Sub-par stars poised to make second-half rebound

By Philip Lasseigne

As MLB’s biggest stars head to Anaheim for the annual All-Star Game festivities, the absence of scheduled games leaves the perfect opportunity for fantasy owners to look across their leagues and try to pry a player poised for a huge second half away from an opponent’s squad. Picking up a player’s stock when it’s low can pay big dividends, and is the best way to improve your team. Here is the list of three players at each position who are ready to make up for their slow first halves by putting up huge stats in the season’s second half.

Catcher

One of the overall least productive positions on the diamond, having a quality offensive catcher can make or break a fantasy team. Partially due to the new offensive forces on the Braves, Brian McCann hasn’t been relied on to put up his usual number. Don’t be fooled. McCann has driven in at least 87 runs each year he has been the Braves backstop, and although he only has 37 RBIs at MLB’s recess, he’s bound to improve those numbers, along with his uncharacteristically low .266 average. Yadier Molina is another interesting study on a slow first half. After gradually improving on offense every season he has been in the majors, he has been in a funk during the first half, batting a paltry .226 to go with 33 RBIs. While he won’t be the offensive force of a Victor Martinez or Joe Mauer, Molina should be good for his customary .280 batting mark along with around 60 RBIs and a solid OBP. Yadier’s equally slow-footed brother, Bengie, is only batting .257 to go with 17 RBIs, but don’t discount what being in the Rangers loaded lineup will do for him. Being in the middle of a division race and stacked lineup will help him to have a second half explosion to get back to his RBI-producing ways.

First Base

Even though it is the most stacked position in baseball, there are several players who experienced power outages in the first half that will come back strong in the second half. Traditional slow-starting Mark Teixeira may have owners down on him because of his paltry .241 average and 57 RBIs. Try and get him before he really starts to get hot. A notoriously streaky hitter, he always erupts later in the season and will get his average and power numbers back up to the norm. Prince Fielder is another curious case. One of baseball’s best RBI producers has 18 home runs so far, which is typical. The atypical is his mere 37 RBIs and .265 average. Being in the middle of the Brewers’ lineup with Ryan Braun and the surprising Corey Hart will help Fielder to get his RBI totals close to their traditional spot in the triple digits. Another player that will get his RBI and home run totals back to usual is the Astros’ Lance Berkman, who has had a subpar start of the year after starting the season on the disabled list. His average, home runs and RBIs are much lower than they typically are for the traditionally consistent Texan, but he should bounce back in a big way in the second half, even though he has a small supporting cast around him.

Second Base

Another position where statistics outside of average and runs are at a premium, several players can be expected to have stellar second halves after subpar seasonal beginnings. The Orioles’ Ty Wigginton is treading water with a .249 average and 44 RBIs. However, he has been in the center of trade rumors for the last several weeks, and with a move to a contender looking likely, those numbers can be expected to jump in a better lineup and clubhouse. Clint Barmes is another player that is poised to break out in the second half. The Rockies are ending the first half with a bang, and are traditionally a second-half team. The Mile-High lineup has some serious punch to it, and if hitting is contagious, Barmes’ numbers could really benefit a fantasy team. After getting off to a horrid start, the Cardinals’ Skip Schumaker has brought his average back to respectability, and since he is the team’s only option at second, will continue to get at bats and see pitches batting in front of Pujols and Holliday.

Third Base

After becoming the Giants’ most reliable offensive producer last season, the “Kung Fu Panda,” Pablo Sandoval has struggled in the first half with only 34 RBIs and 6 home runs. With the prodigal Buster Posey finally in San Francisco giving some more power in the lineup, it’s only a matter of time until Sandoval goes on a tear. The immortal Chipper Jones is another player that should be counted on for a big second half. Just like with McCann, the Braves no longer solely rely on him for power, and that lack of pressure on him should help him to better his 6 first half home runs and 33 RBIs. Just like with Wigginton, Miguel Tejada could be in for better second half number if he is given a bailout of his situation in Baltimore. A valuable piece of a contending team, Tejada could be counted on to more than double his 6 first half home runs and 33 RBIs if put in the right situation.

Shortstop

A position that many mangers put more emphasis on defense, it’s important to get the right player at shortstop. Jason Bartlett is one of the players primed to have a great second half. A career .280 hitter, Bartlett is batting a mere .224, which is bound to rise, especially being in the midst of a tight pennant race. While he may be unlikely to ever match his career-high 2009 numbers, it isn’t unreasonable to expect a .280 final average with a higher OBP and more total bases. The Oakland A’s Cliff Pennington has already bettered his RBI total from his sophomore season, and could be expected to continue his career-high pace in the second half if the A’s stay competitive in the American League East. In his fourth season, Yunel Escobar is batting over 50 points lower than his career average and is well below pace to reach his previous seasons RBI totals. However, he is a talented young player and will continue to play everyday, which will give him the chance to close in on his previous seasons’ numbers.

Outfielders

With so many outfielders, it is hard to pick just three who will take off in the second half, but these players are bound to better their early season pace. While the ink was still drying on his new contract, Matt Holliday got off to a terrible start for the Cardinals, only reaching 40 RBIs in the days before the All Star Break (while only driving in Pujols five times in the first half!). Holliday’s resume speaks for itself, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets back into his All-Star form and will end the season with his customary 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. After the Diamondbacks’ front office and managerial shakeup, Chris Young was moved to the leadoff spot where he proceeded to go 4-for-12 with three runs scored. His home run total is already on pace for a career high, but if he can move his low batting average up, he would be a steal for a fantasy team needing power and speed. Although he is getting up there in age, the Angels’ Bobby Abreu is having a slow season, especially for his standards. However, with Kendry Morales out for the season, the Angels will be relying on Abreu’s leadership and bat, which will mean his .250 average and 8 first half home runs will go up.

Starting Pitchers

The knock on Danny Haren throughout his career has been that he starts out strong, but fades late. Well, this season appears to be the opposite. He got rocked early, and enters the All-Star Break with an ERA of 4.38, which is drastically lower than it was early on in the season. His strikeout numbers are still high and he doesn’t appear to be injured, so if the trend continues, he could be expected to return to his traditional form in the second half. James Shields, one of the more underrated starters over the years, has a first half ERA of close to 5. However, with the domination of David Price and Jeff Niemann, Shields projects to be the Rays No. 3 starter, which creates more favorable matchups for him and a much better projection for the season’s second half. Just like Holliday, Red Sox starter John Lackey signed a big deal and faced uber-high expectations. After experiencing a bloated ERA early in the season, he has shown signs of improvement, as his ERA has lowered over the last few weeks. He could make for a good pickup late in the season because of his experience pitching down the stretch with the Angels.

 

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