Remember, September brings callups

The Sky Sox just ended their season (70-69) but a few guys might not be done. It’s the home stretch of the MLB season and even if the Rocks aren’t going to make the playoffs, it might be worth calling up a few guys. Here’s an article done by a writer for MLB.com which delves a little deeper into the call-up pool. But here’s a few guys we think might deserve a little Big League action. They may not be ready but at least they’ll get a little experience to cap their year.

OF Seth Smith: .323 avg., 53 RBI, .426 OBP
1B Joe Koshansky: .294 avg., 29 HRs, 116 RBI
P Franklin Morales: 10-4, 83 strikeouts
P Cedrick Bowers: 6-1, 3.68 ERA, 73 Strikeouts, 63 IP

 
Remember, September brings callups
No. 1 pick Price could be most intriguing player to be promoted
By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com

Don't worry, backup is on the way.

On Monday, all 30 Major League teams will have the opportunity to expand their rosters to 40, dipping into their farm systems for some extra help. For some teams -- the Angels come to mind -- it's an opportunity to get some regulars some rest as the postseason looms. For others, it's a chance to get a boost, an energy charge, a last-minute contribution to the playoff push. For teams out of the race, it's an opportunity to give a long look at players who might have a long-term future in the big leagues soon.

Who are the most interesting names that could get a September callup? In the end, there aren't too many top prospects to discuss. Many -- Jay Bruce, Evan Longoria, Clayton Kershaw -- have been up for quite some time. Many of the others, such as Andrew McCutchen, don't appear headed to the bigs this September.

Part of that is because neither is on the 40-man roster of his respective organization. That's something important to remember when figuring out who might get the call. It's not that non-40-man roster guys never get called up in September, it's just that it's less likely. The other thing to consider are the Minor League playoffs. Some teams may wait to call some players up so they can experience the pressures of the postseason down on the farm before getting a taste of life in the bigs.

For the most part, the teams completely out of the race don't seem to have many intriguing names, so this discussion will center around teams who are still -- or are pretending to be -- in the playoff hunt.

American League
Tampa Bay: Perhaps the biggest buzz surrounding any potential September callup is here. Will David Price get the call or not? He's on the 40-man roster, but after zipping through two levels of the Minors, his three Triple-A starts have been uneven, at best. That being said, he's still 11-1 with a 2.24 ERA with nearly a strikeout-per-inning. Envisioning him in a Joba-like bullpen role has been fun for baseball fans everywhere. The Rays may decide to let the 2007 No. 1 overall pick start for Durham in the International League playoffs before making a decision.

Boston: Triple-A Pawtucket is in the playoffs; Double-A Portland could be headed there as well. That makes things a little harder to predict. Clay Buchholz could get the chance to play a September role again, though don't expect the same kind of performance as he had in 2007. Michael Bowden isn't on the 40-man, but he's pitched well since moving up to Triple-A and could create a stir if he comes up to the bigs.

New York: The Yankees don't have much to call upon from the Minors, other than someone like Melky Cabrera, who's not exactly a prospect. Phil Hughes was sharp in his most recent Triple-A start and it would be nice to see him back in New York.

Chicago: There's not going to be much help from the farm here, with perhaps Josh Fields providing some pop off the bench and one of Triple-A Charlotte's arms -- Lance Broadway perhaps? -- providing some insurance.
Minnesota: A lot of the young guys are already up, but perhaps Philip Humber could be of some service to the pitching staff. His overall numbers don't look that impressive -- 4.56 ERA for the year -- but something's clicked lately and he's got a 2.67 ERA and .233 batting average against after the All-Star break.

Los Angeles: With a 15-game lead, it's all about getting ready and healthy. The Angels have several guys who could lend a hand by allowing regulars to catch their breath. With Triple-A Salt Lake heading to the postseason things get a bit more challenging, but the Angels could not wait to call up Brandon Wood with several infielders nursing injuries. He's been red-hot, hitting .361 with a 1.203 OPS since the All-Star break.
National League

New York: Anyone who's seen the Mets play lately knows they could use some bullpen help. Maybe Eddie Kunz and his 27 Double-A saves will get another shot. How's this for a longshot: Who wouldn't like to see Fernando Martinez provide an energy boost to the big league squad. Though F-Mart's not on the 40-man ... yet.

Philadelphia: He's also not on the 40-man, but Carlos Carrasco has the kind of stuff to create quite a buzz in the bigs. He's always been a starter, but shortening him up for a month could provide the Phils 'pen with a lift. You're probably more likely to see a Joe Bisenius or J.A. Happ.

Florida: The Marlins are barely hanging on, and while they've gotten decent production from center field out of Cody Ross, Cameron Maybin could give the club a boost with his speed and power. It might not happen until after the Southern League playoffs, but Maybin's hit .344 in August and has 13 homers and 20 steals to his name.
Chicago: The Cubs have the best record in baseball and may not ask for much help. Triple-A Iowa is playoff-bound as well. There's always good ol' Felix Pie, still just 23, heating up as the season comes to an end in the Minors, to bring up to provide some pinch-running and defensive help.

Milwaukee: The Brewers still have some interesting young bats down on the farm. Mat Gamel (.328, 20 homers, 99 RBIs in 130 combined games) recently got moved up to Triple-A, but he's not on the 40-man roster. But Alcides Escobar is and he's got the speed (34 stolen bases) and the defensive ability to help out in the bigs. Oh, and he's also hitting .330 for the year.

St. Louis: No, you're not going to see Colby Rasmus just yet as he's just working his way back from injury and isn't on the 40-man roster. An arm is more likely, someone like Mitchell Boggs, who struggled earlier in the season in the big leagues. A big arm like Jason Motte (107 K's in 64 2/3 innings) could give the bullpen some assistance.

Arizona: Speaking of big arms, look for Max Scherzer to come back up. He's pitched well back in Triple-A (not that he was bad in the bigs), with a 2.21 ERA in August and 26 K's in 20 1/3 innings. He's got the stuff and ability to shorten up and pitch out of the pen as well. Lesser known Jesus Merchan isn't a "hot prospect," but he has hit .336 for Tucson and could give the D-Backs the extra infielder they need.

Los Angeles: The current big-league roster isn't exactly old, but there are still some interesting names to consider. Pitchers like James McDonald and Justin Orenduff could get a look, while Chin-Lung Hu is certain to get another callup. He could also be joined by someone like Xavier Paul, who's hit .317 with 17 steals in Triple-A. Want a non 40-man guy to ponder? How about recent Olympian Terry Tiffee, who was hitting .375 before heading to Beijing?

Colorado: Franklin Morales is down there, but has struggled with command, so the focus could be on a hitter like Joe Koshansky. Not sure how much he'll play, but with 29 homers and 115 RBIs in Triple-A and Todd Helton out of the lineup, he should at the very least provide a lefty power bat off the bench.