September call-ups tend to get the most pub, but they rarely get enough playing time to impact Fantasy leagues. We prefer the pre-June call-ups, the Ryan Braun's, who are already well acclimated to competing on the big league level and ready to help you dominate in Fantasy crunch time.
But, if you know what you're looking for, September call-ups can still help you out in deeper Fantasy leagues -- albeit while ruining minor league eligibility in those keeper leagues.
With hitters, look to bad teams evaluating for the next season. They will be playing low-pressure games conducive to a cool cup of coffee.
With starting pitchers, look to the top contenders who might slot a minor leaguer for a spot start. They offer the best chance to make a young pitcher a winner down the stretch, especially because they tend to have offenses that will provide ample run support.
Here are three top potential impact September call-ups:
1. 3B Evan Longoria, 21, TB
A couple of factors make Longoria an exciting potential arrival.
One is his talent, which was apparent very early in his baseball life and made him the third overall pick of the June 2006 draft. Mariners reliever Brandon Morrow, Tigers starter Andrew Miller, Giants starter Tim Lincecum, Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain and Mets reliever Joe Smith have already arrived from that draft pool.
Secondly, he has handled everything that has been thrown at him. He impressed in a couple of months post-draft in 2006, hitting .315 with 18 homers, 58 RBI, 41 runs, four steals, a .360 OBP and a .597 SLUG in 248 Class A at-bats. Then, to start his first full pro season, Longoria went .307-21-76-78-4 (.403-.538) in 381 Double-A at-bats before his Triple-A promotion. He hasn't stopped looking like the next Braun, going .275-2-8-7-0 (.412-.525) in 40 Triple-A at-bats.
Finally, the Devil Rays have just Akinori Iwamura at third base. Iwamura came over from Japan as a potential utility man who could play outfield, third, second or maybe even shortstop. Iwamura's three homers -- albeit with a solid average and OBP -- would play a lot better at shortstop or second base. Shortstop was cleared when 27-year-old breakout Brendan Harris was moved full time to second base.
"(Longoria's) the kind of guy that when you say he's ready, you bring him up and you figure out the rest," Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said.
He's ready. Sept. 1, or after the Triple-A postseason if the Durham Bulls make it, will be the time to announce the rest.
2. OF Jay Bruce, 20, CIN
Like Longoria, Bruce was drafted among the elite in his class, going 12th overall in 2005. He too has dominated at every level, hitting .298-47-199-193-32 (.362-.541) in 1085 career minor league at-bats the past 2 1/2 seasons. Unlike Longoria, though, the Reds have a crowded outfield and no apparent place to play him.
He should arrive on the Reds' roster once the Triple-A regular season ends Sept. 3. The Louisville Bats aren't in the postseason hunt. Unless he gets full-time at-bats, yearly leagues won't be able to play him any more than another recent phenom call-up, Ian Stewart.
3. LHP Franklin Morales, 21, COL
Morales is arguably a pitching prospect on the level of current Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who hit 100 MPH in a start Wednesday night and looks like a Fantasy sleeper down the stretch. Morales might be the next to get the call.
The lefty was called up to Triple-A in August and had back-to-back quality starts before taking a step back in his past outing.
He is a little wild, but his 3.51 ERA and .241 opponent's batting average through 20 starts and 112 2/3 innings in Double- and Triple-A suggest he can help the pitching-needy Rockies down the stretch in spot starts. The Rockies have a potent offense and have a distinct need for starters amid the injuries to Jason Hirsh (leg) and Aaron Cook (oblique).
Jimenez's appearance as the third-most added player in Fantasy Baseball on Thursday suggests Morales is worth a flier in deeper NL-only and all long-term keeper formats sooner than later.
Heck, Morales has to be more intriguing than Thursday's Rockies starter Elmer Dessens.
