For some under- and overperformers like Alcides Escobar, luck has been a significant contributor.

In spite of rock solid skills, many wondered how Hiroki Kuroda (RHP, NYY) would fare after leaving the NL West for the rough and tumble AL East. Dodger Stadium is certainly more favorable to pitchers than the harsh confines of new Yankee Stadium, but you'd hardly know it looking at Kuroda's seamless transition into his new surroundings.

Despite their mediocre surface stats, these starting pitchers make for good mid-season targets.

This week's collection of free agent talent is a much improved over the usual bunch of jetsam. This is jetsam worth bidding upon. Upon worth bidding. Bidding worth—oh, you get the idea.

We may be halfway through 2012. But with the exception of his uniform colors and home ballpark, it seems very much like 2009 to Aaron Hill (2B, ARI). The veteran infielder is having a resurgent season, combining power with a .300 average and flashing some speed.

Anaheim has assembled one of the premiere starting rotations in baseball and Ervin Santana (RHP, LAA) has been an important part of that collective. Yet after a strong performance in 2011, Santana has struggled with consistency this season and his numbers paint an unsightly picture...

DET, MIN, OAK, CHC, MIA, NYM (and Little Jerry Seinfeld) ...

For whatever reason, it took some time for Mat Latos (RHP, CIN) to gain his bearings in Cincinnati after an off-season trade. As we head towards the second half, his 5.97 ERA and 35 BPV from April are a thing of the past.

Batting's core skill is to hit the ball hard. We checked batters for Hard Contact Index (HctX) over the last few weeks.

There were many questions about the Red Sox at the outset of the 2012 season and the matter of whether or not Alfredo Aceves (RHP, BOS) could handle the closer's role was prominent among them. Boston still has its share of issues as a franchise, but they have also found their closer...

The starting pitcher who posted the best skills in June might surprise you.