Second-half Predictions/Projections

Yes, Josh Hamilton is good. Real, real good.

Yes, Josh Hamilton is incredibly inspirational. And uplifting.

No, Josh Hamilton is not driving in 162 runs this season.

Well, maybe. Pace dictates that he will, but he can't possibly keep this up. Right?

Well I'm not sure. But that's what I'm here for -- to speculate. Predict. Prognosticate.

So with this in mind, let's take a look at the players on pace to lead the major leagues in some key statistical categories...

Will they do it? Will they keep their pace up? Will someone overtake them? If so, then who?

• BATTING AVERAGE: Chipper Jones (on pace for .376)

Hitting is absolutely down this year. Across the board. But don't tell that to Chipper Jones, who had to slump these past few weeks to dip below a .380 batting average.

He's a terrific hitter, but he's 36-years-old and injury-prone, so I don't think he'll keep up this average. However, the fact that he DOES miss games will actually help him maintain his average. Plus, he walks a lot, which also helps.

His main competitors are Albert Pujols (.350), Lance Berkman (.347), Ian Kinsler (.337), Matt Holliday (.337) and Joe Mauer (.322).

Pujols is a beast, so you can't count him out. Berkman is a monster, too, and plays in a great park to hit. So he's in the race. Kinsler is in the midst of a 25-game hitting streak and plays in a great park surrounded by great hitters -- hence, he's in this race. Holliday is going to win a batting title eventually and plays in Coors: he's in. And so is Mauer, who has already proved he can win a batting title.

The biggest threat to Chipper, in my opinion, is Holliday. I want to pick him to lead the majors in hitting, but he's 39 points behind Chipper...so I'm sticking with Chipper (reluctantly) to hold on to win the batting title.

THE PREDICTION: Chipper Jones (.349)

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• HOME RUNS: Ryan Howard (47)

The safe bet would be to go with a Philly. But Howard or Chase Utley? Or Pat Burrell, even?

And what about Adam Dunn? Ryan Braun? A Marlins middle infielder? Lance Berkman? Maybe Josh Hamilton makes a push?

There are a ton of options. Click HERE to see full list -- 23 players have 19 or more, while Howard currently leads the majors with his 28 long balls.

Howard has to be the most likely winner. For starters, he's leading now. That's a good sign. And he's got Utley and Burrell in that lineup. Pitchers, well, PITCH to him, because of that protection and because they know they can get him out -- a .234 batting average and (ahem) 129 strikeouts prove that. Yes, 129. Already. Not a misprint.

Utley and Burrell rank third and fourth, respectively, in the ML rankings, but I don't see either of them finishing on top. Maybe Utley, but not Burrell.

Adam Dunn intrigues me, though. He's got 26, just two behind Howard, and plays in a park built for the home run. Plus this is no fluke: 40 in 2007, 40 in 2006, 40 in 2005 and 46 in 2004. Talk about consistency.

But Howard hit 47 last year and 58 the season before that. I'm not getting off that train.

THE PREDICTION: Ryan Howard (49)

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• RUNS BATTED IN: Josh Hamilton (162)

Hamilton leads the AL and the Majors right now with 95.

No one else in the AL has more than 70. Yikes.

Carlos Quentin's 70 for the White Sox ranks in a tie for 6th in baseball. Spots 2-5 are occupied by National Leaguers, and it's not like they're much closer to Hamilton.

Howard is second with 84. No other player is within 18 of Hamilton. Yikes, again.

Moral of the story? Josh Hamilton is a beast. And i don't see him losing this.

Howard is only 11 behind (certainly do-able) and is in a great lineup to make a run at Hamilton, BUT Hamilton's lineup is just as good -- if not better -- and that ballpark he plays in is a launching pad.

Carlos Lee or Lance Berkman could make a run, as well, but I would be crazy to not stick with Hamilton here. I may be stupid, but I'm not crazy.

THE PREDICTION: Josh Hamilton (147)

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• RUNS SCORED: Ian Kinsler (144)

I've said it a few times now...Texas' lineup is scary-good. That, coupled with Kinsler's beastly 25-game hitting streak and .337 batting average has led to his ML-high 84 runs scored and incredible 144-run pace.

That being said, Kinsler will not lead the majors in runs scored when it's all said and done.

Hanley Ramirez will.

Let me count the reasons why...

1. He's only four runs back right now, so no big deal there.

2. Kinsler is a great player, no question, but he's not keeping this up. He hit .263 last season with 96 runs scored. As a player he's much closer to the numbers he's putting up now, but he's not THAT good.

