, in league history - despite the presence of the traditional power Buffalo Fighting Elk, who had topped 100 wins in each of the prior four seasons. At the end of April, Buffalo led the division with a dreadful 9-16 mark. After a strong May, Buffalo entered the break with a disappointing 36-38 mark, holding off the second-place Montreal Knights by half a game. The Boston Minutemen and Baltimore Robins remained within 5 games of first place, sporting records of 31-42 and 31-43, respectively. The Philadelphia Hawks were on target for a franchise-worst record, going just 25-50, while the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas were an embarrassing 20-55, far and away the worst record in baseball, as they ranked dead last in the Frontier League in runs scored, and third-from-last in runs allowed.

El Paso Splurges: After winning 103 games last year, the El Paso Armadillos went on an aggressive spending spree in free agency. After signing Joe DiMaggio to a seven-year contract in the first week of free agency, the Armadillos imported elite reliever Chris Short, righthander Jordan Zimmermann, right fielder Cleon Jones, and power-hitting third baseman Leo Gomez. But El Paso struggled early, jumping out to a 2-9 start before ending the half in first place with a 41-34 record.

Major injuries: Once again, several star players suffered major injuries in spring training, knocking them out of commission for much of the first half. El Paso righthander Jordan Zimmermann suffered an elbow injury and was not expected to return until August. Buffalo righthander Jose Lima went down for the season with an elbow injury. Montreal rookie center fielder Josh Hamilton, the #5 overall pick in last winter's draft, tore his labrum and would miss the season. Nashville southpaw Herb Score tore an elbow tendon, knocking him out for the year. After the season started, Jacksonville shortstop Robin Yount injured his labrum, knocking him out for two months. Calgary ace Walter Johnson pulled his hamstring in later May and was expected to miss eight weeks. Kansas City saw star outfielders Bernie Carbo and Kirk Gibson land on the injured list with elbow and hand injuries, missing about 20 games apiece.

Major milestones: Charlotte DH Sherry Magee continued to rake, drilling his 3,500th career hit. Detroit third baseman Nolan Arenado and Anaheim second sacker Rougned Odor each joined the 2500-hit club. Los Angeles DH Frank Thomas bopped his 700th career homer, while New Orleans first baseman Eddie Murray drilled his 500th career round-tripper. Los Angeles first baseman Johnny Mize, Montreal right fielder Raul Mondesi, and Portland shortstop each joined the 400-homer club. Veteran Chicago southpaw Brett Oberholtzer notched his 200th career win. Looking ahead, New Orleans second baseman Jose Altuve was weeks away from knocking his 3500th career hit. Seattle third baseman Frank Baker was likely to rip hit 3000th career hit by July 4, while Birmingham DH Lee May was about six weeks away from his 3000th hit. Magee was two homers away from his 650th career longball. Albuquerque first baseman George Brett was likely to hit his 500th career homer by August. Ageless New Orleans righthander Ed Walsh was six wins away from joining the elusive 300-win club, and he was expected to notch his 4000th strikeout by the end of July.