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• Vote: When will Stephen Strasburg join the Nationals' rotation?

Scott Boras isn't so much the boy who cries wolf as the agent who gets the beleaguered townsfolk to fork over a record signing bonus to the next shepherd boy prospect.

Putting aside the pleas for $50 million contracts and shelving the threats to sit out a season, Boras provided the Nationals with No. 1 pick Stephen Strasburg's signature on the dotted line in advance of Monday's signing deadline. SportsNation had given up on a deal getting done, but that it took almost literally until the last minute surprised voters even less than the Raiders denying the franchise's latest embarrassing moment.

So what now? Strasburg is expected to bring change to Washington, D.C., but he may be saddled with baggage even less helpful than Congress, namely the worst franchise in baseball. But no pressure, Stephen. It's not like anyone is asking you to fix health care.

As a reminder of why this all matters, and how long the odds are on Strasburg saving the franchise, consider what Keith Law (who chats again later today) had to say in March when SportsNation asked how he stacked up against recent college aces.

"The last guy this good would be someone from before I was involved in the industry -- other scouts who've been doing this for 20-plus years are bringing up names from the '70s and '80s like Witt, Heaton, Tatsuno." -- Law chat transcript

And last we checked, Bobby Witt, Neal Heaton and Derek Tatsuno still had to pay admission in Cooperstown.

• SportsNation puts Strasburg ahead of Stafford, behind Griffin for No. 1 picks.
• Voters think Boras got Strasburg the better end of the deal with the Nationals.
• Beyond the Nation: U.S.S. Mariner on No. 2 pick Dustin Ackley and rookie contracts.
• Chats: Joe Morgan, 11 a.m. ET | Rob Neyer, 12 p.m. ET | Keith Law, 3 p.m. ET
• Groups: Nasty Nats live here | National league | Everything Baseball

“

15 Million for an rookie!! Wow that is just crazy. And i doubt he will even play in the mlb this year, mabye later on in the year but still that is just unreal that a rookie in baseball get this much money. I know in football rookies get like 5 times that but for baseball it's different, I think this is what changes the draft.

” -- Nao888

“

So the "Natinals" got their guy. Can't wait until next year when they have the No. 1 pick again (because they'll still be terrible) and we can do this all over again.

” -- jb1089

Is it better to have hoped and lost or never to have hoped at all?

As you wake up in these hot, humid days of late July, is it more depressing to remember you're a Nationals fan mired in the middle of a season that never was (and never will be if they don't get Stephen Strasburg signed) or a Mets fan watching a season that was supposed to be fall apart like an Omar Minaya press conference?

As recently as a month ago, voters still viewed the Mets as serious playoff material, but as injuries continued knocking star player after star player out of the lineup, the season unraveled. Things hit rock bottom in Monday's press conference about the dismissal of Tony Bernazard when Minaya managed the nearly impossible feat of making a member of the New York media into a sympathetic figure.

As for the Nationals, well, consider that it took them until June 19 to win 20 games -- and even that required a three-game winning streak in which the team scored a grand total of seven runs. So you celebrated Opening Day, saw the Capitals through the playoffs and watched the first two rounds of the U.S. Open before your team won 20 games. That's a lot of miserable baseball to suffer through.

All we know for sure is the best place to be is stuck in the middle of the I-95 corridor, where Phillies fans must be reveling in the misfortune to the south and north.

• Rankings: Are there really five general managers worse than Omar Minaya?
• Nats still more popular than Sacramento Kings, New York Islanders.
• SportsNation growing less confident Strasburg will ever play for Nats | June 10
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• Groups: Nasty Nats live here | Wright, Reyes, Santana and the keys to the Citi

“

BTW, as a Phillies fan I am really enjoying this, but also a little sad. I liked the little rivalry the two teams had going, and feel that it only works when both teams are on the same level. Ah screw it, I'll take more titles and the Mets fans can keep the circus.

