Midseason checkup: Who will improve in second half?

	Robinson Cano needs to improve in the second half if the Yankees and your fantasy team want to be in contention. John Medina/WireImage.com

By John Rakowski, Special to SI.com, SportsGrumblings.com

The midpoint of the season is a good time to do a little maintenance. You change the oil in your car every few months. You see the dentist once a year. So why not do the equivalent on your fantasy team? The season is slightly more than half over, which makes "checking the oil" very easy. For example, you should verify your innings pitched is on pace with league requirements. Double your current innings and see if you're over the limit.

Also, doubling the wins, strikeouts, HR, runs, RBI, etc. makes it easy to judge a player's contribution against what you expected and what he's done in prior years. Doubling the stats will suggest that Alex Rodriguez will hit close to 60 homers. Don't assume that this automatically means he is a sell-high opportunity. A player's first-half pace does not lock him into a corrective second-half pace. A better strategy would be to look at a player's history and see whether he tends to improve or wear down after the All-Star break.

For Better

1. Adam LaRoche, 1B, Pirates: Most fantasy owners have given up on LaRoche, thus making him available in many leagues. It has been a slow climb to get his average up to even .239. If you look at his history, LaRoche is awful in April and gets hot in July. He's never hit higher than .214 in any April and he is a lifetime .310 hitter in July. LaRoche is a much better second-half performer and is a worthwhile pickup based on past history.

2. Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees: Don't despair, Cano owners. All is not lost despite the pedestrian numbers: .274, 6 HR, 40 RBI and 40 runs. Cano has been a better second-half performer in each of his first two big league campaigns. It was especially so last year, when he hit 40 points higher after the break. He saves his best for last with a .377 career average in September.

3. Barry Zito, SP, Giants: Some Zito owners have dropped the southpaw after his rough start in San Francisco. The conventional wisdom was that moving to the National League would be worth about a run to Zito's ERA. That's been the case, although it's in the wrong direction. Zito has a 4.90 ERA -- about a full run above his ERA with Oakland last season. Nevertheless, he has been a consistently better second-half performer. Over his career he is barely above a .500 pitcher before the All Star break. After the break he is 59-27 lifetime.

4. Ryan Howard, 1B, Phillies: Howard started the season slowly and had a DL stint in May but has improved steadily since then. If you double his midseason stats, he would appear to be far behind his 2006 pace. That would be misleading since at the midpoint last season his numbers were .278, 28 HR, 71 RBI and 45 runs compared to .256, 21 HR, 67 RBI, 39 runs now. His 2007 numbers may be down, but not as much as you might think. Last season he was a monster after winning the Home Run Derby, hitting .355 after the break.

5. Ramon Hernandez, C, Orioles: Hernandez's season has been compromised by injuries, hitting .236 with four homers in between visits to the DL. As a result he is available in quite a few leagues. Hernandez put up very good numbers for a catcher last season (.275 and 23 homers). Traditionally, Hernandez is much a better second-half hitter, batting 21 points higher after the break. He is worth a waiver pickup.

Honorable Mention

Aubrey Huff, 1B/3B/OF, Orioles: Huff appears headed for his worst season since 2001. His current six homers and .393 slugging percentage are very weak for a corner infielder or outfielder. His career second-half numbers in average, homers and slugging numbers all trend significantly better. He has some extra value as a utility man at three positions.

Rafael Furcal, SS, Dodgers: Furcal started the season on the DL and has been hot and cold so far this season. Furcal's best months are July and August.