As we approach the MLB All Star break, the midpoint of the fantasy baseball season, it’s time to start thinking about who we want to look at for potential second-half surges. Try as we might, there is really no statistical evidence that says anyone in particular is a traditional second-half performer, so we have to look at some of the usual indicators we use to simply show that current under-performance is not the norm and a boost in totals is potentially on its way. Things like BABIP certainly can help, as well as current monthly splits which show steady improvement. Mitigating circumstances always need to be included as well.

We’re definitely not looking at an exact science, but by use of some of the indicators, we’ve created a list of some potential trade targets you may want to look into for a possible second-half surge.

Stephen Vogt, C MIL – It’s been a rough year for the veteran backstop as a .217 average with just four home runs and 20 RBI got him DFA’d by the A’s last week. However, the Brewers believe there’s still plenty left in the tank and didn’t hesitate to pick him up and send struggling rookie Jett Bandy down to the minors. Vogt may need the rest of the first half to get comfortable with his new home and his new battery-mates, but he’s got some really nice bounce-back potential here. The new home park is much more hitter-friendly and a few extra lucky bounces should help push that .242. BABIP north just a bit. He’s certainly capable of batting above .250 for the duration of the season and if he can kick in 10-12 HR the rest of the way, he’s doing just fine for you and for the price he’ll cost to acquire him.

Carlos Santana, 1B CLE – He’s a career .362 OBP guy, so when I look at a 14-percent K-rate with a 12.0-percent walk rate, I don’t believe he’s cooked. Everything about his numbers says that a turnaround is coming, though perhaps he needs to tweak the swing for a better launch angle and start hitting more fly balls. That’s really the only number (his FB%) that seems off. I’m not looking for some unrealistic surge that puts him near last year’s 34-homer total, but he’s sitting at nine right now and I still think 20-25 is in the realm of possibility here. If you can sacrifice a little batting average…and really…anyone can…then make a move for him and reap the benefits of his power and an Indians surge.

Ian Kinsler, 2B DET – Given the 10.4-percent walk rate, the 12.2-percent strikeout rate and both swing and contact rates close to career norms, Kinsler’s struggles can certainly be deemed as unlucky. His .256 BABIP is 30 points lower than his career average and it’s difficult to imagine his infield fly-ball rate is going to remain as high as its current 17.3-percent mark. You could certainly assume that at age-35 his skills are in decline, but he hardly seems to be the type of player who would just fall off a cliff like this. Maybe it’s the fact that the entire lineup has also struggled around him at times, but steady improvements in his OPS and wOBA provide hope for improved play in the future. You certainly can’t expect a return to last season’s power numbers, but a return to the 15-20 home run range appears to be plausible. If you’re an owner, you can simply stick with him, but if not and there’s a frustrated owner in your league, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to kick the tires on a potential trade and see if you can’t reap the benefits of a second-half surge.

Brandon Crawford, SS SF – Remember that scene in The Natural where the Knights bring in a sports psychologist who informs the team that losing is a disease as contagious as the Bubonic Plague? You can swap out the Knights for the Giants and put Crawford right at the forefront of a struggling lineup yearning to break out. The high swing rate, coupled with an increase in swings at pitches outside the zone, indicate that he is pressing right now and consequently, we’ve seen a spike in his ground ball rate and a near 30-point drop in his BABIP this year. His swings-and-misses have also gone up as he’s probably looking to regain his lost power-stroke and the All Star break can’t come soon enough. Perhaps the time off will help him clear his head and right the ship, so taking a chance on an improved second half doesn’t seem too far-fetched here. With four more years remaining on his $75M extension, he’s not likely to be traded, so don’t expect any additional distractions and as the team adjusts its roster in the second half, look for him to help lead the youngsters who will adorn the roster soon enough.

Maikel Franco, 3B PHI – I hate to keep going back to BABIP numbers, but it’s hard not to think some bad luck and a spike in his ground ball rates are the cause of his first-half struggles. His swing rates indicate he is neither pressing nor up there hacking away at the plate right now, but he needs to improve on his pitch selection as he’s obviously struggling with the increased number of sliders he’s been seeing. With the proper adjustments, he should be able to see greater success at the plate and trade in some of those grounders for fly balls heading out the yard.

A.J. Pollock, OF ARI – Injuries always seem to derail this guy, so trading for him is going to require a leap of faith and the acceptance of some serious risk. But if he does manage to stay healthy and the Diamondbacks continue to be as aggressive on the bases as they’ve been this season, he could prove to be a huge boost to your stolen base totals. His ISO numbers don’t indicate a resurgence in the home run department, but he’s still more than capable of banging another 10 or so over the next three months, especially with half his games played at Chase Field and a few more trips to Colorado on the schedule. He’ll be tough to pry away from his owner as we all still seem to believe in him but maybe if you talk up the risk factor you can loosen their grip a little and reduce the price tag.

Gregory Polanco, OF – Following Polanco’s season has been like playing a game of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. The season opened with a shoulder problem and it’s somehow traveled down his body to the groin, the hamstring and, most recently, the ankle. With any luck he’ll finish the first half with a toe issue and it will be purged from his body in time to start the second half on a much more positive note. Just like with Pollock, it’s going to require a leap of faith with Polanco, but he’s still a tremendous power/speed threat and, if healthy, should deliver strong second-half totals.

Randal Grichuk, OF STL – This is going to be sort of a preview of my column in Saturday’s New York Post as I compared the demotion of Grichuk this year to that of Mike Moustakas back in 2014. Not all players are capable of embracing the re-education of hitting fundamentals down in the minor leagues, but just as Moose did then, Grichuk worked his ass off to earn a recall here at the tail end of June. It appears that manager Mike Matheny has some restored confidence in him and the left field job has been given back to the third-year outfielder. As a reward for bringing him back, Grichuk has hit .318 with three home runs, nine RBI and six runs scored over the first five games of his second tour of duty this season and appears primed to maintain a high level of power with his improved plate discipline. If he’s somehow still on your waiver wire, he definitely deserves a place on your roster.

Jose Quintana, SP CHW – Man, this White Sox fire sale can’t come soon enough. I’ve never doubted Quintana’s talent, but the struggles through the first two and a half months of the season have been tough to take. He’s starting to come out of it with three-straight quality starts, a 17-inning scoreless streak and improved K-rate, but the real fun is when he finally gets traded out of Chicago. The hope is that he lands somewhere in the NL, but not Arizona or Colorado, and if so, you can expect that strikeout rate to improve even more. Rumors have the Braves kicking the tires here and although Sun Trust Park is playing very favorably to left-handed power, Quintana is a southpaw who is limiting lefty bats to a .268 wOBA against him. Even if he stays in the American League and lands in a more pitcher-friendly environment, he should prove to be a huge asset for your fantasy rotation.

Alex Cobb, SP TB – He’s on a very similar trajectory as Quintana with four-straight quality starts and just five earned runs allowed over his last 27.2 innings. He’s been recovering fairly well from Tommy John surgery and his fastball velocity has been restored. His command has seen marked improvement over the past month and he’s starting to throw his changeup – a pitch he’s struggled with this season – more effectively lately. We’d like to see his strikeout rate revert back to the 20-percent range like he had prior to the injury, but for now, I’ll be happy with the solid command and improved ratios.