What if MLB followed the NHL’s lead and set-up its All-Star game using the North America vs. the World format…or in baseball’s case Latin America vs. the World?

As baseball’s reach extends further throughout the world, the idea of Latin American competing with the best from around the globe seems increasingly likely.

Some have dubbed this year as ‘The year of the pitcher’ while others have coined it ‘The year of the prospect.’ Both are correct and what it all amounts to is an influx of talent into the league unlike I have ever seen.

Some people point to the absence of steroids in today’s game as the reason why pitching has been so dominant this year ...

Last week an ‘almost’, this week a ‘done deal.’ Edwin Jackson of the Diamondbacks tossed the 5^th , sorry 4^th, no-hitter of the season Friday night. It was far from a thing of beauty as Jackson walked 8 batters and had to labor through 150 pitches to accomplish the feat. Kudos to Manager AJ Hinch for allowing him a chance at history and ignoring the pitch count, he said he stopped counting after 115. The 8 walks were the 3^rd most allowed in a no-hitter in history, right behind AJ Burnett’s 9 and Jim Maloney’s 10. The 150 pitches were the most since Livan Hernandez threw 150 in 2005.

With the MLB season nearing its halfway point (and most H2H fantasy leagues with playoffs already at the halfway point) it’s time to take a look back at the first baseman. One of the deepest positions in fantasy, it wasn’t unreasonable if all of the top 5 first basemen were drafted in the first round. Of the top 50 players in fantasy to date, nine have eligibility at first base (although most people are using Kevin Youkilis and Martin Prado elsewhere, and they will be included under third base and second base, respectively). There is a good chance that people are using a first baseman as their utility player, so some of the lists will be expanded to show some solid performers who don’t crack the top 5.