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So is born the legend of Sergio Mitre. A simple man born in a distant land (all right, Los Angeles), Mitre arrived in the biggest city in the kingdom accompanied by whispers of miracles performed in the hinterlands (or more accurately, a 2.40 ERA at Triple-A Scranton). And with him came sunshine and bountiful harvests. Or at least first place in the American League East.

The Yankees' new fifth starter, and a veteran of a 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and 53 unremarkable starts in the majors, Mitre actually didn't have nearly as much to do with the Yankees claiming sole possession of first place as Robinson Cano or Alex Rodriguez, right, who drove in two and walked twice. And considering this is the latest in the season the Yankees have been alone in first since 2006, it's kind of a big deal.

As recently as two weeks ago, SportsNation voters were still sold on the Red Sox winning the division, but that support appears to be disappearing, albeit not as quickly as balls hit off John Smoltz.

• Will the Yankees hold their newfound lead? Vote on the AL East.
• Chat: Frustrated Jays fan? Ask Baseball America's Jim Callis about prospects at 2 ET
• Groups: New York Yankees Fan Club | Fans of the Tampa Bay Rays | BOSTON RED SOX

“

The Sox need a bat they have lacked offense all season. Lets see if Theo makes a move, I doubt he does though. Shorstop has to be top priority, Nick Green was a good story for a few months but let be real here.....Lowrie and Green dont scare anyone and neither of them are gold glove shortstops either...Tejada can be had for a reasonable trade and can still hit, something needs to be done.

” -- BoSox1045K

“

Who cares. I hate first place until the end of September anyway. It is what it is. 2+ months to go. I wish we were hitting better but it is what it is. Go Yanks. NOT.

” -- paulc1955

“

Yankee fans need to chill out a bit. It's July 21st. There is a lot of baseball to be played, so don't get ahead of yourselves celebrating the Yanks being in 1st and the Sox in a bit of a funk. I have confidence in the Yanks, but at the same time I'm not getting all crazy over their current streak.

” -- BryanV21

We should be careful what we wish for. Running through National League reviews and predictions, we lamented the lack of sports on the day after the All-Star Game. But how could we be so foolish as to think Brett Favre wouldn't sniff out the opportunity and announce that he is definitely, positively, beyond a shadow of a doubt ... going to tell the Vikings whether or not he's coming back ... at some point between now and the start of the team's training camp. Whew, glad we've got that on the record.

Games not involving Favre's mind resume on baseball diamonds Thursday, but we're taking a look back at the American League before we get there. And compared to the projected runaways in the NL, the division races on this side of the ledger look like they could keep us entertained well into the fall.

American League Team MVP
Red Sox: Jason Bay
Yankees: Mark Teixeira
Angels: Torii Hunter
Tigers: Miguel Cabrera
Rangers: Ian Kinsler
Rays: Evan Longoria
Mariners: Ichiro
White Sox: Jermaine Dye
Twins: Joe Mauer
Blue Jays: Roy Halladay
Orioles: Adam Jones
Athletics: Matt Holliday
Royals: Mark Teahan (Offensive MVP)
Indians: Grady Sizemore (Least Valuable Player)

• Who will lead the AL in home runs, batting average, wins, steals and RBIs?
• 56 percent: Red Sox will win the AL East.
• 39 percent: Tigers will win the AL Central.
• 54 percent: Angels will win the AL West.
• Midseason reviews: AL West | AL Central | AL East | Cy Young | MVP

• Rank all 30 teams at midseason.

As the saying goes, the more things change, the more the Cubs struggle to find .500. At least, that's how we learned it. And by "we," we mean anyone born since 1909.

With the baseball season pausing for its official midpoint at the All-Star Game and its less official one in the firing of the Nationals manager, consider how SportsNation sized up the field after the first week of the season.

1. Florida Marlins
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Toronto Blue Jays

At least the Nationals were properly slotted at No. 30. Congrats on getting that gig, Jim Riggleman. Now the Cubs, Marlins and Braves are fighting for wild-card relevancy, hoping a division leader stumbles, and the Blue Jays are listening to offers for Roy Halladay.

• A Mariners fan, blogger Dawgman0387 gets a little excited about the team's winning record at the break and starts throwing out terms like "World Series run." But hey, with a top three like Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard and Jarrod Washburn, maybe he's on to something.
• Things aren't quite as rosy for the Reds. SportsNation blogger xubugg pleads for more "patients" at the plate. We're guessing that's supposed to be "patience," but when it comes to Dusty Baker's lineup experiments, you never know.
• We're all a little worse off having an All-Star Game without "Kung Fu Panda," but a Giants blogger upset that the so-nicknamed Pablo Sandoval won't be in St. Louis takes out his frutrations on the frauds that he feels are the Philadelphia Phillies.

