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Wednesday July 4th, 2012 

Bernie Olshansky: As the All-Star Break is upon us, we begin to reflect on the first half of the season. While there has been some very strong pitching including multiple perfect games and no-hitters, there has been no shortage of the long ball. Here’s my top-ten list of first-half home run hitters:

10. Giancarlo Stanton (19), MIA

The only surprise about having Stanton on this list is why he’s so low. He got off to a pretty slow start but eventually turned it up. Many speculated that the spaciousness of the new Marlins Park would take away some power due to the deep power alleys, but Stanton has proved those speculations false. He hasn’t had a problem launching balls deep over the left field fence and has taken advantage of the away games. Expect this imposing figure to keep up his performance and possibly even reach 40.

9. Robinson Cano (20), NYY

No stranger to this list, Cano also had a slow start but had a ridiculous month of June hitting 12 homers. Cano plays in about the exact opposite environment as Stanton in Yankee Stadium. With a right field porch only 314 feet away, Cano has no problem putting up big numbers. Cano, too, will undoubtedly put up big numbers in the second half.

8. Carlos Beltran (20), STL

Beltran is probably the most surprising member of this list. He seems like he got rejuvenated after signing with the Cardinals this offseason. Beltran got off to a great start this year and has kept up his performance for the most part. He’s done more than enough to fill the gap left by Albert Pujols’ signing with the Angels. I wouldn’t count on Beltran to keep this up due to his age and his past health issues. Cards’ fans should just ride out this wave and hope it keeps rolling into the post season.

7. David Ortiz (21), BOS

Hitting bombs is all Big Papi is paid to do. This year, he’s had no problem doing it as he’s already hit 21 this year. In the American League East, Ortiz has a little bit more of an edge than hitters in other divisions, and has definitely used it to his advantage. He’s started off slowly in some years but this year isn’t one of them. Since he doesn’t play the field, Ortiz doesn’t have much of an injury risk, and the Red Sox should be able to count on him down the stretch.

6.Edwin Encarnacion (22), TOR

Probably the biggest All-Star snub, Encarnacion is up there with Beltran as a surprise. He’s always had that home run power but he hadn’t put it all together until now.  I can’t believe he didn’t win himself an All-Star spot with the numbers he’s put up this year.

5. Ryan Braun (23), MIL

At the beginning of the season, it was doubtful that Braun would appear on this list considering that the PED scandal was hanging over him. So far, he’s played exactly how he has in the past, maybe even better. With 23 home runs, he’s on the road to vindicating himself.

4. Curtis Granderson (23), NYY

After last year, a spot on this list is what anyone would expect. He made the necessary adjustments to his swing after a disappointing 2010 and used Yankee Stadium to his advantage as he fits right into the powerful Yankees lineup. Expect Granderson to put up big numbers for the second half.

3. Adam Dunn (25), CHW

Definitely the Comeback Player of the Year. Following a season of alarmingly low statistics, Dunn has regained his slugger form and is on track to hit about 50 homers this year (but is also projected to strike out over 200 times). Dunn is the epitome of a slugger with a lot of walks (64), an insane amount of strikeouts (126), a low average (.210), and a more-than-respectable amount of RBI (58).

2. Josh Hamilton (25), TEX

With a stretch like he had in May, there’s no doubt Hamilton belongs on top of this list. I had a hard time deciding if Hamilton would be number one or two, but if he didn’t go off for that week in May, he probably wouldn’t be this high on this list. In my opinion, Hamilton has the sweetest swing in baseball (along with Cano and Adrian Gonzalez), and is easily the most fun to watch in the Home Run Derby. If he stays healthy, he will be one of the main reasons why the Rangers will make the playoffs.

1. Jose Bautista (27), TOR

With a slow start as well, Bautista has recovered remarkably by reclaiming the Blue Jays’ team home run lead from Encarnacion. Bautista’s is also a nice story after having bounced through multiple organizations and then finally signing a big contract with the Jays. When Bautista first emerged as a slugger, I was skeptical as to whether his performance could be consistent from year to year. He quickly turned me into a believer after he strung three solid seasons together and emerged as one of the elite home run hitters.

Some honorable mentions to add to this list are Mark Trumbo (20), Adam Jones (19), Trevor Plouffe (19), and Josh Reddick (18). Trumbo has been a bit overshadowed by the signing of Albert Pujols and the call up of Mike Trout, but he’s had no problem producing. Jones has been great for the Orioles and is one of the main reasons for their success this year. Plouffe has been the surprise of the year coming out of nowhere and having a week like Hamilton. Reddick has been solid for the A’s and adds some nice pop to their anemic lineup. Reddick was also a little bit overshadowed by Yoenis Cespedes, but got attention when he started hitting as Cespedes went down with an injury. Disappointing is Adrian Gonzalez. Last year was a great season for him as he was an All Star and hit .338 with 27 home runs and 117 RBIs. This year is a lot different since he’s hitting only .272 with six homers and 43 RBI. There’s always hope for Gonzalez, and it’s probable that some of the guys on this list will falter at some point. But for now, their fantasy owners and fans can enjoy the ride.

***Today’s feature was prepared by Bernie Olshansky, MLB reports Intern & Facebook Administrator.  We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers.  You can also follow Bernie on Twitter (@BernieOlshansky)***

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