MLB Power Rankings: Top 12 Batters, Post-Trade Deadline

The 2011 MLB season is now down to it's final months. With the trade deadline now passed teams are determined to play their best baseball of the season.

Contenders will certainly have to have their best bats firing on all cylinders down the stretch. With that said, one can expect these hitters to put up monster numbers in August and September.

Although not all of these men will make the playoffs, they will undoubtedly turn some heads and earn respect.

Here are the top 12 batters for the rest of the season.

Honorable Mention: Michael Bourn

The Atlanta Braves got a whole lot better when the traded for Michael Bourn on Sunday.

Michael Bourn batted .303 for Houston this season. In his last 10 games Bourn has hit .386. He leads the league in steals with 39 and has scored 64 runs. Expect to hear Michael Bourn's name everyday for the rest of the season.

Bourn will be tearing up the base paths in a Braves uniform. Braves fans should be thrilled with the acquisition.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun is simply to good to leave off this list.

The Milwaukee Brewers outfielder is hitting .375 in his last 10 games with seven RBI and nine runs scored. Ryan Braun holds a .322 average on the season and one can expect this number to stay true.

Look for Ryan Braun to remain steady and for the star to help his team make the playoffs.

12. Pablo Sandoval

Pablo Sandoval is a lean, mean, hitting machine this year. The addition of Carlos Beltran to the San Francisco Giants lineup is what will propel Sandoval's numbers the rest of the season.

Sandoval is hitting .304 thus far and the ball will be flying off his bat the rest of the way. Pablo Sandoval's numbers go as the heat goes and right now the thermometer reads hot. He hit .320 in July. Sandoval will be a menace to opponents the rest of the season.

The production from Pablo Sandoval will push the San Francisco Giants toward another World Series.

11. Victor Martinez

Victor Martinez is a professional at the plate. This year Martinez is batting .317 in his first season in Detroit.

Combined with Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, the duo may be the deadliest 4-5 combination in all of baseball.

The Detroit Tigers are trying to make a playoff run and Victor Martinez will ensure that down the stretch. Look for Victor Martinez to put up some serious numbers the rest of the way.

10. Troy Tulowitzki

Troy Tulowitzki and the Colorado Rockies are known to get hot the last couple months of the season. For Tulowitzki, this year will be no exception.

Troy Tulowitzki is one of the best players in all of baseball. His bat will speak for itself down the stretch. In his last 10 games, Tulowitzki is hitting .425 with nine RBI. Don't expect this man to slow down anytime soon. 

The Rockies are 10 games out of first in the NL West, but one should never count them out. With Tulowitzki playing his best down the stretch, the Rockies have a chance.

9. Dan Uggla

Dan Uggla had one of the worst first halves in MLB but has been red hot the second half. Uggla is currently holding a 21 game hitting streak and is beginning to win Atlanta Braves fans over.

With the addition of Michael Bourn to the Braves lineup Dan Uggla's numbers with continue to flourish. With Bourn on base all the time and Uggla's power the Atlanta Braves will be a threat to all opponents.

Dan Uggla will continue his roll the rest of the season. 

8. Joey Votto

Joey Votto is the reigning NL MVP and he will make a case for back-to-back honors the rest of the way.

The Cincinnati Reds are currently 6.5 games back in the NL Central but look to come alive behind Votto's bat.

In his last 10 games Votto is hitting .333 with 10 RBI and nine runs scored. Expect this trend to continue the rest of the season for Votto. The sky is the limit for this slugger.

7. Dustin Pedroia

Dustin Pedroia may be the hottest hitter in baseball right now.

Pedroia is hitting .309 on the season and recently had a 25 game hit-streak snapped. In his last 10 games Dustin Pedroia is batting .452 with seven RBI and 10 runs scored.

Dustin Pedroia and the Boston Red Sox bats are one of the most intimidating forces in baseball. Expect Pedroia to have an epic finish to the season.

No. 6: Hunter Pence

Hunter Pence looks like he is enjoying himself in Philadelphia and the Phillies will reap the benefits down the stretch. He has just made the best team in baseball better.

The highly touted outfielder is hitting .306 on the year. This number will skyrocket by season's end. Pence was in a bit of a slump before he got traded by the Houston Astros to the Philadelphia Phillies. All the trade speculation appeared to bother Pence.

Expect Pence to settle into Philadelphia nicely and rack up the numbers. Hunter Pence has 63 RBI to date, but expect him to reach 100 by the end of the season. He is batting fifth in that dangerous Philadelphia lineup.

Hunter Pence will produce in Philadelphia.

5. Michael Young

Michael Young has been a juggernaut all season. The Texas Rangers DH is batting .336 on the season and plays a vital role in the explosive Texas offense.

In his last 10 games Michael Young is batting an astounding .463 with eight RBI and 10 runs scored. The man has simply been unstoppable all season long.

If it weren't for Adrian Gonzalez and his ridiculous numbers, Michael Young just may be the AL MVP this year.

4. Matt Kemp

Matt Kemp is having a career year for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 26 year-old outfielder is putting up ridiculous numbers. As of now he leads the NL in RBI with 82. He is batting .317 with 26 homers, has scored 64 runs and has 28 steals.

Matt Kemp is batting .359 in his last 10 games. Kemp has hit the cover off the ball all season and there is no reason to believe that he will not continue to do so.

At this point, Matt Kemp is the NL MVP.

3. Adrian Gonzalez

Adrian Gonzalez will most likely end up with the AL MVP this year.

The Boston Red Sox are one of the top teams in baseball and Adrian Gonzalez is their best player. The man is hitting .357 on the season. Adrian Gonzalez has 90 RBI and 75 runs scored. He is simply amazing this year.

In his last 10 games Adrian Gonzalez is batting a colossal .535 with 12 RBI and nine runs scored. The Boston Red Sox have the best offense in baseball and he is a major reason why.

Adrian Gonzalez is batting .381 in the last 30 days. He has seven straight multi-hit games at the moment.

Do yourself a favor and check this guy out.

2. Albert Pujols

Love him or hate him, Albert Pujols is the man.

Pujols had a slow start to the season.The slugger is only hitting .283 to this point of the season but that number will be above .300 by season's end. He may end up leading the NL in home runs. He quietly has 24 at the moment.

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a divisional battle and currently sit second, 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. Albert Pujols will do all he can to put the Cardinals on top.

Expect some gaudy numbers from Albert Pujols down the stretch. He'll earn plenty of high-fives from his teammates.

1. Prince Fielder

Prince Fielder will be the top batter in Major League Baseball the final two months of the season. His team, the Milwaukee Brewers are currently atop the NL Central, holding a 2.5 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals.

The fate of the 2011 Brewers lies in their own hands. Fielder is in a contract season and will play some of the best baseball of his career down the stretch.

Fielder is batting .296 on the season, but fans can expect him to finish above .300 for the first time in his career. He has 24 homers and 76 RBI for the season. Those stats will be padded by the time it's all said and done.

Fielder will have to be better than Albert Pujols if the Brewers are to fend off the Cardinals and win the NL Central. It's quite fitting that August opens up with a three-game set between the divisional foes.

Bottom line is that Prince Fielder and the Milwaukee Brewers will be on display the rest of the season. Prince Fielder will not disappoint.