It’s hard to believe that the fantasy baseball season has rounded the final turn and is heading into the home stretch. All the advice you got from “experts” has landed you in a respectable seventh or eighth place and your girlfriend is more than likely poised to finish off her championship run after only drafting players who would more than likely make the cover of “Tiger Beat” magazine. However, despite the season-long struggles you may have faced with your time or an opponents, this is certainly the time of the year when everything matters. The time when every extra base, every strikeout and ever swipe of the bag can move you one step closer to that coveted trophy and/or prize money. As time ticks away, do what you can to deal for these 11 studs who will finish strong in their respective position.

Starting Pitcher Bartolo Colon Oakland Athletics

This spot could have gone any number of ways depending on which stat you want to focus on. For wins, no doubt it would be Detroit Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer at 16-1. For WHIP, it’s hard to look past Matt Harvey of the New York Mets at 0.88. And for strikeouts, both. However, when it comes to a total package pitcher who isn’t losing many games, giving up very few earned runs, works fast and is blazing the Majors in quality starts, there are few better than Oakland Athletics pitcher Bartolo Colon. Colon is 14-3 on the year with a 1.12 WHIP, but will less than half of the strikeouts as Scherzer and Harvey. But what he lacks in overpowering batters he makes up for in total control of a game. As each game goes on he has improved significantly. Expect Colon to finish the season with at least six more wins under his belt and a drop in his ERA from 2.50 to 2.12.

Relief Pitcher Mark Melancon Pittsburgh Pirates

After the loss of closer Jason Grilli a major question mark was placed atop the Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen and very few thought that the team would continue their storybook season as they try to end their 21-year playoff drought. Apparently Mark Melancon didn’t get that memo. Prior to stepping into the closer roll Melancon was already dominating as one of the best setup pitchers in the Majors with 26 holds. Since taking over as closer, Melancon has converted six of seven saves and maintained a 0.86 ERA and 0.80 WHIP. There is little-to-no doubt that the Pirates will finish what they’ve started with a trip to the postseason. If given the chance, expect Melancon to stay hot and convert at least nine more saves by season’s end.

Closer Joe Nathan Texas Rangers

Just when you thought the Texas Rangers were out of the playoff race, they’ve pull within inches of the Athletics, and a lot of it has to do with smart, solid pitching down the stretch from closer Joe Nathan. So far this season Nathan has converted 33 of 35 save opportunities, very rarely allowing any runs, let alone anyone on base. His WHIP of 0.90 puts him in a tie for at the top with Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrel and his 1.58 ERA is also in the top-five. If the Rangers stay hot, expect Nathan to record over 40 saves in 2013.

Catcher (DH) Victor Martinez Detroit Tigers

Despite a very, very rusty start, the Victor Martinez of old has come back with a vengeance. First off, the great thing about Martinez is that he is still considered a catcher, which is perfect since 92.4 percent of his games played have been as the designated hitter. But that aside, Martinez has been hitting .390 in the last month, which includes 27 singles, 11 doubles, three home runs along with 20 RBI and 12 strikeouts. Martinez is currently hitting .276 with nine home runs and 65 RBI. At this pace, expect Martinez to finish with a .292 average, 13 home runs and possibly 94 RBI.

First base Edwin Encarnacion Toronto Blue Jays

If there was a first half winner, it would definitely go to Baltimore Orioles first baseman/outfielder Chris Davis; however, games are not won in the first half. Since the All-Star break there have been fewer players to dominate the way that Edwin Encarnacion has. In just the last month Encarnacion is hitting .305 with six home runs, five doubles, has knocked in 18 runs, scored 15 himself and stolen three bases for fun. On top of that, he’s only struck out six times. Despite only hitting .280 on the season with 29 home runs and 88 RBI thus far, expect Encarnacion to boost his batting average to at least .295 with 35 home runs and 105 RBI before the end of the campaign.

Second base Robinson Cano New York Yankees

This one was tough because there is a small cluster of guys fighting tooth and nail to be the best offensive second baseman on the season; however, Robinson Cano has a slight edge. In the last month Cano is the only second baseman to hit over .300 (.315) and walk more than 12 times (16). Cano has also brought in the most runs (22) and has hit a modest four home runs. Even though he and the New York Yankees won’t be seeing much of the postseason this season, expect him to keep pace and finish strong with at least a .298 average, 26 home runs and 90 RBI.

Third base Adrian Beltre Texas Rangers

Even though it’s been the Miguel Cabrera show all season long, as time has proven again and again the second half always seems to belong to Adrian Beltre. An All-Star snub, along with Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson, Beltre has been on fire over the last month, batting .369 with nine home runs, 25 singles, 19 RBI and only six strikeouts. In average, only the Seattle Mariners’ Kyle Seager has him beat with .396. Last season Beltre’s second half helped him finish in third place for the American League MVP award. This season, if the Rangers make the playoffs, expect Beltre finish in the top-three for the hardware again. He’s currently hitting .320 with 24 home runs and a modest 65 RBI. Expect the average to hum around the same number, but his home runs to get above 30 and his RBI to climb over 80.

Left field Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels

There isn’t much that Mike Trout can’t do, even when he was moved from centerfield to left field upon the arrival of Josh Hamilton. In some cases a position switch, even something so slight, can spell doom for a player/team, but this is Mike Trout we’re talking about. In the last month Trout has been one of four notable left fielders to hit above .300; not only that, he’s killing it at .379, pushing his season average to .329. In that span he’s managed to hit 21 singles, six doubles, two triples, four home runs, bring in 14 runs, score 16 of them and walk 14 times. At this pace his average will surely get up to al least .335 and he’ll add at least seven more home runs to his 18 thus far.

Center field Andrew McCutchen Pittsburgh Pirates

For most of the season Andrew McCutchen wasn’t exactly playing like the McCutchen of 2012, but at the same time he was the only offense the Pirates had outside of Starling Marte. In the last month McCutchen has been spraying baseballs all over the field: 20 singles, four doubles, two triples, and six home runs while knocking in 17. He’s also swiped five bags and scored 16 runs. In this time he was finally able to get his average up over .300 (.307) and be sure to expect to see it continue to rise to at least .318 by seasons end. You can also expect to see at least seven more stolen bases and six more home runs, pushing it to 21 on the year.

Right field Jayson Werth Washington Nationals

This one was an edge by the slimmest of margins with Tigers’ right fielder Torii Hunter coming in a respectable second place; however, Jayson Werth has been one of the best hitters in the Majors over the last month. The Washington Nationals haven’t really shown resemblance to their 2012 team, but Werth is doing all that he can to keep their playoff hopes alive. In the last month Werewolf has hit .385 with 24 singles, seven home runs and 22 RBI. He’s also walked 15 times, scored 17 times and only struck out 14 times. With a .316 average under his belt, expect it to keep rising to at least .328. He’ll hit a few more home runs, maybe five at the least, but he’ll continue to knock in runs for the Nats, roughly 23 more by season’s end.