Six players who will help your bets after the All-Star break
By JON KUIPERIJ
Whatever the reason, some players don't produce to their potential until the second half of the season arrives.
Below, we've identified three pitchers and three hitters to keep an eye on down the stretch.
Pitchers
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
Hamels has gotten better in the second half the past three years. He's gone 17-9 with a 3.08 ERA after the break, compared to a 21-14 record and 3.71 ERA before the break. But his numbers this season don't compare to the past.
Hamels has struggled to a 5-5 record and 4.87 ERA so far this year. He's given up five or more earned runs in five of his 19 starts, while holding opponents to two runs or fewer in nine others.
Hamels appeared to be getting back on track in June with a 3.31 ERA in five starts. He then allowed 13 earned runs in 17 innings to start July.
The Phillies are reportedly pointing to the 262.1 innings Hamels worked last season as a possible reason for his struggles.
CC Sabathia, New York Yankees
Sabathia has lowered his ERA by more than a run (from 3.60 to 2.40) down the stretch the past three years. His 8-6, 3.86 ERA numbers so far are normal at this time of year but the Yankees are heating up, which should help his cause.
Johan Santana, New York Mets
Santana posted a 2.85 ERA before the break and a 2.89 average after the All-Star game over the past three years. But if pitchers are solely measured by wins and losses, Santana might be the best there is down the stretch. He is 23-8 after the break since 2005, compared to a 27-18 record before.
The Mets have been a disappointment so far this year posting a 42-45 record. The sit fourth in the NL East but if Santana turns it up again (the Mets won 10 of his final 11 starts in 2008), they could get back in the race.
Hitters
Adam LaRoche, Pittsburgh Pirates
The first baseman (.252, 12 HR, 39 RBI this season) might have the largest first half/second half dichotomy in the majors. LaRoche has hit nearly 70 points higher after the break the past three seasons, going from .247 to .314. He has also homered an average of once per 16.2 at bats in the second half, compared to roughly once per 24 at bats pre-break.
His increased second-half production, however, hasn't helped the Pirates. Pittsburgh has struggled to a 51-91 record after the break the past two years.
Robinson Cano, New York Yankees
Cano is a notoriously slow starter who usually heats up when the weather does. The second baseman hit .278 with 16 home runs and 105 RBIs in 945 at-bats before the All-Star break the past three years, but produced .337, 42 and 142 numbers in 751 at-bats after the break.
He is ahead of pace this season, however. Cano owns a .308 average with 13 bombs and 46 RBIs.
Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles
Markakis (.291, 8 HR, 57 RBIs) has some decent numbers this year but the outfielder's average usually continues to climb. He hit .285 before the break and .317 after the Midsummer Classic the last three years.
His power numbers (25 HR, 122 RBIs before the break; 34 HR, 139 RBIs after) are also up, despite having 131 fewer at-bats after the All-Star game. That didn't help the Orioles too much last year though after they went a dismal 22-45 in the second half.
Honorable mentions to David Ortiz (.284/58/182 in 830 AB before the break; .312, 54, 161 in 693 AB after), Ryan Howard (.255, 77, 222 in 934 AB before the break; .304, 76, 209 in 786 AB after), Troy Tulowitzki (.247, 12, 54 in 466 AB before the break; .299, 21, 97 in 616 AB post ASB).