Wow, there are a couple of real surprises this year.

I live outside Detroit but grew up in Houston, so I am a huge Astros fan. I was truly impressed with the Tigers over the past couple of days. It is amazing what a tough manager and a couple of key veteran players can do to a team loaded with young talent. I think they'll still be around come playoff time, and I look for the Wild Card to come out of the AL Central as well.

Atlanta in last place?!?!? Granted, this isn't their best team ever, but neither was last year's, and they certainly performed better a year ago. I do take some personal satisfaction in there cellar-dwelling considering all the grief they gave Houston in the late-90s playoff years.

Boston is doing well at fending off the Yankees. New York is a perfect example of too much talent. It's great seeing them watching Boston's tailights! I don't think an AL East team will be able to overcome Detroit/Chicago for the AL Wild Card.

Anyway, just some casual observations...

the yanks not being in 1st has alot more to do with key injuries to matsui and sheff and terrible pitching at times than anything imo.

In the next month they will make a few moves to add an OF and a SP or 2 for the stretch run. Should come down to the final week again.

You bring up a good point...however, the remaining "stars" on that team on all having very good years. I don't mean to imply that the Yankees are not playing well; I just enjoy seeing the Red Sox playing better!

I think Mussina is pitching well, but Johnson hasn't really seemed to fit in to the Big Apple. Maybe just my opinion, I don't know.

Should be a fun second half!

3rd place Texas Rangers

This year has been a disaster for the NL; if I was a NL team owner, I would seriously consider sueing th commish to cancel this year's All Star game and the World Series.

No doubt...I'm sure there are plenty of interleague pundits still around, but it's fun to see something other than the All-Star game and recent World Series' to define just how superior the AL is. (And I'm an NL man, myself.)

The NL definitely is down right now, and I am the biggest Astros homer around. I just hope that the 'Stros can level the playing field a little bit next season with Bags, Clemens, and Petitte off the books. I think they will.

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it."
-John Wooden

I'm not sure about Pettitte being gone...I think he'll return to Houston (albeit for less money).

to me the most interesting story down the stretch will be the AL wildcard. Could the yankees actually miss the playoffs? I'm thinking that Detroit may fade down the stretch to ensure that both the red sox and yankees get in.