MLB: Which Underachieving Stars Will Step Up?

In order to win a division title in Major League Baseball, stars need to play like stars. 

Baseball fans have seen this on display in the 2011 season.  Performances from the likes of Roy Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez and All-Star MVP Prince Fielder are propelling their teams toward reaching the first of baseball's ultimate team goals. 

But which stars, with big salaries and/or expectations, are underachieving and need huge second halves to lead their teams to victory?

Here are positive and negative prognoses of 10 stars who can help their teams win a division title.

Comment away, Bleacher Faithful, with omissions and thoughts. 

Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox

The $142 million man will be taking his talents to Triple-A Pawtucket (there are beaches there, I swear) before joining the Red Sox on July 18th against the Orioles. 

Prior to his hamstring injury, Crawford’s .294/.334/.441 line had the Fenway Faithful bewildered and if you can believe it, wicked annoyed.  April was brutal; May and early June were better.  

Look for Crawford to hit sixth or seventh in an explosive lineup that has thrived lately without him. 

Unfortunately for Red Sox Nation, it will take more time than the second-half allows for Crawford to develop his offensive identity on this prohibitive AL East favorite.

PROGNOSIS: Negative.

Zack Greinke, Milwaukee Brewers

Greinke is 5-0 at Miller Park, which, of course, draws one logical conclusion: Tastes Great, Less Filling, Fuels Fastball. 

This might also explain his hangover away from home. 

Since returning from an early season rib injury, Greinke, making $13.5 million in 2011, sports a 7.42 ERA on the road and a 5.45 ERA overall.

But as he gets healthier and more familiar with his new team, Greinke will settle down and pitch like the CY Young winner of 2009 lore. 

He faces an early second-half test with two road starts (one in hitter-friendly Coors Field, where at least there is beer), but if he maintains his outstanding K/BB ratio (6.19), Greinke will be the ace the Brewers need to remain in first place. 

PROGNOSIS: Positive.

Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves

Atlanta eyes turn to the young Heyward for a strong second-half performance because .226 with nine homers and 22 RBI will not cut it in this heavyweight pennant race (as of May 1st, he is hitting .198 with 34 strikeouts). 

With his ailing shoulder allegedly improving and media attention focused on the struggles of teammate and Mendoza Line All-Star Dan Uggla, Heyward needs to prove this sophomore slump is past him. 

However, if his teammates don't get healthy and productive fast, the inconsistency of the 21-year-old star will continue.

With Chipper Jones sidelined for a month and Uggla’s bat loitering in the lost-and-found, there will be too much pressure on Heyward in the lineup against very talented NL East pitching. 

Heyward's middle name is Alias, and he might need to select one (at least for Uggla) if this season ends in failure. 

PROGNOSIS: Negative

Phil Hughes, New York Yankees

After a long stint on the disabled list, the right-handed hurler prepares to propel the Yankees toward a familiar goal: the AL East title. 

Hughes may be rusty, but his July 6th start against the Indians is encouraging (two runs in five innings).  The velocity seems improved and a new curveball is in the works. 

The Yankees don’t know how long Bartolo Colon will stay breathing until he needs another stem cell martini (injected, not stirred); ditto for the ageless Freddy Garcia. 

That means the presence of Hughes is as important as ever to the Bronx Bombers. 

And Hughes, who has a lot to prove this season, will answer the call with a new power curve and good old conviction. 

PROGNOSIS: Positive

Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies

Jimenez has certainly improved in June and July (with few victories to show for it), but in order to return to ace status, he must reclaim his previous success at the frost-brewed and elevated moon park he calls home. 

From 2008-2010, Jimenez enjoyed a 24-11 record and 3.28 ERA at Coors Field, but halfway through the 2011 season, he weighs in at an alarming 1-5 and 6.24.  Can he recapture the home magic? 

The underachieving Rockies certainly hope so, and if Jimenez's three quality starts in the last four are any indication, he certainly will.

PROGNOSIS: Positive

Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays have a lot of work to do if they want to overtake the Red Sox and Yankees in the AL East. 

And no one is more important to their offense than Evan Longoria. 

A foot injury has him playing in significant pain, and his early struggles are admittedly peculiar, particularly his .191 batting average at Tropicana Field, and he's hitting .192 against lefties. 

However, his power has increased steadily through May and June, and his foot will continue to heal.  Longoria will keep the Rays in the hunt for the AL East crown. 

PROGNOSIS: Positive

Roy Oswalt, Philadelphia Phillies

Cast the Philadelphia pitching rotation as The Brady Bunch, and Roy Oswalt will surely be Jan. 

An underachiever in this first half, Oswalt finds himself on the disabled list seeking a second opinion over mild bulging discs in his back.

A spinal surgeon never sounds good unless you're making $16 million this year to foot (or should I say back) the bill.  While general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. predicts Oswalt will return by the end of the month, August seems much more likely. 

Given his pitching troubles coupled with the serious back injury, it is likely Oswalt will have difficulty returning to form, and in fits of familial jealousy, he'll utter that famous Jan Brady line, “Hamels, Hamels, Hamels.”

PROGNOSIS: Negative

Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

Albert Pujols is one of the most consistent baseball players in history.  That makes his first-half struggles all the more perplexing. 

His .280/.357/.500 stats, while certainly above average, are well below his career numbers at .329/.422/.618. 

However, now that he has officially revealed himself as Pujols the man-machine hybrid programmed to regenerate bone tissue at twice the speed of the insignificant 99.99 percent majority, is there any doubt he will have a monster second half? 

I didn’t think so.

PROGNOSIS: Positive

Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians

This surprising Indians team needs much more from fan-favorite Grady Sizemore if it intends to emerge victorious in the AL Central. 

The former 30-30 outfielder, making $7.67 million in 2011, has yet to steal a base and is currently hitting .231 with nine home runs and only 27 RBI.

While beginning the year on the disabled list, the fragile outfielder now appears healthy and publicly, has not attributed any pain to his depleted numbers. 

His struggles will continue, as it appears that years of said injuries have led to a significant drop-off in the power and speed that made him such a sexy prospect. 

PROGNOSIS: Negative

Vernon Wells, Los Angeles Angels

His 2011 salary is over $26.5 million, and he is hitting .222 with 34 RBI.  The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (of the United States of America of the World) are in desperate need for outfield production from both Wells and Torii Hunter if they are to contend with the Texas Rangers. 

Will it get better?  It hasn’t for a long time.  Vernon Wells is such a waste of money that Bono and The Edge should write a Broadway score for him by the end of the calender year.

PROGNOSIS: Negative