Time has come for our annual installment of “Second Half Fantasy Sleepers”. To use the overused cliche, who should you buy low? And who should you sell high?

Sell High

• Mark Buerhle - He’s pitching well right now, but last year he faded badly down the stretch. The White Sox don’t have anything to play for and with Buerhle’s new contract, he’s staying put in Chicago.
• Prince Fielder - It’s possible that he could keep up his torrid pace, but more likely he, and his team will slow down. I think his performance in the Home Run Derby and the error in the All Star game will haunt him. He’s young. If you’re in a keep league… disregard what I just wrote. Keep this fella.
• Curtis Granderson - This guy has benefited by being a part of the best hitting team in baseball. That won’t change, but don’t look for him to hit 12 HR in the second half, or score 62 runs.
• Daisuke Matsuzaka - He’s now been around the league. The book is being written about him. He’ll get pounded a few times. Get good value for him while you can.

Buy Low

• Ryan Braun - While I think Milwaukee will fade, picking up a youngster like Braun could solidify your infield at a very low price.
• Garrett Adkins - He started off slowly, but has been clubbing the ball lately. It’s also always good to hit at Coors Field.
• Jeff Weaver - Weaver looks like he has regained some confidence and has definitely regained his stuff. Look for Weaver to have a solid second half.
• Javier Vasquez - Possibly on the trading block so he will probably get dealt to a contender. He will give you innings, Ks, and with a new team in the hunt hopefully wins.

The fact that I totally missed on my prediction about the Home Run Derby seems so irrelevant now that my ears have been poisoned by Chris Berman. It’s obvious that ‘Boomer’ got the tour of the Bay Area. His incessant dropping of Bay Area landmarks in his ‘trademark’ home run calls made me sick (see below). One thing I did enjoy about the broadcast (and it’s really kind of difficult to come up with one), is that I think that Dusty Baker was making fun of Berman. He was definitely stepping on Leather’s toes with the infamous ‘Back, Back, Back’ home run calls. It definitely could have been Dusty just being the leader of the Get-along Gang, but I hope that it was Dusty adding a little wit, and humor to and otherwise blathering broadcast (and existance for that matter).

Below are the Bay Area landmarks that I caught. Please drop the one’s I missed in the comments.

• Coit Tower
• Sausalito
• Alcatraz
• The Presidio
• Stinson Beach
• The Golden Gate Bridge
• Burlingame

I think this year it will be a two horse race between Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder. Howard took the crown last year so he knows what needs to happen in order to win, but Prince is on fire this year. I definitely think it will be a lefty lifting up the trophy tonight. If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Prince Fielder. Who do you think?

With the first half at our backs, we sit at the All Star Break. The Chicago Cubs, after a monumentally disappointing first couple of months have reeled off enough wins to pull within 4 1/2 of the languishing Milwaukee Brewers. As I said after the Cubs swept the White Sox (and yes, I do just love writing that), the Cubs have reduced the gap to below 5 games. We all know that the Brewers are a good team, but I think we can all see that they have holes. They’re not the dominant team that they played like the first half. They limped into the All Star break going 3-7 in their last 10. They are vulnerable. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Brewers in 3rd place by the end of the season. I think they peaked about 4 months too early.

The Cubs on the other hand have seen their share of troubles. They’ve had their internal fist fights, gotten rid of the bad apple, and have righted the ship. With Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, and Aramis Ramirez holding down their lineup, the emergence of Mike Fontenot, and the yeoman effort of Mark DeRosa, the Cubs offense hasplayed very well. The Cubs pitching staff has pitched very well. There has been some worry lately at the tail end of the rotation. Rich Hill, and Sean Marshall have fallen on some rocky times. They’re young. I look for them, especially Hill, to bounce back in the second half and continue their strong efforts.

So what do the Cubs need out of the second half? Well, I’d say a consistent bullpen. This is where Jim Hendry needs to concentrate. The trade deadline is approaching at the end of this month, and Hendry has the money, the prospects, and the team in the hunt that is every general managers dream. Why not fleece the Pirates again and pick up Matt Capps. That would be a great addition to the club. Another great addition would be a solid right fielder. The name Bobby Abreu just came to my mind. Not sure I want him, but someone like that from a team thats out of it. Who do you think should the Cubs should pick up for the second half run?

Since Michael Barrett was traded on June 20, 2007, the Chicago Cubs are one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball (8-2). The NY Mets share the 8-2 record over the last 10 games. The Cubs and the Mets are only bested by the Seattle Mariners for the best record over that span.

Was this a case of addition by subtraction? Was Michael Barrett that much of a clubhouse dope? It seemed like he was a leader on the ballclub. Perhaps that all changed when he decided he wanted to fight everyone, no matter who’s team they were on. Either way, Barrett being jettisoned to the Padres has either prompted this sudden change of fortune for the Cubs or it’s a very peculiar coincidence.

It’s hard for me to bad mouth Barrett. He was my favorite Cubs player. But I do have to say, that I would much prefer the Cubs playing the way that they’re playing over having my favorite player on the team. Look at Brant Brown, I’ve moved on from that.

Jim Hendry and Lou Piniella are starting to seem like they know what they’re doing. Piniella is settling into a good lineup. And his players are now starting to earn their money. The emergence of Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot has given the Cubs reliable middle infield play as well as some timely hitting and a little speed more speed on the base paths. Mark DeRosa has proven that he is a valuable commodity that the Cubs were smart to pick up over this last offseason.

The Cubs seem to be clicking on all cylinders even though their bullpen is a little roughed up. Ryan Dempster being out has forced Carlos Marmol, and Bobby Howry into the closer role. They have both done really well. And as a final note, Will Ohman, I don’t care how many times you get Prince Fielder out, I still don’t trust you.

My time as a Mariners fan is admittedly short, but in the few short months I’ve experienced Seattle baseball, I’ve enjoyed. I’ve enjoyed Ichiro’s weirdness, Richie’s home run swing, timely hitting and a bullpen that is capable (if not brilliant). I’ve also enjoyed seeing Mike Hargrove manage. His lineups have been all over the map this year, but I have to say that the strings he has pulled have usually gone very well.

Mike Hargrove will probably not go down in history as the greatest manager ever (nor should he), but from what I’ve seen in my short time here, he’s a quality manager and more importantly a quality human being. Since he announced his resignation Sunday morning, many people have begun to speculate as to why he’s calling it quits. Personally I don’t care. He’s a grown man. He has himself and his family to answer to, not a bunch of mopes blogging about his personal life on the internet (and I would definitely put myself in that category).

Grover, I wish you and your family the best. Come visit in October.