[Dukie98]

Here are the major storylines across the league at the 2038 All-Star Break:

Exceeding expectations: The Detroit Purple Gang, traditionally a postseason fixture, had missed the playoffs the last two seasons with 76 and 81 wins. This year, however, the Purple Gang jumped out to a 44-30 mark at midseason, three games out of first place but enjoying a comfortable lead in the wild card. Detroit led the league in homers and entered the break ranked second in the Frontier League in runs scored. Left fielder Rafael Palmeiro hit .333 with 22 round-trippers and 60 RBI's, while free agent signee Nolan Arenado did not disappoint, hitting .316 and slugging .618, popping 17 homers and driving in 59 runs in just 63 games. Veteran rightfielder Sherry Magee hit .272 with 23 homers and 59 RBI's. On the mound, veteran Hank Borowy, another free agent acquisition, made his first All-Star team, going 6-0 in 7 starts with a 0.75 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. The Minneapolis Penguins looked likely to snap their streak of seven straight sub-.500 seasons, going 43-30. Star center fielder Mike Trout hit .341 with 17 homers, 46 RBI's, 27 steals, and an incredible 75 runs scored in 71 games. Catcher Javy Lopez hit .340 and slugged .620, popping 16 homers and driving in 55 runs. Right fielder Darryl Strawberry, a free agent signee from Birmingham, hit .307 with 18 homers, 42 RBI's, and stole 25-of-28 bases. Ace Jose Rijo blossomed into a Cy Young candidate, going 11-5 with a 2.25 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and 113 strikeouts in just 88 innings. In the Continental League, the Washington Ambassadors looked to snap a two-year postseason drought, taking a 49-24 record and a 6-game lead into the break. Slugging first baseman Lee Stevens hit .316 with 21 homers and 48 RBI's. Center fielder Johnny Groth starred, hitting .337 with 25 doubles, 12 homers, 46 RBI's, and 56 runs scored. Right fielder George Hendrick hit .328 with 19 homers and 62 RBI's. Franklin Morales led a solid pitching staff, going just 6-7 despite a 3.21 ERA, while Chris Short, Guy Cantrell, and Chris Leroux spearheaded the top bullpen in baseball, allowing just 8 earned runs in 73 innings combined. The Anaheim Antelopes, a surprise playoff team last season, appeared likely to regress to the mean, especially after losing closer Clay Bryant for the season in spring training. But the Antelopes took a 48-26 record and a one-game lead in the Southwest Division into the break, as Dale Murphy hit .325 with 15 homers and a league-high 76 RBI's. Catcher Ray Fosse hit .338 and slugged .504 with 8 homers and 52 RBI's. Anaheim's pitching staff ranked second in the league in runs allowed as Jordan Montgomery went 9-2 and Randy Wells posted a 7-2 mark, with each sporting matching 2.81 ERAs.

Disappointments: The decline of the Boston Minutement was entirely predictable, as the squad got ravaged in free agency. Losing franchise icon Nolan Arenado along with solid outfielders Cliff Floyd and Roy White as well as three starting pitchers, the Minutemen tumbled to a 35-39 record. Joe DiMaggio missed most of the first half with a groin tear, and played in just 23 games. Catcher Wilson Ramos struggled, hitting just .208 with a .251 on-base percentage. Third baseman Bill Tuttle struggled to replace Arenado, hitting just .251 with 5 homers before suffering a season-ending broken kneecap. Earl Wilson, a 12-game winner last year, went just 2-7 with a bloated 6.22 ERA. The Toronto Predators narrowly missed the playoffs last year with an 82-80 record, and they appeared to be on the upswing after years of mediocrity. But Toronto stumbled to a 34-39 start, entering the break 12 1/2 games out of first place. Slugging right fielder Chuck Klein, a career .320 hitter, was on track for a career-worst season, hitting just .269 while slugging 80 points below his career mark. First baseman Earl Torgeson, who hit 36 homers and drove in 109 runs last season, had just 11 round-trippers and just 21 RBI's at the break. Second baseman Chip Hale, who hit a respectable .256 with 67 RBI's last season, collapsed to hit just .181 with a .245 slugging percentage and just 16 RBI's. Toronto's bullpen struggled, ranking 20th in the Frontier League with a 4.84 ERA. In the Continental League, the Atlanta Ducks' streak of six straight postseason appearances -- all with at least 91 wins -- was in jeopardy, as they went just 31-42. Atlanta struggled to replace departed outfielders Gary Roenicke and Jim Greengrass, each of whom moved on in free agency. DH Dots Miller hit just .260 and slugged .428 -- over 100 points below his career mark, while popping just 6 homers and driving in just 21 runs. Second baseman Roberto Alomar, who hit .319 last year with a .471 slugging percentage, regressed to hit just .271 with a .378 slugging percentage. On the mound, Atlanta's pitching staff ranked 22nd in the league, and its defense was dead last. Bob Moose, a perennial Cy Young candidate, went just 4-7 with a middling 4.18 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Dick Drott was battered to an 0-8 record with a ghastly 8.42 ERA. The dropoff of the Miami Flamingos was even more severe- after winning 91 games last season, Miami tumbled to a 29-44 first-half mark- tied for worst in the Continental League. DH Frank Catalanotto, who led the league in hits last season while driving in 113 runs, hit just .269 with 5 homers and 32 RBI's. Right fielder Frank Robinson hit just .252 with 9 homers and 29 RBI's, and was on track for career worsts in batting average, slugging percentage, and RBI's. On the mound, ace Aaron Sele missed most of the first half, while rookie Slim Sallee was overmatched, going 1-9 with a 5.86 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP.

