With the MLB season wrapping up the All-Star break this past week, many questions remain to be answered about the second half of the season. From a fantasy standpoint, the most important of those questions are who’s going to do well in the second half, and who is not. When considering these questions it’s important to look at the track record of few major leaguers to get an idea of some players that will break out during the second half, and some who will finally come back down to earth. Overall, I will give you my take on what players will help carry your teams to fantasy glory, and what players you may want no part of during the second half. I’ll do it two parts, the first being guys to grab, and the second being guys to avoid which I will put out in a later blog.

Second Half Studs (Players to trade for, Add or Hold)

Robinson Cano/2B/NYY- Cano is a classic case of a player that was drafted rather early in most fantasy drafts, but has proven to be nothing but a disappointment up to this point. As one of the top 5 second basemen taken in almost every draft, Cano was expected to continue to improve his numbers this year as a consistent part of one of the best offenses in the majors. After an extremely awful April in which he hit just .151, Cano has improved his swing in May, June, and July by hitting close to a combined .290 in those three months. This fact should be enough to get most of your attention, but enough it’s interesting to note that 2 years ago when Cano hit .342, he hit a whopping .365 with 11 homers and 51 RBI’s in the second half. During his career he hits 54 points higher in the second half, so if you can find an owner in your league that is down on his current .246 average then do your best to secure for your team the second half.

David Ortiz/Util./Red Sox- As most of you may know, Ortiz is one of the better hitters of the very young 21st century. He is one of those players that can bring you everything you want in a fantasy baseball player. He provides not only great power numbers, but also posts a very solid average each year to go along with his 40 homerun, 100 RBI power. The reason I put Ortiz on this list is not because he is usually better in the second half, because he’s actually almost even in every category come first and second half. The reason he’s on here is because of how consistent he is. I look for him to put up numbers similar to his second half campaign in 2003 where he smashed 21 homers and notched 55 RBI’s. If you can find an owner that is willing to part with Ortiz while he currently is playing in AAA and doesn’t want to hold on to his underachieved power and average numbers, then you need to do everything in your power to get a hold of him. Ortiz is the player that can carry your team to fantasy championship.

Paul Konerko/1B/White Sox- As one of the more consistent hitters from 2000-08, Konerko provides close to 30 home run’s and 100 RBI’s every year. He also has provided a very solid average in 6 of those 8 seasons. Last year, Konerko provided the power with 31 homers and 90 RBI’s, but failed to deliver on average by finishing at just .259. However, compared to the .217 average he’s currently carrying, .260 doesn’t seem that bad. I hope that you agree with that idea, because I feel like Konerko should finish the season at around the .260 clip. Not only will he improve his average but his power numbers will also get better, as he is a hitter that is too good to be doing this bad. I expect close to an ‘05 second half repeat, as he will hit around .330 with 20 home runs and close to 50 RBI’s as the White Sox close out their season.

Jeff Francoeur/OF/Braves- Jeff is one guy that I might be taking a risk by saying that he is going to break out the awful slump that had him sent down to AAA at one point this year. The reason that I put him on the list of players to get though, is because his value in the fantasy baseball world is the lowest it has ever and will ever be. He’s underperforming so bad that he might even be on the waiver wire for some of you. If this is the case then grab him now, and if another team in your league has him, then do your best to get him on your team. Francoeur was once called the “Natural” when he first came into the league, and there is no reason to believe that he can’t once again find the magic that earned him that nickname. Another reason for my optimism about him is that his second half batting average is 23 points higher than his first half. Trust me when I say that you can probably get this guy for cheap, and you should jump at the opportunity because his second half is going to explosive.

Jonathan Broxton/RP/Dodgers- Broxton gets brought into fantasy talk now because of his recent promotion to L.A.’s closer. With Saito expected to miss at least 6 weeks because of injury, Broxton will now be getting the nod in the ninth inning. The reason I bring Broxton into light, is because he most likely is sitting on many of your free agent lists or waiver wires. As the Dodgers hold’s man all season, Broxton has been relatively unneeded on fantasy rosters except for in leagues that count holds as a category. Now that he will be racking up saves, he is the kind of guy that can help you win your leagues if your lucky enough to grab him before someone else. Broxton averages more than a strikeout per inning pitched, and with a career 1.23 whip and .223 BAA, his future as a top tier closer looks very promising. Expect close to 20 saves for him during the second half, as even when Saito returns I anticipate he keeps the closers job.