That's what a large number of second-half success stories from 2008 are finding out less than a month before the 2009 Major League Baseball regular season begins.

The names Shin-Soo Choo, Felipe Lopez, Alexei Ramirez and Chris Dickerson might not ring the bells of every fan base throughout the Major Leagues, but that could change quickly.

These four players are good examples of those who drilled their names into the minds and everyday lineup cards of managers by sprinting to the finish line last year. With solid springs, they'll all have ample opportunities to complete the journey from bench warmers to breakout stars.

Naturally, a rundown of the best and the brightest after last year's All-Star break reveals the usual suspects -- hitters and pitchers so talented, consistent and reliable that their routinely prolific second halves merely follow equally impressive first halves. They didn't surprise anybody in the latter stages of 2008.

Manny was Manny, hitting .388 with 19 home runs and 61 RBIs in the second half, while Albert Pujols hit .366 with a 1.162 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS), 19 homers and 66 RBIs. Miguel Cabrera hit 21 homers and drove in 70 runs for the Tigers after the All-Star break. Ryan Howard hit 11 homers and drove in 32 runs in September alone.

Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett had huge second acts of the season, setting the tone for their monster free-agent hauls this winter.

But very quietly, stars of the future were putting it all together.

Choo, for example, is becoming an elite hitter for the Cleveland Indians at the age of 26. His second-half OPS of 1.038 last year vaulted him to a season total of a .309 batting average, 14 home runs and 66 RBIs in 94 games, and a closer look at his statistics reveals even more.

The native of South Korea destroyed right-handed pitching, with a .992 OPS against right-handers, which ranked ninth in the Majors, right behind Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Pena and Teixeira. He also compiled a .397 on-base percentage in 370 plate appearances and improved against left-handed pitchers (.286 average, three homers, 14 RBIs), which will get him the starting slot in right field in 2009.

Heck, even the soft-spoken outfielder knows growing recognition when he sees it.

"The first time I heard [the fans] in '06, I thought they were booing," Choo said. "Now, I know that they're just saying 'Choo.'"

Lopez had been hearing cheers and All-Star hype since coming up as a touted shortstop out of Puerto Rico with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2001. He kicked around with the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals after that, showing occasional glimpses of brilliance, like his 23-homer All-Star campaign for the Reds in 2005.

But when he was released by Washington at the July 31 Trade Deadline last year and signed by St. Louis, Lopez finally caught fire at second base, batting .385 with four homers, 21 RBIs, 30 runs, a .426 on-base percentage and a .538 slugging percentage in 43 games.

As a result, he inked a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and at the age of 28, he's slated to lead off and play second base for one of the most promising young teams in the game.

"Felipe is a great fit for our club," D-backs general manager Josh Byrnes said. "He can do a lot to complement our roster defensively, with his baserunning and what he can do offensively."

Lopez has a kindred spirit in Ramirez, although the 27-year-old second-year player for the Chicago White Sox is making the move from second to short after a scintillating rookie campaign.

Ramirez, a Cuban native, made it to the Major Leagues last year and showed why scouts loved him, but it took a while. Adjusting to American life and big-league pitching, he hit .138 in April.

But after a sensational second half, Ramirez finished 2008 with a .290 batting average, 21 home runs and 77 RBIs. He also hit four grand slams, a Major League rookie record, and he ranked among the American League rookie leaders in numerous offensive categories, including home runs (second), RBIs (second), total bases (second), average (fourth) and slugging percentage (fifth).

Now he's making the move to the primary spot in the infield for manager Ozzie Guillen, once a White Sox shortstop himself. And his raw offensive tools haven't been honed to realize their massive potential, Guillen claims.

"The bat speed is unbelievable," Guillen said. "You see guys on top of the plate like that, and all of a sudden, people think they can get by him. His bat speed is one of the best I've seen in a while, and that's how he creates so much power."

And then there's Dickerson, a career .255 hitter in the Minor Leagues who had never hit more than 13 homers in a season. Called up by the Cincinnati Reds last year to take the place of perennial 40-homer man Adam Dunn, who was traded to Arizona, Dickerson surprised a lot of seasoned baseball people.

Dickerson hit .304 with six homers and 15 RBIs after an Aug. 12 callup and now is projected to start for the Reds in left field in 2009.

"Taking that experience and mind-set into this year, it's almost like having a head start," Dickerson said recently. "You know what works, what approach you had and what it took to be successful at this level."

Dickerson isn't the only one who feels that way. His manager, Dusty Baker, was impressed with what he saw in the late stages of the season and thinks the playing time will prove to be extremely valuable for the young player.

"The fact that you did it, your confidence level rises," Baker said. "You think you belong here. He's always had the ability. Everybody was trying to figure out when he was going to put it together. When you look at him, you think, 'What took you so long?' It doesn't matter when you get it. The key is to get it and get it in time."

Dickerson is competing with several veteran outfielders for the job, but when he's asked how he feels about his chances, his answer could speak for all of the second-half wonders of 2008 who find themselves on the map in 2009.

"What's the point in coming out if you don't feel like you're going to win the spot?" Dickerson said.

"I don't come out here to sit on the bench."