” -- RealSportsFansLiveHere

“

As a Mets fan, I am just inclined to bury my head in the sand in utter and absolute shame. I am truly embarrassed to be fan of the New York Mets.

” -- BirishB

“

Hindsight is always 20/20, but Minaya started looking bad to me with how he handled Willie's firing. When I heard about how Bernazard undermined Willie and then stabbed him and Petersen in the back, I blamed Minaya too, because that was his guy. Willie has always been nothing but pure class and didn't deserve to be treated like that. I don't wish for anyone to lose their job, but I'm not going to cry when Omar loses his. Also, what was it that Bernazard did to justify his lofty status within the organization? The Mets have turned into a soap opera, unfortunately.

” -- JPMDeportes

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd climb the mountains and chase down the breakaways to bring you "SportsNation" TV.

Discuss the hot topics, vote on the biggest stories of the day and chat during the show on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. ET. And if you miss that, there's a second helping of "SportsNation" on ESPN at 5 p.m. ET.

Do you still want to see the tape of LeBron getting dunked on?
Has time dulled your desire to see the footage that Nike confiscated of Jordan Crawford dunking on LeBron?

Is Kobe playing for Team USA in 2010 and 2012 a good idea?
Kobe has a gold medal and NBA title in the same year, and he isn't getting any younger. He can help the U.S. maintain supremacy, but what about the Lakers?

Do you prefer youth or experience at running back?
Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson is now the wily veteran, but the NFL is notorious for using up backs by the time they reach their 30s.

Whom would you rather have replace your quarterback?
Michael Vick brings fresh legs but the rust of an NFL layoff. Brett Favre has years of success but an aging body and shoulder.

Which is a better option for Stephen Strasburg right now?
Scott Boras isn't afraid to hold players out if they don't get the deal he says they deserve. But what if a big-name prospect gets injured playing this game?

And our final question ...
A recent theory in the running world proposes that running without shoes is better for you. Would you consider running barefoot?

What is "SportsNation" TV and how do you make your voice heard on the broadcast? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

We're poised on the precipice of the second half, caught between the cold reality of the first half of the season and the limitless potential of the second half. We're ... bored. Seriously, the Triple-A All-Star Game is all we get today? Couldn't the Nationals and Pirates play at least? It's not like their rosters are exactly swamped with All-Star Game obligations.

A practice round from the British Open? A midweek NASCAR race? Give us something.

It's the slowest day in sports, but that does give us the chance to look back and look ahead. We've been surveying SportsNation for the best each team had to offer before the break. Some of these votes are closer than the Minnesota Senate race, but the leaders as of Wednesday morning are as follows:

National League Team MVP
Dodgers: Andre Ethier
Phillies: Raul Ibanez
Giants: Tim Lincecum
Cardinals: Yadier Molina (non-Pujols)
Rockies: Brad Hawpe
Brewers: Prince Fielder
Marlins: Hanley Ramirez
Astros: Miguel Tejada
Cubs: Derrek Lee
Braves: Brian McCann
Reds: Brandon Phillips
Mets: David Wright
Pirates: Freddy Sanchez
Diamondbacks: Dan Haren
Padres: Adrian Gonzalez
Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman

• Who will lead the NL in home runs, batting average, wins, steals and RBIs?
• 83 percent: Dodgers will win the NL West.
• 61 percent: Cardinals will win the NL Central.
• 71 percent: Phillies will win the NL East.
• Midseason reviews: NL West | NL Central | NL East | NL Cy Young

Frustrated that the Mets traded away a clutch chemistry guy like Ryan Church for the enigma that remains Jeff Francoeur -- whose swing made him the best football player the Braves employed since Brian Jordan -- SportsNation blogger BirishB says the trade effectively sums up a year of things going wrong in New York.

We think that's selling it short; it pretty well sums up the entire NL East.

Only in the NL East could a team with a losing record at home and some of the worst pitching numbers in baseball find itself in control of the race. And only in the NL East could a pair of Braves pitchers who reached the break ranked in the top 10 in ERA have a combined 13-14 record.