“

Love the Mariners, Wakamatsu, Fedex, Ichiro, Branyan, Griffey Jr., Aardsma, Branyan, "Gutierez", and everyone who has helped turn this year's team into an entertaining winning club.

” -- J.Bertelli

“

[Jim Tracy] took the Rockies from double-digit games under .500 to Wild Card contenders. Not to mention the fact that the Rockies have the best record in baseball over the span that Tracy has been manager. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, expected the Rockies to be in the position they are now. Thus, Tracy definitely deserves to be National League Manager Of The Year, so far, and it's not really that close.

” -- JTRMS45

In Tim Wakefield's first season in the big leagues, the Red Sox and Yankees both finished with losing records (soak that in for a few blissful seconds). And the Brewers finished a close second in the American League East, four games behind the Blue Jays.

Yeah, Wakefield's not young. He wasn't then, debuting with the Pirates in 1992 at 25 years old, and he's not now. But he is going to the All-Star Game for the first time, weeks after passing Roger Clemens for the most starts in Red Sox history.

Before he beat the A's on Wednesday for win No. 11 this season, SportsNation wasn't entirely sure he belonged in St. Louis. And despite some well-placed lobbying (listen to Tim Kurkjian on "Mike and Mike," left) voters aren't buying him as the American League starter.

But despite becoming one of the oldest pitchers to win 11 games this early, he has at least two more good seasons, as the 'Nation sees it.

• Toronto's quick start had voters wavering on which team would win (May 18), but ...
• A month later the Red Sox had full control of the 'Nation's vote (June 11)
• More midseason reviews: AL Central | AL West | NL West | NL Central | NL East
• Groups: BOSTON RED SOX | The New York Yankees Fan Club | Oriole Nation

“

Chris Tillman pitched 6 shutout innings [Wednesday]. He has pitches 13 consecutive shutout innings now. We are going to see this guy very soon. I can feel it. Tillman is going to get the call up and Matusz will be promoted to AAA. Patience O's fans. They are coming.

” -- nebula25r

“

major league pitchers dont just stumble by accident on 11 wins at this point in the season. I watched Wakefield pitch against the Tigers in Detroit last season, sat near behind the plate and watching this guys pitches come toward the batter was just silly, the ball did look weak and lifeless but it moved so oddly that its gotta throw off big league hitters timing, obviously to the point of 11 wins at that!

” -- KaneBowman

“

Since Matsui has gotten on track, things are backed up again but, as I've been saying all along, I would like to see Cervelli/Molina doing the MAJORITY of the catching... Posada is weak defensively AND he seems to have gotten worse at calling games... He's already just a DH that they keep telling to play catcher...

” -- KapteinStoertebeker

“

Considering the way we've been playing we're lucky to be 5.5 games back. So, lets's get some home cooking W's this week and close that gap a little before the AllStar break. Go Rays!

” -- 23witness

“

The Jays are on the verge of becoming less relevant than the Montreal Expos in Canada if don't they start showing a, and with apologies to Al Davis, "commitment to excellence" and not a "commitment to mediocrity".

” -- RapsJaysBucs

• Vote on the biggest snub and other All-Star topics of the hot variety

When it comes to All-Star selections, Keith Law thinks fans failed like a 24-year-old in Rookie Ball with poor plate discipline (too early on a Monday for sabermetric humor?). Then again, SportsNation's occasionally cantankerous guru thinks managers and players didn't fare much better in picking the reserves and pitchers. But until Law is established as baseball's supreme overlord, we're stuck with the current system.

There are 23 first-time All-Stars this year, including Yadier Molina, the first of the Molina brothers to make an appearance (leaving them just 18 Grand Slam titles and two Super Bowl titles shy of the Williams sisters and Manning brothers). The rookies also run the gamut, from 42-year-old Tim Wakefield to 21-year-old Justin Upton, who was born the year before Wakefield was drafted by the Pirates.

And if that doesn't make you feel old, consider that Tim Wakefield debuted for the Pirates in 1992 on a team that also included pitcher Dennis Lamp, who was born six years before Kevin Bacon.

• SportsNation can't pick if it should be allowed to pick the All-Star starters
• No surprise that AL is the overwhelming early All-Star Game favorite

“

pedroia is a great player but based on how he has played this season, he doesn't deserve to start in the all-star game. aaron hill should be starting and kinsler should be the reserve. josh hamilton shouldn't be up there either. adam lind has played phenomenal this season and should at least be a reserve in the outfield. i also think that jered weaver should be there over wakefield. i mean wake is up there in wins, but only because he the sox give him great run support. just look at his numbers, he's pitched mediocre this season.

” -- bkzwhitestrican

“

It's an All-Star game, not a best first half stats game. The fans want to see Jeter becase he's the most famous shortstop and a sure Hall of Famer. Fine. They want to see Pedroia because he's the MVP, you silly people. What's wrong with that? They voted for Hamilton because he was THE story of last year's game. Makes sense. The game is for the fans, and they want to see who they want to see. You Fantasy guys just go play your imaginary All-Star game with your make-believe players...

