MLB All-Star Game: 16 of the Worst Post All-Star Game Player Drop Offs

With the All-Star game just around the corner, analysts and fans alike are debating the merits of players' first-half performances and deciding whether or not they're truly worthy of a trip to Arizona in July.

As is the case with every season, a number of players have gotten off to hot starts and will likely find themselves taking the trip.

What will happen from there will be just as interesting to follow. Whether or not it's related to a potential All-Star bid can't necessarily be determined, but it's apparent that in some instances a strong first-half surge could potentially spell trouble for a player's second-half productivity.

Gary Sheffield

Having posted a .303 average and going deep 24 times before the All-Star break in 2007, Gary Sheffield was poised to lead the Tigers to the postseason.

Injuries and a greatly decreased production would get in the way of his numbers however, as his post All-Star average was just .203 and he hit only four home runs in the 51 games he played in.

Chris Sabo

As a rookie, Chris Sabo hit the ground running after his April 4, 1988 debut. A pre-All-Star break average of .312 combined with 10 home runs and 35 RBI gave fans in Cincinnati a reason to believe they were looking at the future of their franchise.

Things didn't go quite as smoothly when the season continued, as Sabo posted an average nearly .100 points lower in the second half than the first.

Sabo managed only one home run after the break and failed to drive in 10 runs in the second half.

Mark Buehrle

Mark Buehrle was seemingly unstoppable in the early part of the 2009 season. The White Sox starter went 9-3 prior to the break, posting an ERA 3.66 and a WHIP of 1.186.

After the break, however, Buehrle was less consistent. He did throw an impressive perfect game in late July, but that was clearly the high point for him as he won only four games in the second half and saw his ERA and WHIP grow while his strikeouts per nine innings declined.

Kent Hrbek

After earning a World Series ring in 1991, the Minnesota Twins were riding a high into the 1992 season.

Kent Hrbek came out swinging that season to the tune of a .294 batting average and OPS of .900.

Hrbek wasn't able to keep up his pace, as his second-half average dropped over 120 points and power numbers dropped dramatically.

Dan Haren

Dan Haren was virtually unhittable early in the 2009 season. Going 9-5 with a 2.01 ERA Haren was selected to represent the Arizona Diamondbacks as an All-Star.

While still relatively impressive after the All-Star break, Haren's ERA was more than double his first-half performance and his walk totals increased while strikeouts decreased.

Nomar Garciaparra

After Nomar Garciaparra put a line of .358/.426/.578/1.004 next to his name during the first half of the season, things almost certainly had to regress some.

Sure enough, Garciaparra couldn't keep pace as his second-half line dropped significantly to .229/.286/.408/.694

Ben Sheets

After reaching 10 wins before the All-Star break in 2001, Ben Sheets was in prime position to become a 20-game winner and earn Cy Young consideration.

Sheets failed to continue his early season dominance after the break however, as the Milwaukee starter would win only one game in nine second-half starts. Additionally, Sheets' second-half ERA was nearly double the 3.59 ERA he earned in the first half.

Carl Yastrzemski

During the 1975 season, the Boston Red Sox were led early on by the efforts of Carl Yastrzemski.

His first-half offensive production yielded 10 home runs and 40 RBI en route to a .312 batting average and .895 OPS.

Things didn't go as smoothly in the second half of the season as the 1975 All-Star would bat just .212 in the second half and saw his RBI total cut in half.

Javier Vasquez

Javier Vasquez gave Yankee fans reason to believe in him early on in the 2004 season. With a 10-5 mark during the first half of the season accompanied by a 3.56 ERA, Vasquez was selected to represent the Bronx Bombers in the All-Star game.

His second-half performance however left something to be desired. A 4-5 record and 6.92 second-half ERA paled in comparison to his hot start.

Jose Canseco

Jose Canseco earned Rookie of the Year honors for his 1986 campaign with the Oakland Athletics. It may be a full season award, but the bulk of the damage done by Canseco can be traced back to the early part of the season.

Canseco hit 23 of his 33 home runs in the first half and of the 117 runs he drove in, 78 were driven in before the break.

Phil Hughes

After winning 11 games prior to the 2010 All-Star break, Phil Hughes was in great position to build on his solid start and help lead the Yankees to the postseason once again.

Whether or not the decline in production can be blamed on his All-Star selection isn't known, but Hughes undoubtedly saw his production decline as he won only seven additional games and lost six games in the second half in comparison to the two he lost in the first half.

Part of the decrease in production can be traced to his increased second-half WHIP and decreased strikeouts per nine innings.

Roy Smalley

After a blistering start to the 1979 season Roy Smalley found himself with a .341 batting average and .535 slugging percentage. Add to that the 65 first-half runs he drove in, and he was a shoe-in for a spot in the All-Star game.

Smalley's run was short lived as his second-half average dropped nearly in half, and OPS dropped nearly 400 points.

Brennan Boesch

The Detroit Tigers certainly expected a significant contribution from Brennan Boesch last April when he made his major league debut with the team.

It's not likely they could've possibly expected the first half he produced. A first-half average of .342 along with 49 RBI showed Tigers fans what he was capable of.

Regression to the mean was inevitable, and it certainly occurred as the season progressed. Boesch's second-half average was only .163 and slugging, on-base and OPS were around half of what his first-half production yielded.

Raul Ibanez

After posting a very strong start to the 2009 season, Raul Ibanez earned All-Star honors and represented the Philadelphia Phillies over the break.

His election was due mostly to his .309 first-half average and 22 home runs. In the second half of the season, his average was only .232, and his power numbers were cut sharply as his home run and RBI totals were barely half what they were in the first half.

Adam Dunn

Early on in Adam Dunn's second season in the major leagues, he was a run producing machine for Cincinnati.

With 17 first-half home runs and 54 first-half RBI, Dunn earned a trip to the 2002 All-Star game.

After his return from the mid-summer classic, his production took a nose dive. Dunn drove in only 17 RBI in 310 plate appearances as his average tumbled 110 points.

Francisco Rodriguez

Francisco Rodriguez is commonly discussed as a potential trade target of many teams looking to improve their bullpens this season.

Teams interested are certainly banking on him showing the form of his 2009 first-half effort.

K-Rod posted a 1.90 ERA and converted 23 saves in the first half of the 2009 season. After that, his numbers went in the tank, as his second-half ERA hovered just shy of 7.00, and his WHIP increased while he racked up a greater number of losses compared to the first half (in fewer appearances).