Juan Soto will finish the season with more than 40 homers, more than 30 stolen bases, more than 100 RBIs, more than 100 runs scored and more than 100 walks.

How many players in MLB history have compiled such a single-season stat line? Exactly two -- Barry Bonds in 1996 and 1997 and Jeff Bagwell in 1997 and 1999.

Not bad company for a guy who wasn’t even an All-Star this year.

Soto is a great hitter with -- in this particular case -- bad timing.

And that tends to happen in our game.

Have a great first half (or, at the least, a particularly supportive fan base) and you’ll forever have “All-Star” attached to a description of your season. But what about the guys who start slowly, or go dubiously uninvited to the Midsummer Classic, or are playing at a position especially deep in star tale

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