The second half of the season is finally under way, and Fantasy Baseball owners are now re-adjusting their lineups in an attempt to win a spot in the playoffs. To help you along with the shuffling of players, let’s take a look at the Week 16 Start/Sit.

Starting Pitcher to Start

They’ve called 2010 “The Year of the Pitcher,” and rightfully so. We’ve seen our share of no-hitters and perfect games, and this past week we nearly witnessed another. On the mound for the Cincinnati Reds, rookie Travis Wood dazzled the Philadelphia Phillies, mowing down hitter after hitter until the ninth inning, when Carlos Ruiz hit a leadoff double.

Although Wood will not be remembered in the history books, he will be in the minds of fantasy owners. So far this season, Wood is 0-0 with a 2.18 ERA and 17 Ks. With a solid Reds offense behind him led by the likes of Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Scott Rolen and company, odds are that he should get solid run support for the second half. Add on the fact that he is only owned in 34 percent of CBS leagues (he is only started in eight percent), and you have yourself a solid pickup and start for fantasy Week 16.

Hitter to Start

In an attempt to run away with the AL West, the Texas Rangers pulled off a massive trade that shook the sports world. In a deal that brought former Seattle Mariners “ace” Cliff Lee to the Rangers, Texas sent off a multitude of prospects, one of whom was young first baseman Justin Smoak.

So why am I mentioning this here? Simple. Former starting first baseman Chris Davis is now back in the picture, and he should be staying there for a while. So far this season, Davis is hitting .214 with two RBI, two Rs and a SB in 56 at-bats.

Some of you may be wondering why I failed to mention the “Home Run” category. That is because there aren’t any to date. This shouldn’t be a problem going forward, though, as Davis’ uppercut swing and well-known power should have him producing in no time. Also, having guys like Ian Kinsler, Vladimir Guerrero, Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and Nelson Cruz around you is never a bad thing.

Reliever to Start

As the second half of the season begins, people in Houston are still wondering, “When will things turn around?” The Astros have struggled mightily in every phase of the game since Opening Day; however, things may be looking up for the bullpen. Recently, closer Matt Lindstrom has been on a tear. He has converted 10 of his last 11 save opportunities, posting a 1.50 ERA over that span. For the year, he is 2-1 with a 2.80 ERA, 31 Ks and 21 SVs. With him only being started in 56 percent of CBS leagues, things need to change in Week 16.

Youngster to Start

As many of us fantasy owners are now aware, Chicago White Sox “ace” Jake Peavy is out for the remainder for the 2010 season (before the season, I tried to warn all of you; I said he would be a “bust,” and what do you know?). So now the question is this: Can his replacement, top prospect Daniel Hudson, perform well in his spot?

If we are basing this analysis off his Major League debut, then my answer would be “no”; however, I am here to look at the positives. Hudson is known to be a strikeout pitcher, recording 10.4 Ks per nine innings with a 3.47 ERA at Triple-A Charlotte. Also, you’re not usually named the organization’s top prospect if you can’t perform, so I’d like to see a little more out of this youngster at the big league level. Monitor his progress as he makes a few more starts for the Sox. If he begins to perform well, then stick him into your fantasy rotation.

Bonus Start

It’s time for our weekly “Bonus Start”!  This week, we are taking a glance at Baltimore Orioles left fielder Corey Patterson. Patterson, who is hitting .289 with five HRs, 21 RBI, 28 Rs and 16 SBs, took over for the injured Brian Roberts in the Orioles’ leadoff spot, and he hasn’t looked back since. Whether it’s hitting a game-tying, ninth inning grand slam in Texas or swiping bags and crossing the plate, one thing is for certain: As of late, Patterson can do it all. Let’s just make sure he is racking up points for your squad in Week 16.

Starting Pitcher to Sit

It’s amazing how quickly some pitchers can die off. Over his first seven starts in the 2010 season, Dodgers starter John Ely was flying up the fantasy charts. During that time span, he recorded a 2.54 ERA. However, times have changed. Over his last two starts, Ely has allowed 11 ER in five innings of work, and because of this lackluster performance, the team has optioned the youngster to Triple-A to work on his mechanics. For the season, Ely is 4-7 with a 4.63 ERA and 59 Ks.

At this point in time, keeping the young starter on your roster would be a waste, so either try to sneak him in a deal or drop him entirely. As of now, he has little fantasy worth.

Hitter to Sit

Staying on the topic of guys that had hot starts, does anyone else remember Ivan Rodriguez’s .413 batting average in April? Let’s just say that it is nothing more than a memory now. In his last 19 games, Pudge is hitting a mere .203 and batting .248 overall since April. For the year, Rodriguez is hitting .298 with one HR, 27 RBI, 19 Rs and two SBs. With the past being a solid reference point, it is believed that Rodriguez will, once again, begin to decline as the second half progresses.

So here is my advice to you: Deal him while the numbers are still nice to look at. That .298 BA will be appealing to some fantasy owners, and you may be able to grab someone like a Miguel Montero or Matt Wieters in a multi-player deal. At this point, I’d take my risk with either one of those two youngsters, because it appears as though the veteran is going to wear out by year’s end.

Reliever to Sit

All I have to say about this next reliever is this: What happened? Last season, Seattle Mariners closer David Aardsma emerged as a young fantasy reliever for owners to hold on to. Now, people are trying to find a replacement for him when they let him go. So far this season, he is 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA, 28 Ks and 16 SVs. As sad as it is, the Baltimore Orioles’ closer, Alfredo Simon, is considered a better option at the moment (that is about as sad as it gets). It’s time to let go of the past. There is no reason for Aardsma to be starting in 55 percent of CBS leagues. Simple as that.

Youngster to Sit

On last week’s podcast, I considered Padres starter Mat Latos to be a “sell-high.” Well, it might be time to start selling. According to reports, Latos is not expected to pitch until July 25, with a stint on the DL slowly becoming a possibility. Because he will be off for 17 days, he may even see some time at Triple-A in order to free up a roster spot until he is needed back in the bigs. Need I say more?

To put it simply, stick the young “ace” on your bench until he returns. He will still prove effective until his innings limit for the season is reached, but before then, I suggest you throw him in a deal while he still has value.

Bonus Sit

It’s time for the weekly “Bonus Sit.” This week, we are taking a look at Los Angeles Angels starter Scott Kazmir. Kazmir, who is 7-9 with a 6.92 ERA and 60 Ks, recently got torched for his fourth consecutive loss, giving up a whopping 13 runs off 11 hits in a 15-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics. In his last 19.2 innings, he has given up 30 runs, accumulating to a 13.73 ERA over that span. For now, sit Kazmir until he returns to form.