​The MLB All-Star Game is here, and we’ll get to see the brightest stars in the league square off with each other tonight. The game marks the (approximate) mid point of the MLB season, which makes it as good a time as ever to reflect on where we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.A four-game winning streak salvaged the vibes for the Yankees heading into the break, but they nearly wrapped up their first half in a state of catastrophe. Their annual summer swoon struck yet again, with a seven-game losing streak threatening to torpedo what was once an extremely promising season. It leaves the team in an interesting spot. They blew a sizable division lead (a couple of times!), but also closed strong, and are only three games back of the first-place Rays. At the end of the day, we have to ask: was the Yankees’ first half a success?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe team’s swoon from late June into July could’ve made this a clear “No”, but I think there’s a compelling case to be made that the first half was, on balance, very positive for the Bronx Bombers. At the core of that argument is the club’s pure performance. Sure, the Yankees’ 54-42 record is more good than great, and not on the same level as the top teams in the league, the Dodgers and Brewers, who have paced MLB over in the Junior Circuit. But any other descriptive statistic beyond wins and losses suggests the Yankees’ caliber of play was closer to those NL juggernauts than their record would suggest.For one, the Yankees have scored 462 runs, fourth best in MLB, and allowed 371, fifth best in MLB. Those totals are the best marks in the American League, and their resulting +91 run differential is the best in the AL as well. I’m sure many fans are sick of hearing about how the Yankees have hamstrung themselves with a poor record in one-run games and extra-innings contest, but the fact of the matter is, championship contenders reveal themselves less by finding a way to narrowly win games, and more by showing the ability to dominate their foes. The Yankees have struggled with the former but have been among the league’s best at the latter; outside of the summer swoon, the Yankees were blowing out opponents as consistently as any team in baseball, and that’s reflected in their excellent scoring differential.Moreover, if we drill down to the individual player level, there’s been plenty of good news. Ben Rice has been one of the best hitters in the league. Cody Bellinger has started off his five-year deal in great form, his 3.7 rWAR near the top of the outfield leaderboard in spite of a deep recent slump. Cam Schlittler might be the best pitcher in the AL, and his primary opponent for the AL Cy Young Award was rotation-mate Max Fried before Fried went down with injury. Injuries have been an issue for the rotation, sure, with Fried hurt, Carlos Rodón down, and Gerrit Cole coming in late and still adjusting after Tommy John surgery. But it’s a testamen