All Star Break: Team and Divisional Breakdowns. Part 2/3, Central Divisions

AL Central

Detroit Tigers
Supreme pitching by starters Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson have carried this team to the top of a weak division. They've still got some holes, but seem to be patching up things rather well. Miguel Cabrera is a beast, but he's also the only regular batting over .275. They will have to get some better production in order to hold off the Sox and Twins.

Recommendation: You would be a dark-horse winner if you pulled it off, but a trade for Pittsburgh 2nd Baseman Freddie Sanchez makes a lot of sense, here. He could be a top-of-the-lineup kind of guy that could put you over the top.

1st Half MVP: Justin Verlander
The guy just wins. He leads the team with a 10-4 record, and leads the league with 149 strikeouts on the year. All of this came after a terrible start to the tune of a 9.0 ERA after 4 starts. He's back, and he's dominant.

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have been a Jeckyll and Hyde team all season; two weeks with 2 wins followed by two weeks with 10 wins. However, they find themselves only 3.5 games behind the 1st place Tigers. They've got a chance to catch them and make the playoffs, but they're going to need some more help.

Recommendation: You need another solid starter. You probably don't have the pieces for Halladay, and I don't see the Indians making an inter-division trade involving Cliff Lee. That leaves a player such as Doug Davis as a move that makes sense.

1st Half MVP: Jermaine Dye
Dye leads the team in HRs (20), Runs (55), and BA (.302). If he is not on this team with this production, the South Siders would be in a real hole. He will need to keep up this great production if the Sox don't get any offensive help.

Minnesota Twins
The Twins are one of the feel-good teams of the year, just like every other year. Coach Ron Gardenhire finds a way to do more with less better than any other coach in the AL, maybe MLB. He's had some major help this year from catcher Joe Mauer. The Twins are going to have to defy odds to make the playoffs, however.

Recommendation: You could use some corner outfield help. A player with some pop and solid fielding. Who couldn't, right? If you could find a way to pry Matt Holliday from Oakland without giving up the farm system, you would be in great shape.

1st Half MVP: Joe Mauer
A no-doubter here. Mauer's hit more HRs in the first half of this season than he's hit in any other full season throughout his career. Oh yeah, his batting average is .373.

Kansas City Royals
Congratulations Royals, we've reached the all-star break and you're NOT in last place! Believe it or not, I think this is a sign of things to come. I can see the Royals contending in a weak division in the next couple of years. This year, however, you're sellers again.

Recommendation: Hold on to your great assets. If someone comes calling for Olivo or Bloomquist, listen up. If someone calls for Soria or Greinke, hang up the phone.

1st Half MVP: Zack Greinke
Another really easy choice here. Greinke leads the team in Wins (10), Ks (129), ERA (2.12) and IP (127.1). He's the sole reason why the Royals can contend in coming years.

Cleveland Indians
Not much to say here. The Indians had high hopes coming into the season, and it just hasn't worked out. They've already traded Mark DeRosa, and you can most likely expect more trades to follow.

Recommendation: As much as a fire-sale seems to be in order here, hold on to CF Grady Sizemore, Catcher Victor Martinez, and SP Cliff Lee. You can build a franchise around these three, but not with the current supporting cast.

1st Half MVP: Victor Martinez
Martinez leads the team in Runs, RBIs and HRs. He's healthy, he's a horse, and he should be the cornerstone of this franchise for years to come.


NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals are looking solid at this point into the season, and have only one man to thank for that. Albert Pujols makes this team work. From top-to-bottom, this team is 20x better thanks to him. Picking up DeRosa was a nice pick-up for the Cards, but he needs to get healthy. One more bat would make sense for them.

Recommendation: Matt Holliday makes a whole lot of sense here...and he will come cheaper than the other good option for them (Doc Halladay). Whether or not they feel they have the ability to get him financially is another story.

1st Half MVP: Albert Pujols
He leads them, and the rest of baseball, in pretty much everything.

Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are doing well without solid pitching again this season. The offense is obviously going to be just fine. Gallardo has been solid, but he's going to need some help if the Brew Crew are going to make the playoffs.

Recommendation: Another arm is the best way you can go here. They won't be able to get Halladay or Lee, most likely, so look for a Diamondbacks pitcher (either Garland or Davis, not Haren) to bulster the rotation in the 2nd half.

1st Half MVP: Prince Fielder
Another 1st baseman in the NL Central is the 1st half MVP of the team. Prince leads the team in AVG, HR, and RBI, and is an absolute terror when he comes up to bat. He also just won the Home Run Derby - kudos.

Chicago Cubs
The North Siders have been below expectations all season. Part of this is due to injuries (Ramirez, Lee, Zambrano, Soriano and Bradley have all missed time, their 5 best hitters). But that's no excuse for how poorly they have played up to this point. That being said, they're only 3.5 out, and their best baseball HAS to be in front of them.

Recommendation: Get Healthy. Ryan Dempster broke his toe on the gate in front of the dugout in celebration (lol) and Soto is out for at least 2 weeks. If and when this team gets healthy, they could be dangerous.

1st Half MVP: Derrek Lee
Three NL-Central Teams, Three 1st half MVP 1st basemen. Lee has absolutely carried this team over the last month of the 1st half. He may have to keep it up if the injuries keep piling up for this team.

Houston Astros
The Astros are another "surprise" team so far this year, tied for 3rd in the NL-Central 3.5 games behind the Cardinals. Roy Oswalt has been his usual self, but Wandy Rodrigeuz leads this team w/ an ERA of 2.96. They are going to have to make a move or two to keep in the playoff hunt, however.

Recommendation: A player like Mark Teahen makes some sense here. He can play both 3b and RF, and is batting around .300 on the season. They may be in the Doug Davis sweepstakes as well.

1st Half MVP: Wandy Rodriguez
No 1st baseman here, though Lance Berkman is certainly deserving. Rodriguez has a W-L of 8-6 on the season, but has a Team Best ERA of 2.96. Without him and Oswalt at the top, there's no way this team is only 3.5 back.

Cincinnati Reds
The Reds look like their usual selves, starting off strong and fading in July. One could blame Head Coach Dusty Baker and his mismanagement of his pitchers, but they have had their fair share of injuries as well. Fans can only hope they get healthy, and possibly look into adding an arm.

Recommendation: Doc Halladay and Cliff Lee are likely not possibilities here, but this is another team that could be in on the Doug Davis sweepstakes. Any pitcher that doesn't allow a lot of fly balls would make sense here, as the Great American Ballpark isn't the largest field...A player with a high OBP would make sense here, also.

1st Half MVP: Francisco Cordero
The first closer chosen for 1st half MVP occurs here. Cordero has been simply lights out. His 1.75 ERA is very, very good, and once teams trail the Reds in the 9th, the game is essentially over.


Pittsburgh Pirates
Another All-Star Break, another seller's year for the Pirates. They are currently 9.5 games out, and have already started selling (Nyjer Morgan has been dealt to the Nationals of all teams). Look for this to continue in the near future. This team is still most likely at least 3 years from seriously contending.

Recommendation: Sell Sell Sell!!! Everybody outside of Zack Duke should be considered as a trade candidate. Build up the farm system with above average prospects and hope for the best.

1st Half MVP: Zack Duke
Duke leads the team in Wins, IP, and ERA. He's the lone bright spot for an otherwise lackluster ball club.