As sure as Samuel Scudder is the dean of eighteenth century lepidopterists, we are at the All Star break. This, 2025, is being a pretty damned interesting season. Are the Dodgers in first place? Yes, dweeb, just like we told you they’d be. Still and yet, they are not 26 games ahead in their division like we thought they might be. Plus, the surest way in baseball to get injured is to pitch for the Dodgers.

Scientists trying to convince the world about global warming should just analyze home run totals at Dodger Stadium and that place in Anaheim. There are significant changes since the days of Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Dean Chance and Bo Belinsky. Upward bound. They call it the marine layer but I ‘m not very knowledgeable about weather. Those totals, however, have more than doubled over the last five or six decades.

The Mets clinched by signing Juan Soto, right? Some of us still favored the Braves in that division but did we forget about the Phillies? Forget about that, pal.

Anyone who tells you that this was the first half is a remedial math student. Ninety seven has never been half of 162.

Will I welcome the ABS system that was showcased at the All Star game in Atlanta? Yes and no. Human beings should remain part of baseball as much as possible now and forever. Videotape and cameras have had a somewhat positive effect insofar as “getting it right” and have proven more than a few perhaps pot bellied humans as being, well, human. One of the best aspects of good sportsmanship has always been the recognition that we’re all trying our best. The helmet tap will be good. Technology, however, is not perfect either. It’s developed by humans.

No, I never could have predicted the fall of the Orioles. I’m sure they’ll be back. I doubt that it was the manager, Brandon Hyde, that deserved blame. Middle management looks for scapegoats who aren’t so highly paid. The Red Sox are in a drive that I hope will be successful to save Alex Cora‘s job. Toronto has become a serious contender. The second surest way to get injured in baseball is to pitch for the Yankees. Given time, Aaron Judge could cure cancer. Aaron Boone still believes.

I decided a while back that the Astros were finished and then they took off. Texas, Seattle, attention please! The Angels are befuddling. The Pirates (organization, not players) are showing how much they don’t care. Cincinnati, however, is caring. St. Louis is still hard for me to figure but Milwaukee has new life. I’m learning a bit late what a good job A.J. Hinch and the Tigers are doing. Quite impressive it is. Here comes the fun!