National buzz surrounding Nats after first half of season

By Josh Land

Nationals

July 18, 2014, 8:03am

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Baseball is back! After a brief hiatus, the Nationals will kick off their second half of the season at home.

While we're technically past the halfway point of the season, the All-Star break seems like a natural time to evaluate the first halves of teams' seasons. The Nats sit in a first-place tie with the Braves in the National League East with a 51-42 record.

Before the Brewers-Nationals series kicks off tonight, let's take a look back at what national writers are saying about the Nats after the first half of the season:

* When grading the list of teams in the major leagues, Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com gave the Nats a B due to their light offense. However, with a healthy lineup, who knows what the Nats' bats can do from here on out?

* Since his return from the disabled list, Bryce Harper has struggled, hitting .150 with one home run and two RBIs in 40 at-bats. Can he turn it around in the second half?

* The Nats have put themselves in a good position in the first few months of their season, especially considering that they have one of the easiest second-half schedules in baseball.

* The Nats are sixth overall in FOX Sports' MLB Power Rankings, putting them one slot ahead of the division-rival Braves.

* According to Bovada, the Nats have a 10/1 chance of winning the World Series and a 1/2 chance of winning the National League East.

* On a less serious note, Harper made FOX Sports' list of best GIFs this season. Watch him high-five himself after Ryan Zimmerman's dugout celebration here.