Answering Some of Baseball's Biggest Second Half Questions

Will the Washington Nationals put an innings-limit on young phenom Stephen Strasburg? (Toni L. Sandys)

With the second half of the Major League Baseball's season about to get underway, I take a look at some of the biggest questions that remain to be answered.

1. Will the Pittsburgh Pirates make their first postseason appearance since 1992?
The Pirates had to be the biggest surprise of baseball's first half. After 19 consecutive losing seasons, the Pirates are 11 games over .500 and in first place in the NL Central. Star Andrew McCutchen is one of the leading contenders for NL MVP. Veteran A.J. Burnett is leading the starting rotation with 10 wins in his first season in Pittsburgh. The Pirates' bullpen has a major league best 2.63 ERA. With young prospects, such as outfielder Sterling Marte, nearing their debut, the Pirates seem primed for a postseason run. Manager Clint Hurdle appears to have his boys primed and ready. (To read more about the Pirates, check out my blog post about their first half.)


2. Will the Washington Nationals put an innings-limit on young phenom Stephen Strasburg?
One of the biggest questions for the young Nationals is what do with their young ace Strasburg. They of course want to be careful with him since he is coming off Tommy John Surgery. Prior to the beginning of the season, the Nationals said the would limit Strasburg to about 160 innings. They took a similar approach last season with another young stud pitcher Jordan Zimmerman. However, the big difference this year is that the Nationals are in first place. Strasburg has been vocal about his desire to stay in the rotation. The Nationals have to carefully weigh their short-term and long-term options.

3. Will the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies be able to overcome their rough first halves?
The Red Sox have been in a state of disarray since last September. New manager Bobby Valentine has yet to be able to solve the mystery of the Red Sox's troubles. Kevin Youkilis has traded in his sox for white ones. The team has be ravaged by injuries. The health of some key players, such as Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Carl Crawford could make or break their season. The Phillies offense has been sputtering all season. The return of stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley should only help things, but will it be enough. It may or may not. The Phillies also have to solve their pitching woes as well. Cliff Lee will likely need to win more than one game in the second half to help lead the Phillies out of the cellar of the NL East.

4. Will the trade deadline have an affect on the push for the postseason?
With teams pushing for the postseason and a chance at the World Series, the trade deadline can have a huge affect on their chances. Their are a number of quality starters who are rumored to be reportedly available. Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, Matt Garza, and Ryan Dempster are just some of the names out there. As far as hitters are concerned, the potential stud out there is Justin Upton. Upton still has so much potential, but is supposedly unhappy in Arizona. The Diamondbacks will be looking for a ton in return, but it could absolutely be worth it for the right contender.

5. Will Josh Hamilton win the AL's first Triple Crown since 1967?
Hamilton's first half numbers are impressive to say the least. His first half line of .308, 27 home runs, and 75 RBIs had people talking about a potential Triple Crown. However, Hamilton has significantly cooled off during June and so far in July. We can only hope that the All-Star Break provided the recharge he needed. The other concern with Hamilton is always his health. If Hamilton can remain healthy, you can never count out his chances of making history.