Second half should be entertaining

The second half of the major league baseball season should be interesting. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, over the past five years only 15 of 31 teams in first place in the division at the midpoint have been there when the last game of the season was played.

Last year only the Cardinals and Yankees of the six division leaders at this point were there at the end. The White Sox, Oakland, Philadelphia and Giants held the leader’s role and lost it in the second half.

Part of this is parity and part is the fact there are now six first-place spots. Unlike the days of one American and National League pennant winner and then the World Series, the expanded playoff picture has created more first-place spots and more chances to lose it.

The Red Sox are the best of the AL. The Yankees will be better in the second half with Jason Giambi heating up, Randy Johnson feeling better and Mariano Rivera returning to his role as the best closer in the game.

The White Sox have the better record, but they are due to pay back in the one-run win column and by living by the home run. The White Sox have a league leading 22-8 record in one-run games. That is a number that historically evens out over the course of a season.

They are 12th in average in the league, but sixth in runs and third in homers. Their on-base percentage is 11th. That all adds up to living dangerously.

Their pitching is the key and it has been phenomenal. In Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland and Freddie Garcia they have three of the top 10 ERAs in the league.

The Angels in the West will join the Red Sox and Chicago as division champs. The Yankees, Twins and Cleveland will chase the wild card.

St. Louis is the best of the NL. San Diego wins a weak West and Atlanta should overtake the Nationals in the East. The wild card is a horse race with Washington having the pole because of its great start.

The return of Barry Bonds and a chance to overtake Babe Ruth for second in the all-time home run race will dominate late summer. Deals prior to the end of July will come late and there could be some big names moving.

The Red Sox need a closer with the knee problems and ineffectiveness of Keith Foulke. Eddie Guardado of Seattle, Freddie Cordero of Texas, Brad Lidge of Houston and Jose Mesa of the Pirates will all be talked about since they are on teams that will be sellers.

Derrick Lee of the Cubs has a shot at the triple crown. This week a shoulder problem resulted in an MRI that reportedly came back negative. How bad that problem is may decide his chances.

There are 10 pitchers with a chance to win 20. Over the past few years a couple 20-game winners has been the limit. That should not change. Jon Garland, Roy Halladay and Dontrell Willis have the best chances.

Play on.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.