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Joba Chamberlain will be integral to the Yankees' fortunes in the second half.

By Chris Singleton, ESPN

Every season has its surprises. So far, this season is no different. We shouldn't jump the gun on predicting these surprises, but there are plenty of things to keep an eye on in the second half.

The Dodgers are rolling into the second half with the most wins in baseball, but a big factor in most of those wins now has become a concern. Closer Jonathan Broxton has a recurring toe injury that trainers say could linger for the rest of the season. We saw him struggle to get through some innings before the break, which ultimately led to his backing out of the All-Star Game. The Dodgers can't afford to lose Broxton long term, as he's 20-for-22 in save opportunities. He might not be a big name like Manny Ramirez, but one shouldn't underestimate his importance to this team.

Taking a look at the Texas Rangers in the American League West, they haven't had the best success in second halves. From 2006 to 2008, they never posted a .500 record after the All-Star break. If that rings true again this year, they'll be on track for about 87 wins, but will that be enough to win the division? They'll need Josh Hamilton to stay healthy to have a shot. They are 11 games over .500 with him in the lineup; without him in the lineup, they are one game under. It won't be easy to chase the Angels, especially playing home games in the dead Texas heat

For the Yankees to win the loaded AL East, they need to see improvement from Joba Chamberlain. They want him to be more aggressive in the strike zone and cut down his pitch count. If he can go deeper into ballgames, this will take some pressure off their bullpen and allow those pitchers to rest. The Yankees already have consistent hitting, but if Chamberlain gets into a groove of winning, they have a great chance to rise in the standings.

As for the Red Sox, they might be shopping for a first or third baseman before the trade deadline. Kevin Youkilis is versatile and can play either position, but Mike Lowell is out with an injured hip and could be a question mark for the rest of the season. We've seen them make great deadline deals the past few seasons. It'll be interesting to see what happens this time around.

The White Sox might be deadline buyers as well, if they want to make a run in the AL Central. Kenny Williams is notorious for making big moves to improve the club, and the White Sox look to be in the market for a third baseman or a center fielder. If they can make a good move at either position, they'll increase their chances of edging the Tigers or Twins in the division. I expect something to happen on the South Side.

The Phillies are in the market for a starting pitcher. They reportedly have agreed to sign Pedro Martinez, but the man they'd like to land is Roy Halladay. Martinez can help them out, but Halladay would put them over the top. If Halladay moves to Philadelphia, you can hand the National League crown to the Phillies again.

Last but not least, expect the Cubs to improve in the second half. They sit only 3 ½ games back of the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals, which is a good sign. When I talked to Lou Piniella two weeks ago, he said he would feel good if they were in the realm of five or six games back. They've dealt with many setbacks, including the injury to Aramis Ramirez, plus the lack of production from Milton Bradley and Alfonso Soriano. Being less than five games back gives them a good shot at beginning a winning streak and getting back in the mix. But they'll need to watch out if the Brewers end up landing an extra pitcher for their rotation. If the Cubs' offense can find a spark, expect a three-team race in the division down to the end.

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