[Dukie98]

Here are some of the major storylines across the league at the 2037 All-Star Break:

Exceeding Expectations: The Minneapolis Penguins, once one of the proudest teams in the league, had fallen on lean times, with four straight seasons under .500, including four 100-loss seasons in a row from 2032 through 2035. They entered the break in first place in the Great Plains Division, however, with a 38-36 record. Catcher Javy Lopez had a breakout season, hitting .343 and slugging .673 with 22 homers and 47 RBI's at the break. Second-year center fielder Mike Trout took a .341 average, a .653 slugging percentage, 12 homers, 39 RBI's, and 21 steals into the break, despite playing just 44 games due to a broken rib. Righthander Jose RIjo led a patchwork pitching staff, notching a 5-1 record, a 2.58 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts in the first half. The Calgary Cattle Rustlers had not cleared .500 since their last playoff appearance in 2026. They entered the break with a 37-37 record, just one game out of the wild card hunt. Calgary led the Frontier League in homers in the first half, blasting 106 homers, as eight players popped at least 11 round-trippers. Catcher Sherm Lollar hit .316, taking 18 homers and 38 homers into the break. Third baseman Matt Davidson hit .254 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs. Ace Mike Minor posted an 8-4 record with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, while Johnny Kucks went 8-5 with a 3.86 ERA. In the Continental League, the Memphis River Pirates looked to end a seven-year sub-.500 streak, taking a 39-35 record into the break, as they were just two games out of first place and one game out of the wild card. Memphis led the Continental League in homers, as defending MVP Robin Yount hit .300 and slugged .671 with 25 homers and 57 RBI's. Left fielder Nick Cullop blasted 18 longballs and drove in 53 first-half runs, while Hans Lobert hit 13 round-trippers, swiped 20 bases, and drove in 56 runs. But ace Clayton Kershaw injured his shoulder after nine brilliant starts, where he went 5-1 with a 1.94 ERA, a 0.82 WHIP, and an incredible 91:4 strikeout-walk ratio; he would not be expected back until mid-September. Rookie reliever Moses Yellow Horse was the only other bright spot on the staff, posting 16 saves and a 1.82 ERA. The San Diego Zookeepers, who won just 68 games last year in their third straight losing season, unexpectedly ended the first half in first place in the Southwest Division with a 43-30 record. First baseman Dick Burrus hit .330 and slugged .535 with 25 doubles, 6 homers, and 50 RBI's, while DH George Stovall hit .316 with 25 doubles of his own, 6 longballs and 48 RBI's. Righthander Rick Porcello posted a 8-3 first-half record despite a middling 4.69 ERA. Southpaw closer Jason Christiansen was brilliant, posting 16 saves with a 0.55 ERA.

Disappointments: After finishing last season just two wins shy of making the World Series, the London Werewolves collapsed, going just 29-45, and ending the first half in last place in the worst division in baseball. London ranked tied for last in the Frontier League in runs scored, as they struggled to replace several key free agent departures (most notably, right fielder Jack Clark and first baseman Eddie Robinson). New first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz hit just .201 and slugged .303 with 2 homers and 20 RBI's. New center fielder/ leadoff hitter Delino DeShields hit an empty .236 with a .309 on-base percentage and struggled defensively. Catcher Wes Westrum, who blasted 34 homers last year, hit just .209 with 11 round-trippers. On the mound, ace Matt Morris was sidelined with a torn labrum. Blix Donnelly, a 14-game winner with a respectable 4.28 ERA a year ago, was blasted, going 2-12 with a 6.61 ERA and 1.70 WHIP, while veteran Jamie Brewington saw his ERA soar by nearly three runs per game. The Denver Spikes, a 100-game winner a year ago, ended the first half in last place in the Northwest Division with a 33-39 record. Raul Mondesi, a downballot MVP candidate last year, hit just .266 with a middling .324 on-base percentage. But the big collapse was on the mound, as they struggled to replace closer Chick Brandom, who tore his UCL last September. Chris Reitsma, a 12-game winner last year, underwent elbow surgery after three ineffective starts and would miss the year. Southpaw Allan Anderson struggled, going 1-8 with a 7.84 ERA. In the Continental League, the Austin Mustangs, who won the Texas Division with 94 wins last season and then added free agent first baseman Ernie Banks, were in danger of missing the playoffs after a 37-37 first half. Center fielder Corey Patterson struggled, hitting .243 with a dreadful .261 on-base percentage, before undergoing elbow surgery that would knock him out until late August. Third baseman Shane Andrews, who unexpectedly hit 43 homers and drove in 103 runs last year, hit just .213 with 4 homers, 19 RBI's, and a meager .373 on-base percentage. Defending Rookie of the Year Donn Clendenon, who smacked 37 homers and slugged .631 last year, dropped 150 points from his slugging percentage, popping just 6 homers and driving in 41 runs. Shortstop Tommy McMillan, who hit an adequate .273 last year, hit just .199 with a .251 slugging percentage. On the mound, southpaw Bill Sherdel, a 14-game winner a year ago, went just 3-7 with a 5.79 ERA. The Dallas Wildcatters, who won three straight division titles from 2033 through 2035 and narrowly missed the playoffs last year, ended the first half with a disappointing 34-40 record. Star left fielder Mike Greenwell showed signs of slowing down, hitting a mediocre .278 with just 5 homers and 37 RBI's. Third baseman Brook Jacoby, who blasted 35 longballs and drove in 142 runs last year, hit just .232 with 15 homers and 49 RBI's. Shortstop Don Kessinger was overmatched, hitting just .167 with a .237 slugging percentage. The Wildcatters struggled to replace ace Red Ames, who decamped to Charlotte in free agency. David Palmer saw his ERA double, as he went 4-6 with a 4.66 ERA, while Steve Trachsel went just 2-7.

