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Between absurdly prescient home run predictions and a dominant stretch run from Felix Hernandez, the Mariners did something rarely seen since the days of John Olerud and Kazuhiro Sasaki -- they made September interesting. That carried into October, with fans at Safeco Field saying farewell to Ken Griffey Jr. Sunday for potentially the final time.

Junior sounds like he wants to come back, and the fans in attendance made their feelings clear about the same, but he's also a 39-year-old DH with a bad knee who slugged .411 this season. If Sunday was it, Griffey's next stop would be Cooperstown. And with 630 home runs and a clean reputation, does he deserve to break Tom Seaver's record (98.84 percent) and become the first unanimous Hall of Fame selection?

• Vote: Does Felix Hernandez get your AL Cy Young vote?

• Rankings: Which teams occupy the top spots in SportsNation's Power Rankings?

"Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hand in a hurry." -- Ron Burgundy

Nobody on the Yankees killed a guy, or threw a trident, during a four-game weekend set against the Red Sox, but behind SportsNation's AL MVP pick the Bronx Bombers did their best in a sweep to extinguish whatever remaining life their rivals had left in the division.

After Thursday's loss, we looked at how SportsNation's faith in the Red Sox had faded over the past two months, but that was in the context of winning the AL East. But when the Mariners are closer to you in the playoff race than you are to the Yankees, it's time to start worrying about just making the playoffs.

• Only 52 percent of SportsNation predicts the Red Sox will make the postseason.
• Voters split as to whether Rangers or Rays are the main wild-card competition.

And the Dodgers, who once held a seemingly insurmountable lead in the NL West, head to San Francisco having lost three of four to the Braves and with their lead down to 5.5 games over the Giants and Rockies.

• A month into the season, only 22 percent of voters expected an NL West fight.
• Giants now slight favorite to earn the NL wild card over Cubs and Rockies.
• Vote: Weigh in with your take on the issues of the day in MLB.
• Chat: Buster Olney talks about all the pennant races at 1 p.m. ET.
• Groups: Florida Marlins Rock | National league | Dodgers Fan Club

“

NL East is going to get tight. Both the hot Marlins and the even-hotter Braves (who just destroyed the NL's best team in a four-game set) are catching up quick. Marlins are only 4 back. Braves are 4.5 back. September's going to be awesome.

” -- aneternalenigma

“

if the dodgers lost 3 of 4 to the pirates, i'd be a little more worried...the braves are always competitive, so there's no shame in losing this series...today's game could of been a little closer, but that happens...hell, the phillies lost by 9 today

” -- thomas9577

“

As dominant as this 4 game sweep may seem by the media and some of the fans here, credit must be given to the Red Sox. They threw their struggling # 5 on Thursday. Friday was an epic adventure and an instant classic of a game. Saturday was a solid victory for the Yankees and CC Sabathia dominated. Last night was quite the duel that came down to the Sox pen (Bard in particular) not being able to settle down in a high pressure situation. What scares me even after this 4 game sweep is that the Yankees scored 1 run against Lester and Beckett in 14 innings, and only 3 total in 20 against Beckett, Lester and Buchholz.

” -- zoukis05

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

The All-Star Game offers a chance to stop and survery the landscape (actually, considering how little else is going on in sports, it doesn't so much offer as demand it). We'll start today with the AL West, mostly because nobody ever starts with the AL West.

With the exception of the good people in the state of Washington, SportsNation doesn't rate the AL West race all that highly. But a photo finish between three really slow runners is still a photo finish, and the Angels, Rangers and Mariners are within a few games of each other -- and .500 -- at the season's midway point.

In the heady days of early May, SportsNation gave the Mariners a better chance to stay in first place than fellow Cinderella hopefuls the Tigers or Royals. But two months later, with the team still winning, voters are undecided when it comes to selling off potentially valuable pieces like Erik Bedard and Jarrod Washburn or buying replacements for injured contributors like Adrian Beltre and Endy Chavez.

• Angels were SportsNation's clear choice before the season (March 26).
• Cast your votes on each AL West team at the midway point.
• More midseason reviews: AL East | AL Central | NL West | NL Central | NL East
• Groups: Seattle Mariners | Angel Nation | Texas Rangers | Oakland A's Baseball

“

Langerhans and Woodward are amazing.....to come into this team on that road trip and now contribute like they have....that is awesome. OUR GM is a friggin genius!

” -- Mariner377

“

The Angels will be battling the Rangers until the heat/humidity gets to Texas in August. If the Rangers manage to weather that month, then yes...these games mean a lot. Otherwise, there is still half a season to play and anything could happen.

” -- southbaybeachboy

“

If [Justin] Smoak is what everyone says he is, I would make [Chris] Davis the main chip in a trade for pitching. Yet will all the money issues i'm in doubt, like many here, that anything will be done.

” -- Elykm85

“

1. The [A's] throw away Dan Haren, a CHEAP, YOUNG, UNDER CONTRACT superstar for minor league scrubs. 2. They throw away Rich Harden for minor league scrubs when they were in a AL West race three games out. 3. They get rid of half of the minor league scrubs gotten from the Haren trade and Huston Street for a half year rental Matt Holliday. 4. They trade three more minor league pitchers for Scott Hairston. Are they rebuilding? Or trying to win this year? Which is it? STOP autonerfing yourselves to oblivion, A's, you've really destroyed the team on purpose, Beane.

” -- TrueNiners

• 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

• 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.

SportsNation is pretty definitive that a lot of players with big numbers won't be making induction speeches in Cooperstown. But as more and more names are crossed off the list due to performance-enhancing drugs, will the plaque-making industry go under entirely?

It appears fans tired of disappointment are turning to Ken Griffey Jr. as a beacon of legitimacy. Among the four active players who either have 500 career home runs or are within striking distance, Griffey is the only player with anything close to unanimous support for the Hall of Fame.

SportsNation's Hall of Fame Approval Ratings
Ken Griffey Jr.: 97 percent
Jim Thome: 64 percent
Gary Sheffield: 50 percent
Carlos Delgado: 50 percent (if he reaches 500 home runs)

And what about Ivan Rodriguez, who Wednesday night set a record for career games caught? A guy with double-digit totals in Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances, Pudge has the support of a healthy -- but far from unanimous -- 67 percent of SportsNation.

The Red Sox are in the midst of their most dominant stretch against the Yankees since the year the Titanic hit an iceberg, but a lot of fans get a sinking feeling when those two teams dominate the discussion. We'll get to the rival empires in a bit, but there were other interesting developments on the diamond Wednesday night.

• Twins 6, A's 3: Two more hits for Joe Mauer raises his average to .415. SportsNation blogger JSchnootz gives the catcher credit as one of the emerging names capable of carrying the sport out of the steroids era.
• Tigers 2, White Sox 1: Sadly, no memorable rant from Ozzie Guillen, but Justin Verlander makes another move toward the Cy Young race. Count on Scott Boras using this as evidence that high-profile picks sometimes live up to the hype.
• Chat today at 12 p.m. ET: SweetSpot blogger Rob Neyer takes your questions