The Bowling Green Hot Rods begin the second half of the 2016 season Thursday, hosting Fort Wayne (Ind.) for a four-game series.

The Hot Rods will look to build off a strong final week of the first half, when Bowling Green closed with six straight wins – including a four-game sweep at Fort Wayne – to finish 37-32.

If that momentum can carry over is one of several storylines to follow in the second half of the season.

Here are five things to watch for:

1.  Which team will the Hot Rods be in the second half?

Which Bowling Green team is the real Bowling Green team? Is it the team that closed the first half winning eight of nine? Maybe it is the team that won nine of 10 in one stretch in May?

Or could the Hot Rods be the team that lost eight out of 11 after the hot stretch in May? Is Bowling Green more like the team that suffered through a 2-12 home stretch?

Bowling Green will look for consistency in the second half with a few less lows and a few more highs.

The Hot Rods have shown to have an explosive offense, leading the Midwest League in runs scored and fourth in batting average, but the pitching has been middle of the pack at best. Bowling Green’s team ERA is 3.61, 12th in the Midwest League.

If the pitching and hitting can match up, the Hot Rods have the talent capable of being in the hunt for the second half.

2. How will the roster change before the end of the season?

One factor that could come in to play is who will be here for all, or even part of the second half.

Bowling Green’s pitching staff has already taken a major hit in the first half – with promotions to High A Port Charlotte (Fla.) for Henry Centeno, Jose Alvarado, Ian Gibaut and Yonny Chirinos.

Several everyday players are prime candidates for a second-half promotion. Shortstop Jake Cronenworth leads the Midwest League in on-base percentage (.426) and is fourth in batting average (.332). Catcher Brett Sullivan is tied for the league lead in homers (10), while leading the league with 51 RBIs.

Joe McCarthy, and Midwest League All-Stars Michael Russell and Kevin Padlo, are also everyday players who could see a second-half promotion, while Genesis Cabrera and Diego Castillo seem the most likely from the pitching staff to get a promotion.

3. Can the Hot Rods make the playoffs?

Bowling Green hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2013, a drought that it hopes ends with a strong second half. 

South Bend (Ind.) and West Michigan clinched playoff spots in the first half, leaving six teams to fight for the two postseason spots. The records will reset, with the final two playoff spots going to the two teams with the best second-half record, excluding South Bend and West Michigan.

Bowling Green was one of four teams that didn’t make the playoffs to finish within 5 1/2 games of division winner South Bend, so the Hot Rods figure to be in the mix.

4. Can the Hot Rods avoid the August wall?

Traditionally, when the calendar flips to August the  Hot Rods have struggled to play good baseball.

Bowling Green is 107-127 all-time (a .457 winning percentage) after July 31 – including 0-6 in the playoffs. 

The record during that time is worse on the road for the Hot Rods, the southern-most team in the Midwest League whose closest rival is four hours away. The long bus rides seem to get the best of BG, which is 50-65 on the road since the franchise began in 2009.

Last season the Hot Rods were 13-20 from August 1 on, including 6-11 on the road.

5. Will any more former Hot Rods make Major League debuts this season?

One of the biggest stories in the first half was the success of Hot Rods alum, with a half dozen former players making their Major League debuts this season.

Blake Snell, Taylor Motter and Ryan Garton debuted with Bowling Green’s major league affiliate the Tampa Bay Rays. Tyler Goeddel and Joey Rickard were Rule 5 selections that have enjoyed success in new environments, Goeddel with the Philadelphia Phillies and Rickard with the Baltimore Orioles.

Albert Suarez is currently in the rotation for the San Francisco Giants, after starting his MLB career in the bullpen.

A handful of former Hot Rods have a chance to make their MLB debuts in the second half of the season. Jacob Faria and Taylor Guerrieri are both on the Rays’ 40-man roster, although both on currently playing for the Double A Montgomery (Ala.) Biscuits.

Dylan Floro, Jaime Schultz, and Johnny Field are among the players that are currently playing – and enjoying success – in Triple A.

— Follow Bowling Green Hot Rods reporter Micheal Compton on Twitter @mcompton428 or visit bgdailynews.com.