3. Josh Hamilton is a great player, no question, but he can't keep driving in Kinsler EVERY SINGLE TIME! Right?

4. Hanley has done this before: 125 runs scored last year and 119 before that in 2006.

5. Hanley is currently hitting 26 points lower than Kinsler. That gap WILL close, thus giving Hanley more opportunities to score, with Kinsler getting less.

6. Even though he's hitting 26 points lower, Hanley's OBP is almost identical to Ian's. More walks = more runs scored.

7. I rest my case.

THE PREDICTION: Hanley Ramirez (133)

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• WINS: Brandon Webb (22)

Wins is the most volatile stat on the planet.

We see guys pitch no-hitters and lose. Well, basically. We see guys give up a million runs and walks and win (I'm talking to you Dice-K).

We see pitchers hit the DL all the time.

We see guys have the worst luck (see Matt Cain, 2007).

Will we see Brandon Webb hold on to his lead? Won't be easy.

Take a look at the current leaders - 21 pitchers have 10 or more wins already, meaning 20 players are within just three of Webb's 13 wins thus far.

Basically, it's a total crap shoot. So how can we figure this out?

Three guys are just one back with 12 wins, but I'm eliminating all three from contention...Cliff Lee because the Indians stink, Joe Saunders because he can't keep this up and Edinson Volquez because, well, OK, he's still in.

At 11 are Mike Mussina (he's got a chance), Roy Halladay (ditto), Aaron Cook (no chance in hell), Kyle Loshe (ditto), Ervin Santana (could, but doubt it) and Tim Lincecum (he's so darned good that he somehow gets wins without any semblance of an offense, but his teammates will ultimately ruin his chances).

At 10, we have a slew of guys. Most notably we have Andy Pettitte, Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Ben Sheets and Daisuke Matsuzaka. They have chances with 10. Andy Sonnanstine, Gavin Floyd, Ricky Nolasco, Justin Duchscherer, A.J. Burnett and Vicente Padilla...don't.

A few people at nine intrigue me: Josh Beckett, Cole Hamels, Tim Hudson and Chad Billingsley.

There are a bunch of terrific pitchers at eight, but they are all out of contention. They are already five games back of Webb and would need to leapfrog 29 other pitchers. Good luck with that.

So. What now?

I see two frontrunners: Webb and Halladay. And strangely enough, both are on teams that are 47-48 and can't hit a lick.

So I'm going with Webb, because he has a two-win advantage.

THE PREDICTION: Brandon Webb (20)

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• EARNED-RUN AVERAGE: Justin Duchscherer (1.82)

Not happening.

Refuse to fully buy into this guy. I won't lie, the 71 hits allowed in 108.2 innings and the 0.87 WHIP are truly remarkable, but no way. Not happening.

He doesn't strike anyone out. He used to be a reliever. He plays on a weak offensive team. His home ERA (1.36) can't possibly continue. Not happening.

He does have a sizable lead over everyone else, though. But again, not happening.

So who will overtake the seemingly invincible Duchscherer?

Volquez? No, that ballpark is too hitter-friendly.

Lee? No, he can't keep this up.

Danks? No. See, Lee.

Marcum? No. Can't keep it up, either. And we don't even know if he'll end up qualifying.

That leaves Lincecum, Halladay, Dan Haren, Johan Santana, Zambrano, Sheets and Felix Hernandez. Everyone else is much more than a full run WORSE than Duchscherer.

Looking at track record, I'd be inclined to pick a guy like Halladay, Santana or Haren. Maybe even Sheets or Zambrano.

But I don't care about that. I care about who is the best pitcher on the planet right now. And to me, that is Mr. Lincecum. And the park he plays in certainly helps him. So forget you, Duchscherer (I HATE spelling that name). Not happening.

I'm going with the 5-foot-10 warrior. Watch out for King Felix, though, ladies and gentleman.

THE PREDICTION: Tim Lincecum (2.52)

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• STRIKEOUTS: CC Sabathia (229)

And that brings us once again to...Mr. Lincecum.

Because he's on pace for 228.

But CC has the edge. And not because he's on pace for one extra whiff. That means nothing. But because he gets to pitch the rest of the season in the NL. So does Lincecum, but CC amassed almost all those K's in the tougher AL. Just imagine what he'll do in the NL.

And if he has any starts against Philly in his future, you know he'll get at least four in each game (assuming he faces Ryan Howard four times). Kidding. Well, not really.

Other contenders? Sure. Take a look. But the guys that intrigue me the most are Chad Billingsley (he is a BEAST and no one is talking about him), Cole Hamels, Edinson Volquez and A.J. Burnett.

This is a toughy.

I'm thinking it's going to be CC. But I'm sticking with my main man Lincecum. All those K's will help him lead the majors in ERA. That's my reasoning and I'm sticking to it.

THE PREDICTION: Tim Lincecum (217)

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I'll be happy if I get one right.