With the baseball season at its unofficial halfway point, CNN/SI's experts give their takes on the good, the bad and the ugly of the first half.

Also: Tim Crothers | Mark Bechtel | Ozzie Smith

Overrated: Jay Bell, Arizona Diamondbacks

A shortstop who doesn't run well, has below-average range and now doesn't hit. This is the highest-paid middle infielder in baseball?

Underrated: Matt Stairs, Oakland Athletics

He has as many RBI as Mo Vaughn (56), but with a better batting average (.330) and on-base percentage (.410), with 35 fewer strikeouts. Yet no one talked about Stairs being snubbed at All-Star time.

Annoying: The Los Angeles Dodgers

Michael Milken and Tommy Lasorda are the brain trust. Need we say more?

Breakthrough: Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs and Ben Grieve, Oakland Athletics

Wood has the best pure stuff of any starter in the National League and will be the Cubs' first 200-strikeout pitcher since Fergie Jenkins. Grieve is blessed with one of the game's best strokes. Now he's showing he has exceptional knowledge of the strike zone for a young player. He'll grow into a 30-40 HR hitter as well.

Biggest Surprise: High payroll duds

The St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies all are virtually out of the pennant race by the All-Star break—despite being among baseball's big spenders.

Keep An Eye On: Danny Klassen, Arizona Diamondbacks

The infielder was promoted to the big leagues just before the break. He may turn out to be the Vinny Castilla of the 1997 expansion draft—the hidden gem.

Uplifting: Orlando Hernandez, New York Yankees

Six months after washing ashore on a homebuilt raft to freedom, he won on the Fourth of July and said, "Everyday is Indepedence Day for me." His stuff and his smile are electric.

Good Trend: The home run chase

What else? Ken Griffey Jr. might very well hit 62 home runs and not have the single-season record.

Bad Trend: Shortage of pennant races

As for September excitement, playing for home-field advantage just doesn't have the same ring to it.

MVP: Mark McGwire, St. Louis Cardinals

I know an MVP should come from a winning team. But McGwire's numbers across the board—not just homers, slugging percentage and on-base percentage, especially—are too historic to ignore.

World Series: New York Yankees over San Diego Padres

The Yankees (61-20) could play losing baseball in the second half and still win 100 games. The postseason is an unpredictable minefield—remember the wild card Marlins winning it all?—but the Yankees have the look of a deep, special team that can run the table.

Also: Tim Crothers | Mark Bechtel | Ozzie Smith

Related information
The 1998 All-Star Game
Users outraged at All-Star snubs, part two Photo Gallery: All-Stars...So Far My Baseball Daily CNN/SI's All-Star Game Main Page
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