This Thursday the faltering Orioles host the Minnesota Twins in a series that most people will view as lopsided. The Orioles are the worst team in MLB with a record of 29-63. They are 16-29 at home and will be coming off a difficult series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Meanwhile the Minnesota Twins are 49-44 and are battling for first place in the American League Central Division. Minnesota is 20-25 on the road and can make up some valuable ground by sweeping the Orioles. The Twins are on a one game losing streak while the Orioles have lost their last 4. The weather for Baltimore looks like it will be very clear and very hot with a high of 96 and a low of 78.

The annual Major League Baseball All Star Game is the traditional midway point of the season, and is arguably the most eagerly anticipated of any professional sport. The 2010 All Star Game will be the 81st edition of the ‘Midsummer Classic’ and will be played on July 13 at the home of the Los Angeles Angels, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. Unlike other pro sport all star games, there’s something to play for in addition to pride and ‘bragging rights’—the winning league receives home field advantage during the World Series in October.

The St. Louis Cardinals were expected to run away with the National League Central this season, but they’ve met with some surprising competition from the Cincinnati Reds. The Cards and Reds have been in a virtual dead heat atop the division for much of the year, and for that reason St. Louis will approach the July 1 matchup at home against the Milwaukee Brewers with a much greater sense of urgency. The Brewers have been locked in their own divisional battle with the Chicago Cubs for third and fourth place, but both teams are well off the pace set by the frontrunners.

The New York Yankees are in first place in the American League East with the best record in baseball, but all of a sudden their starting pitching has become a concern. On Saturday, the Yankees’ AJ Burnett left the game early with cuts on his pitching hand and on Sunday the team lost lefthander Andy Pettitte to an apparent groin injury. Despite losing Pettitte to injury, the Yankees’ offense picked up the slack and New York beat Tampa Bay 9-5 to take the weekend series between the sport’s two best teams.

The upcoming series between the surging Reds and the underachieving Phillies is likely to be one of the best so far in 2010. Whenever one mentions the Reds, a few thoughts come to mind. Eric Davis is one, an old racist female owner is another and last but not least a big dog taking a dump on the field. Most of the times that dog and its' business would have symbolized the Red's season. Not this year my friends. This year the Cincinnati Reds are in first place and the National League Central has been turned upside down. Yes the Cardinals are only 1.5 games out and yes Albert Pujols is well Albert Pujols but what the Reds have down so far is simply amazing.

Until Saturday, a Colorado Rockies pitcher had never thrown a no-hit game in the entire eighteen year existence of the franchise. Ubaldo Jimenez changed all of that. Jimenez struggled with his control at times during his no hit gem, but worked out of trouble and otherwise befuddled the Atlanta Braves with a wicked 98 MPH fastball. The Rockies won the game 4-0 to improve to 6-5 on the year and are in second place in the NL West two games behind the San Francisco Giants. Kenshin Kawakami took the loss for Atlanta.