Fantasy Baseball: September Callups

by Ray Guilfoyle on Aug 21, 2008 8:00 AM EDT in Baseball

The annual September "cup o'coffee" callups are just around the corner, and fantasy players should play close attention to who is called up. As more and more teams fall out of the wildcard race, they will start looking at players who can help them in 2009. Once the World Series is over, and the Hot Stove heats up, the front office folks for every major league team will start planning for improving their team in 2009. The September callups who perform the best will more than likely have good shots at filling a roster spot come spring training.

With that said, here is a look at some "potential" NL September callups fantasy players should keep their eye on:

Andrew McCutchen-OF-the 21 year old McCutchen should get a long look in Pittsburgh come September as he is their CFer of the future. He has the tools to be an annual 20 HR-40 SB fantasy stud. He is hitting .277-.370-.760 at AAA Indianapolis with 9 HR, 45 RBI and 30 SBs. He has improved his OBP from .329 to .370 this year, showing he can be a leadoff hitter in the majors. Keith Law called McCutchen one of the two best hitters in all the minors behind Matt Weiters recently, and feels that down the road he has 30 HR potential. An OF of Moss-McCutchen-McClouth could be pretty productive.

Dexter Fowler-OF-Fowler has broken out this year in AA Tulsa, and is rumored to be called up to start in CF for the Rockies once the Olympics are over. He has improved all facets of his game this year, as he is hitting .337-.430-.944 with 9 HRs, 61 RBI, 86 runs scored and 20 SBs in 395 ABs. Willy Taveras should be very afraid.

Mat Gamel/Alcides Escobar- 3B/SS-should the Brewers fall out of the wildcard hunt in September, these two guys should see plenty of playing time at 3b and SS for the Brewers as they will hold down the left side of their infield for years to come. Gamel is hitting .333-.399-947 with 19 HR and 94 RBI at AA Huntsville. Escobar is the Brewers SS of the future, and is hitting .337-.373-.817 with 8 HR, 72 RBI and 32 SBs. Bill Hall and JJ Hardy could be trade bait this offseason.

Cameron Maybin-OF-John Perrotto from Baseball Prospectus mentioned in his weekly "Every Given Sunday" article that the Marlins are considering calling Maybin up prior to September 1 so he could make their post-season roster should they win the NL East or wildcard. Maybin is hitting .277-..371-.835 with 13 HR, 44 RBI and 19 SBs. Hs numbers are awful similar to McCutchen's. He is a 5-tool player who should win the CF job in Florida come 2009.

There's a good chance McCutchen and Maybin will be given starting jobs at some point in 2009, so those in keeper leagues should consider this when drafting next year.

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Another possible NL call-up

Perrotto also blurbed that 1B Mike Jacobs could be dealt as he enters arbitration. (I’d say the sub-.300 OBP may be an equally valid reason.) If so, look for the Marlins to recall AA 1B Gaby Sanchez, a 25-year-old with a +.900 OBP and more walks than Ks.

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by faketeams on Aug 21, 2008 9:27 AM EDT reply actions

KLaw on McCutchen

Pat (Pitt): There was talk of Andrew McCutchen not even getting a cup of coffee this year. Whats the logic behind that? Its gotta be purely arbitration based, right, because its not like he couldnt at least do what the sacks of potatoes they run out there now are doing?

Keith Law: Arbitration clock wouldn’t likely be affected by a September callup unless they thought he was going to spend roughly half of 2009 in the minors too. I’d call him up.

If I were Pittsburgh, I call him up. But, I did read recently that they were not in a rush to bring him up. He is only 21.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Aug 21, 2008 9:53 PM EDT reply actions

KLaw on Escobar

Derek (WI): How high are you on Alcides Escobar?

Keith Law: I’m a little confused about how he’s suddenly become the bees’ knees in Prospect Land. Plus runner with good bat speed and poor pitch recognition, good glove at ss potentially great, no pop, so-so instincts.

Maybe Hardy doesn’t have to look over his shoulder this offseason.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Aug 21, 2008 9:56 PM EDT reply actions

couple Cardinals to stash

come draft time, possibly?

Pete (STL): How impressive is Brett Wallace’s jump to AA. How often does a position player make it to that level the year he is drafted? Also, Nico Vazquez is becoming somewhat of a cult hero in the Cardinals blogosphere. How high a ceiling do you see for him?

Keith Law: I can’t think of the last one, because players that good typically don’t sign in time to play that summer. I think Nico’s a potential All-Star who hits for average and power but might slide to 2b.

The Cardinals drafted Wallace this year, and they moved him to AA already.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Aug 21, 2008 9:58 PM EDT reply actions

Sickels on Fowler

6) Dexter Fowler, OF, Grade B-
,337/.430/.514 with 20 steals for Tulsa. Making huge progress this year, power developing to go with on-base skills and speed. Now a personal favorite of mine.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Aug 21, 2008 10:30 PM EDT reply actions

Sickels on Maybin

1) Cameron Maybin, OF, Grade A-
.273/.368/.462 with 18 steals for Double-A Carolina. Power/speed remain strengths, draws walks, but strikeout rate is very high. Could he develop into a Mike Cameron type? Cameron Maybin…Mike Cameron…interesting name parallel.

Mike Cameron?? hmmmm….not as good as I thought

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Aug 21, 2008 10:32 PM EDT reply actions