” -- Captaincompliance

We get that it's nice for fans of the Nationals and Pirates to see their team's jersey at the All-Star Game. But instead of actually using a roster spot on someone from one of those teams, even with the addition of yet another roster spot, we have a simple suggestion

Let fans vote to see which actual All Star who would otherwise have been snubbed should wear that team's jersey during the game. Everyone wins. The best players make the game, and for at least one night every year, Pirates fans get to see what it's like to cheer for a real star in the second half of the season.

Not buying it? We're just ahead of our time. In the meantime, Freddy Sanchez or Zach Duke will probably represent the Pirates in St. Louis, but we're asking you to size up which players most deserve to start.

• Vote for your American League team | Vote for your National League team
• SportsNation claims it values first-half performance over star power

“

Are they going to expand the mascot and bat-boy/girl rosters, too? What about the All-Star Grounds Crew roster? hahaa...this is pointless.

” -- an225

“

the flip side of this is a 9 inning affair where half the players don't get into the game. what does that do for the sport?

” -- lpstudio2

• Rank the 29 MLB teams better than the Washington Nationals.

Five teams woke up Monday with at least 42 wins to their credit. One of them definitely won't make the playoffs. Don't worry, Tigers fans; we're not harshing your buzz just yet (although, come to think of it, 36 home runs from Brandon Inge and Curtis Granderson ... seriously?).

Instead, the math points to the AL East, where the Red Sox lead, the Yankees and Rays are rolling once again and the Blue Jays aren't exactly falling off the pace. So in the wake of the AL's domination of interleague play, how many of baseball's best teams reside in the same division?

• Meanwhile, maybe new Cardinal Mark DeRosa hasn't shifted the balance of power in the NL Central, but he's not hurting. Two weeks ago, just 41 percent of SportsNation expected the Cardinals to win. Now, even after a rough week on the field for Tony La Russa's team, it's a Redbird 'Nation outside of Wisconsin.
• The Giants are a lap down to the Dodgers with the Rockies in their draft (we've been reading Joey Logano stories), but they're in the wild-card race. Blogger badnewsvick looks beyond Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain and gives some credit to Pablo Sandoval.
• Fan groups: Redbirds Nest | Fans of the Tampa Bay Rays | The Blue Jay Bandwagon

• Have your say in SportsNation's MLB Power Rankings.

Between stays in the hospital, Ryan Howard returned to the ballpark and hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run to put the Phillies ahead in the seventh inning of Saturday's game against the Orioles in Philadelphia. The Orioles promptly scored three in the top of the ninth for the win. So went a miserable 1-8 homestand for a team that gets tough love in the best of times from its fans.

The good news is a majority of voters in SportsNation, including majorities in both New York and New Jersey, still expect the Phillies to win the NL East. The better news? At least if you're the Phillies, it's that they don't play at home again until the Mets come calling next month.

• Elsewhere in baseball, we find a nation colorfully divided on the question of which division will produce the best race. At least someone is excited about the AL West.
• Are the Phillies in trouble? Are the Cubs really revived? Are the Dodgers for real? Why are we asking so many questions? Ask Buster Olney when he chats at 1 p.m. ET.

Sometimes we all need a little extra space to vent. ESPN profiles give fans space to post their own blog entries and go toe-to-toe with commenters.

• Ok-State34: It may not be raining in Baltimore, but it's raining at Bethpage (yes, that's two Counting Crows references). A blogger's take on a rainy opening round.
• buckifan927: The Cubs seem to be getting well against the White Sox, but one fan isn't satisfied. He's not asking for dirt-kicking pyrotechnics out of Lou Piniella, just a few tweaks to the lineup card.
• gator_330: Speaking of the Cubs and White Sox, one fan of the AL team has a quick take on watching his team head north that everyone should be able to identify with.
• AniD89: Perhaps there are worse fates than being cursed like Cleveland fans or downtrodden in Detroit. Like having no pro teams at all. A blogger runs through the top American cities in need of pro franchises.
• brijay103099: There's not a heck of a lot to get excited about in the Baltimore-D.C. beltway at the moment, but at least the Ravens could be good come fall.
• JSchnootz: Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. What do they have in common? They all posted really impressive numbers, and for this fan, that's the clincher in the argument about an era.
• SportsCenter: Robert Flores and Cindy Brunson are in on the blogging. Flores links to interesting takes on the Sammy Sosa situation and a reversal of fortune for the two MLB teams in Texas. Meanwhile, Brunson tackles the twin debates pitting Kobe Bryant against Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson against Red Auerbach.
• More blogs: Check out all the SportsNation blogs.