It would be nice if the only question Red Sox fans had going into the All-Star break was “Why can’t the All-Star game count as part of a player’s suspension?”

But uncertainty abounds in New England, well beyond the question of how many games David Ortiz will have to sit for Friday’s “brawl” with Baltimore’s Kevin Gregg.

Starting pitchers are coming up lame like alumni in a 20th reunion flag football game. The corner outfielders aren’t hitting their weight, let alone the value of their contracts. The bench is making the 1987 Celtics look deep by comparison. If you’re not nervous about the shortstop position, I know a president who could use someone to talk up the economy.

And on top of all this, Kevin Youkilis, who should be spending the break visiting the Mayo Clinic while shrouded in bubble wrap is playing in the All-Star game to cover for a couple of slacker Yankees. 

Yet Boston could enter its sorely-needed four-day hiatus playing .600 baseball and atop the AL East standings. And this may come as a surprise to Mr. Gregg, it isn’t just because of their “$180 million payroll.” There have been many pleasant surprises and a few revelations in the first half.

The catching combo of Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jason Varitek started the season looking like a black hole offensively and a liability defensively. The last two months, however, they’ve more than done their share at the bottom of the order; and while they aren’t Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez behind the plate, no one is pining for Victor Martinez’s glove, either.

The bullpen hasn’t been great, but it hasn’t been anywhere near as incendiary as last year.

While shaky, Jonathan Papelbon has blown one of 20 save opportunities. Daniel Bard continues to make a case for the best set-up man in baseball.

Theo Epstein’s annual ritual of throwing a bunch of arms against the bullpen wall and hoping a few will stick has produced the usual mixed results. Matt Albers has emerged as the prime seventh inning option over the oft-injured Bobby Jenks and the oft-shellacked Dan Wheeler. Epstein is still searching for a reliable lefthander, though.

Put Andrew Miller and Josh Reddick in the “What do we have here?” file. Both have helped fill gaping holes at their respective positions in the short term, but we have no idea whether they can keep it up over the next three-plus months.

While Miller and Reddick have seemingly come out of nowhere, the way Josh Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury and Ortiz have bounced back this season should be considered just as big of a surprise.

I’ll be the first to admit I thought Beckett was done as an elite starter. But I’ll also take credit for being part of the silent majority that didn’t want Ellsbury discarded because he wasn’t enough of a Dirt Dog to play with broken ribs last season. He is example No. 6,775 why questioning an athlete’s toughness when he’s injured is the ultimate sports fan folly. 

As great as Adrian Gonzalez has been, and he’s the AL MVP favorite at the moment, Ellsbury is the difference between it being above average and dynamic.

As for Ortiz, perhaps he believes he is captain of the roller derby instead of the home run derby. How else to explain his eagerness to commit a suspendable transgression in a blowout when the health problems of the pitching staff makes it crucial to have the best offense available? Don’t give me that “heat of the moment” stuff; it was a selfish act. Hopefully he comes back from his vacation a lot smarter and with a better swing than the one he took at Gregg.

Is it unreasonable to ask Gonzalez to repeat his first half performance? Maybe pitchers have a book on him now, but he’s got a book on them, too, and he seems to have a Ramirez/Boggs ability to adjust.

Gonzalez’s greatness has taken some of the sting out of the Carl Crawford signing. Any theories that Crawford couldn’t possibly be as bad in the second half as he was in the first go out the window until he shows he’s at 100 percent when he comes back and the hamstring isn’t a lingering issue. Otherwise, he’s a rich Billy Hatcher.

Yet no muscles mean more to the Red Sox’ future than Jon Lester’s lat and whatever is flaring up in Clay Buchholz’s back. They must be healthy and at least as effective as they were April-late June for Boston to play deep into October.

As it stands today, Tim Wakefield is the healthiest starter on the Red Sox. Wakefield has been one of the pleasant surprises of the first half, but expecting him to hold up through the next three months given his age and recent history is risky.

Not as risky, of course, as putting a baseball in John Lackey’s right hand and sending him to the pitchers’ mound. Unfortunately, we’re stuck with him. He’s not going to the bullpen. He’s not getting sent to Pawtucket. He’s the No. 5 starter as long as he stays healthy.

Put it this way — if the Red Sox are in the trade market for another starter, it’s likely they think they’ll need him to replace an injured Lester or Buchholz rather than a healthy Lackey. A depressing thought, I know. It’s also the more likely scenario.

Now, if Lester and Buchholz come back throwing darts and Beckett and Wakefield stay healthy and Miller is the real deal, maybe Lackey can play right field. The demonstrative Lackey would be the opposite of J.D. Drew in every way, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.