But through it all, the Phillies have maintained SportsNation's support. On June 22, the team woke up having lost six in a row and with a scant 1.5-game lead on the Mets but still held a commanding lead among voters.

• If the Rays switched leagues, they would edge the Phillies in the NL East.
• SportsNation still confident Nationals will sign Stephen Strasburg.
• Which of the Phillies' All-Stars is team MVP? Vote on the NL East.
• More midseason reviews: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL West | NL Central
• Groups: Florida Marlins Rock | Top of the Chop | Die Hard Phillies Phans

“

im a braves fan that loved frenchy but this was a great trade for the braves. no one in the braves system could get his swing worked out and he was turning into andruw jones with less power. to bring in a good quality bat and teammate such as church is a great trade. now we just need to find a power bat to stick in the middle of the lineup

” -- nrbradley

“

I think people have a hard time staying marlin fans because you can't get attached to players. Everytime we have a solid group of guys, or some great young prospects we get rid of them. It's hard to watch a team, when the players you like keep leaving....just my opinion.

” -- mblally

“

The NY Mets have an excuse for having poor years the last 3 years. Especially this year has been the worst because of countless injuries to their Top Players. Not like the NY Yankees and Other top teams whose Top Players are perfectly healthy and should be way ahead of the Dodgers as the best team in MLB. But they are not because they are a bunch of spoiled brat punk era generation of overpaid players no thanks to what Curt Flood and Donald Fehr started.

” -- ontario925

“

Last year getting inning eater Blanton worked for the Phils instead of getting Sabathia or Harden. They're trying to do it again this year. Get a less expensive, worse pitcher who will give you innings. The Phils won't try to get Halladay with or without possibly getting Pedro. This year is different. While the NL is terrible this year the Phils need better pitching to get past the Dodgers.

” -- eaglesandceltics

“

Acta is just the scapegoat. The manager is always the one who gets thrown under the bus. Either way, that roster is capable of winning more games than they have, but nowhere near playoff contenders. I don't care if you resurrect Connie Mack, no one would have led the Nationals to anything more than a 90 loss season.

” -- tybae40

• 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

• 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

When do you give up on a franchise? It's a simple question, but that doesn't necessarily mean it has an easy answer for baseball fans in Pittsburgh these days.

The city has championship teams in the NFL and NHL, and while there's some rebuilding to do without DeJuan Blair, the University of Pittsburgh basketball program gives hoops fans something to look forward to in the winter. What the Steel City doesn't have is a competitive baseball franchise. And while the folks running the show say they're trying to change that, should Pirates fans -- or the remaining players -- believe it after Tuesday's pair of trades makes it four starting outfielders dealt since the beginning of last season?

• SportsNation blogger SteelCityKing1982 says Pirates ownership is living up to the "irate" part of the team's nickname and can't understand trading away Eric Hinske and Nyjer Morgan to the Yankees and Nationals, respectively.
• Also a fan of all things Pittsburgh, blogger TheKidSero was on board with trading away Nate McLouth earlier this season but is dumbfounded at breaking up the Andrew McCutchen-Morgan combo in the outfield.
• Blogger Godlike_82, a Yankees fan, chimes in that while he's comfortable in his team's position, he's worried about the game in general when teams like the Pirates, Royals and Nationals continue to struggle on the cheap.
• Groups: I'm not a frontrunner; I'm a Pirates fan! | Pittsburgh: City of Champions
• Chat: Ask Baseball America's Jim Callis about the Pirates' farm system at 2 p.m. ET

“

I understand the reasononing behind the trades. Their farm system is unproductive and they are on pace for another losing season. However with only six games behind the nl leading brew crew I dont think its time for a fire sale. Getting rid of the talent is only going delay them another season of making the playoffs. All I gotta say is they better be active in free agency next year because we have the pitching now we need the power.

” -- steelsityswammi

“

Pittsburgh fans should boycott this organization and do not buy any tickets for the remainder of the year.

” -- iceman4342

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.