Second Half Duds

Much unlike the last column, I would like to mention some of the players that won’t produce the type of numbers that their owners would like. In simpler terms: players that will fade. Now to find these players, I will look at recent statistics and compare it with the start of the season as well as previous seasons and other factors. However I’ll try and give an alternative so you don’t get too bummed if you see one of your “guys” on my list.

My first second half dud is J.J. Hardy. Now I like J.J. Hardy and I like seeing the Brewers turn it around, but I’d be surprised if Hardy ends up with 36 homers and 108 RBIs. The tell-tale sign for me is just comparing months. In April and May, the shortstop hit 15 home runs in 52 games equaling out to a little better than one bomb every four games. However, in June and July, J.J. only hits one out exactly one every nine games. His RBI total is going down along with the average monthly double totals. Although I don’t know if I would do the swap yet, keep an eye on upstart Troy Tulowitzki. I look for the power numbers to soar as Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe have been turning it up.

Jack Cust is not a guy I would necessarily depend on in the second half of the fantasy baseball season. He is in an 0-13 slump and a 3-27 one and is quickly lowering his batting average. His fifteen home runs is a decent total, but his 30 runs just doesn’t do it for me despite the fact that he has missed several games. I would trade him while you can get some value in return. A player that might breakout in the second half is Chris Duncan, whose numbers have just gone up and up and looks to have a great month of July.

Jose Valverde is a closer that I think might be somewhat of a dud in the second half. Part of it is not his fault as the D-Backs have lost 8 of their last 9 and may have cost themselves a huge chance of the playoffs. Valverde’s last save was all the way back on July 29 against the Giants and his last outing he gave up one earned in only 0.2 innings and got the loss. Keep in mind that his save total has gone done every month this year. I would expect a monster second half from the normally good Mariano Rivera as his Yankees look to make a run for the playoffs.