Overall Grade

• Yankees: A-

It is just downright phenomenal what the Yankees are doing right now. Their 48-40 record doesn’t speak to the shock.

The fact that injuries haven’t been plentiful forces credit to be handed to Joe Girardi. The skipper’s way of resting guys when fans don’t want to see it and handling his bullpens is one of the better attributes any manager in baseball possesses.

.@DBetances50 tosses a scoreless frame in his first #ASG appearance. AL leads 5-2 after 7. #PinstripePride pic.twitter.com/a3xO1O5qEy

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 15, 2015

Brain Cashman also deserves some credit in the area of integrating some young talent into a tough situation.

With older, high-priced veterans plugging up positions all over the diamond, it’s a tough chore to give baby Yanks a chance. He’s already done this with Mason Williams and Rob Refsnyder.

One legitimate starting pitcher could actually transform this Yankees team from one that has a shot into a serious World Series contender.

• Mets: B+

While the Mets overall grade isn’t an A- like their older brothers from the North, they deserve a ton of credit collectively.

There’s no question their 13-3 unheard of start is a key their still five-games over .500, but the strong finish to the first-half of the season speaks more to the character of their fight than anything on the negative end of the spectrum.

#Mets: Five things to watch in the second half. http://t.co/0SG6ZEEZ3f @AdamRubinESPN pic.twitter.com/X156MUQiSz

— ESPN New York (@ESPNNewYork) July 16, 2015

Terry Collins has been stable. His lack of ammunition offensively and in the area of small-ball forces his hand to completely rely on his young, phenom arms.

The second-half of the season will depend on that all-star cast in the front office.

Their future is bright, there’s no doubt about that. However, the question for the here and now deals with the lack of financial wherewithal by ownership and baseball executive want-to from Sandy Alderson.

Everybody agrees that none of the young phenom starting pitchers should be moved. That doesn’t mean other prospects have to stay. Get creative and make a move for a mid-tier bat that will provide Mets fans a chance to get very excited about 2016 and beyond.

They fully deserve that chance.