California Dreaming: The Los Angeles Kangaroos went on a spending spree in free agency, adding four-time Cy Young Award winner Smoky Joe Wood, slugging right fielder Jack Clark (a recent member of the 500-homer club), power-hitting center fielder Adam Jones, scrappy slap hitter Gene Clines, future Hall of Fame catcher Gabby Hartnett, and closer Greg McMichael. Other than McMichael, none of these faded stars performed up to expectations. Los Angeles nonetheless ended the half just a half-game out of first place with a 43-39 record.

Not-so-Great Lakes: All six teams in the Great Lakes Division ended the first half below .500. The Ottawa Parliamentarians, who won the Frontier League last year, got off to an 11-19 start, and they needed a late rally before the All-Star break to take the division lead with a 36-38 mark. Cleveland, Detroit, and Toronto were each one-half game behind Ottawa. The Texas Division wasn't looking much better at midseason, as El Paso and Oklahoma City tied for the division lead with a meager 37-36 mark.

Major injuries: Birmingham righthander Mike Garcia tore his rotator cuff in mid-May and would miss the rest of the season. Denver closer Chick Brandom missed the first half after tearing his UCL in late September. EL Paso left fielder Ken Singleton, having a career renaissance at age 43, broke his elbow shortly before the All-Star Break and would miss the rest of the season. Jacksonville outfielder Beals Becker, having a magical rookie season, injured his knee in late May and would be out through late July. Kansas City righthander John Fulgham, a 21-game winner with Ottawa last year, tore his UCL three innings into the season. St. Louis righthander Bob Welch tore his meniscus in late April and was not expected back before September. Birmingham right fielder Darryl Strawberry missed most of the first half with an elbow injury. But no injury shook the HRDL as severely as the shoulder injury which sidelined Memphis ace Clayton Kershaw, having his finest season yet.

Major milestones: Detroit right fielder Sherry Magee and London left fielder Michael Conforto each smashed their 500th career homer. Houston left fielder Larry Hisle and Nashville first baseman Lee May each popped their 400th career homer. Charlotte center fielder Gorman Thomas, Albuquerque first baseman George Brett, Chicago center fielder Bobby Tolan, Calgary shortstop Francisco Lindor, Houston right fielder Ralph Garr, Austin second sacker Ryne Sandberg, Cleveland third baseman Don Buford, and Philadelphia right fielder Jerry Mumphrey each joined the 2,500 hit club. On the mound, Houston southpaw Jerry Reuss notched his 250th career victory, while Washington closer Chris Short and Pittsburgh's Clarence Pickrel each joined the 400-save club. Looking ahead, Magee was likely to join the 3000 hit club by early August, and New Orleans second baseman Jose Altuve had a decent chance of rapping his 3,000th hit by year's end. Ottawa's first baseman Frank Thomas had an outside chance of smacking his 600th homer, while Lindor was likely to hit his 500th career round-tripper. Atlanta ace Bob Moose was targeted to fan his 3,000th batter by September.