Buffalo Soldiers: Expectations were high after the Buffalo Fighting Elk added two-time MVP Tris Speaker and closer Frank Bertainia to last season's 108-win juggernaut. Buffalo jumped out to a 44-10 start - including a 16-game winning streak - and ended the first half with an incredible 57-15 mark and an 18 1/2 game lead. Speaker did not disappoint, posting an incredible .365/ .471/ .723 slash line while popping 20 homers, stealing 30 bases, and scoring 77 runs in 72 games. First baseman Don Hurst hit .289 with 26 homers and 73 RBI's. Third baseman Eric Chavez and right fielder Gary Roenicke hit a combined 31 homers with 107 RBI's. On the mound, Don Wilson managed to improve on last season's Cy Young Award campaign, going 11-2 with a 1.67 ERA. Chad Kuhl posted a 7-1 mark with a 1.92 ERA in his sophomore campaign, while Jordan Zimmermann went 9-0 with a 2.62 ERA.

Tale of Two Seasons: The Ottawa Parliamentarians appeared to be left for dead after a 2-10 start -- but they they rattled off a blistering 37-9 stretch, ending the half with a 47-27 mark. Remarkably, Ottawa dominated despite a lack of outstanding individual performances. First baseman Frank Thomas, who topped .300 in 14 of his 15 seasons, hit just .271 with a modest 15 homers after clearing 45 homers in each of the past four seasons. Dick Tidrow led an effective, if understated, pitching staff, going 8-4 with a 3.94 ERA.

Offensive Crashville, Pitching Smashville: The Nashville Blues combined the worst offense in the Continental League with the best pitching staff. Nashville ranked dead last in the league in batting average (.217), homers, and runs scored (236), while allowing just 275 runs, and its starters posted a 3.19 ERA. Although Nashville signed slugger Jim Greengrass to boost its offense, he hit just .240 with a modest 15 homers -- and only one other player on the team topped .240. On the mound, however, Mark Prior starred, going 9-3 with a 1.65 ERA and 145 strikeouts. Herb Score made the All-Star team despite a 3-9 mark, as he posted a 2.50 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and fanned 140 hitters. Brad Penny posted a solid 5-3 mark with a 3.50 ERA. However, Nashville's offense put them in too deep of a hole to contend - they ended the half with just a 32-40 record.

Major milestones: Oklahoma City left fielder George Bell and Washington DH Gus Zernial each popped their 500th career homer, while Philadelphia center fielder Dave Henderson and Pittsburgh shortstop Scott Brosius each joined the 400-homer club. New Orleans second baseman Jose Altuve joined the 3000 hit club, while Hartford left fielder Irish Meusel rapped his 2500th career hit. Hartford lefty Steve Barber notched his 3000th strikeout. Looking ahead, Detroit right fielder Sherry Magee was one homer away from 550, while Vancouver second baseman Rougned Odor would likely hit his 500th round-tripper by the end of July. Las Vegas left fielder Minnie Minoso was expected to top 500 homers by mid-August. Los Angeles ace Smoky Joe Wood had a chance of topping 4000 strikeouts by year's end.

Major injuries: Anaheim closer Clay Bryant tore an elbow tendon in spring training and would miss the year. Boston centerfielder Joe DiMaggio missed nearly two months with a groin injury. Buffalo southpaw Brett Oberholtzer went down in spring training with an inflamed shoulder, and was not expected to return until late August. Cleveland centerfielder Pete Reiser tore his meniscus in mid-April, and was knocked out of commission until August. Las Vegas closer Taijuan Walker tore elbow ligaments in spring training, and would miss the season. Memphis southpaw Chris Capuano, off to a career-best start, tore elbow ligaments and was knocked out for the season. New Orleans second baseman Jose Altuve broke his hand in mid-May and was knocked out for six weeks. Portland righthander Denny McLain ruptured his UCL and would miss his second straight season. Vancouver's Don Drysdale blew out his elbow seven starts into the season and was knocked out of commission until the start of next season, and his career was reportedly in jeopardy.