On the verge
Here are some of our favorite prospects who are in the minor leagues and are worth tracking closely (stats through Aug. 15):
| Minor league hotlist | ||
| Position, player, team | Minor league stats | |
| 1 | SP Clay Buchholz, BOS | AA-Triple-A: (8-3), 2.15 ERA, 164 K, 0.923 WHIP |
| Hasn't pitched deep into games, so don't expect too much on Friday. | ||
| 2 | OF Jay Bruce, CIN | A-AA-Triple-A: .321 AVG, 23 HR, 84 RBI, 81 R, 7 SB |
| His strikeout rate his high, but his power potential is worth it. | ||
| 3 | 3B Evan Longoria, TB | AA-Triple-A: .304-23-84-85-4 |
| He hasn't slowed down at Triple-A, so should arrive Sept. 1. | ||
| 4 | SP Jeremy Sowers, CLE | Triple-A: (2-5)-4.04-46-1.402 |
| After slow Triple-A start, he's 2-1 with 1.93 ERA in past five. | ||
| 5 | OF Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS | AA-Triple-A: .323-1-32-72-38 |
| Slap hitter may get Friday call-up, can steal a base a week. | ||
| Honorable mentions: 3B Brandon Wood, LAA; SP Franklin Morales, COL; 1B Joey Votto, CIN; 3B Andy LaRoche, LAD; SS Reid Brignac, TB SP Mike Pelfrey, NYM; SP Homer Bailey, CIN; SP Gio Gonzalez, CHW; SP Carlos Carrasco, PHI; SP Collin Balester, WAS; 1B Daric Barton, OAK; SP Max Scherzer, ARI; OF Brandon Jones, ATL; 1B Joey Votto, CIN; SP Eric Hurley, TEX; OF Wladimir Balentien, SEA; DH/C Taylor Teagarden, TEX; SP William Inman, SD; SP Jeff Niemann, TB; SP Troy Patton, HOU; 3B Neil Walker, PIT; C Landon Powell, OAK; 3B Joel Guzman, TB; 1B Joe Koshansky, COL; SP Philip Humber, NYM; OF Brandon Moss, BOS; SS Jed Lowrie, BOS; OF Terry Evans, LAA; OF Travis Snider, TOR; SP Clayton Kershaw, LAD; SP Chris Mason, TB; SP Wade Townsend, TB; SP Wade Davis, TB; 1B Steven Pearce, PIT; SP Mark Holliman, CHC; 3B Chase Headley, SD; C Jeff Clement, SEA; SP Kevin Slowey, MIN; SP Chuck Lofgren, CLE; SP Zack Segovia, PHI; SP Ian Kennedy, NYY; SP Justin Masterson, BOS; SP Johnny Cueto, CIN. | ||
Rookie watch
Here are the top rookies in Fantasy to date (stats through Aug. 15):
| Top 5 AL Fantasy Rookies | ||
| Position, player, team | Rotisserie stats to date | |
| 1 | SP Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS | 13-9, 3.79 ERA, 164 K, 1.280 WHIP, 0 SV |
| Had rough last outing, but it should be a one-start hiccup. | ||
| 2 | SP Brian Bannister, KC | (8-6)-3.41-59-1.188-0 |
| Has second-most rookie SP wins in the AL ... for the Royals. | ||
| 3 | OF Reggie Willits, LAA | .304 AVG, 0 HR, 31 RBI, 58 R, 25 SB |
| Long-term, he's has the least upside, but it's about the SBs. | ||
| 4 | SP Jeremy Guthrie, BAL | (7-4)-3.50-97-1.154-0 |
| Sunk like a rock: He is just 3-2 with a 5.65 ERA in second half. | ||
| 5 | OF Delmon Young, TB | .293-9-64-50-7 |
| Is he on a homer and steals strike or something? Very odd. | ||
| Honorable mentions: 3B Josh Fields, CHW; 2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS; OF Travis Buck, OAK; SP Matt Garza, MIN; 1B Billy Butler, KC; SP Andrew Miller, DET; SP Kason Gabbard, TEX; RP Eric O'Flaherty, SEA; 3B Akinori Iwamura, TB; RP Hideki Okajima, BOS; RP Joakim Soria, KC; SP John Danks, CHW; 3B Alex Gordon, KC; SP Jesse Litsch, TOR; SP Jordan Tata, DET; RP Santiago Casilla, OAK. | ||
| Top 5 NL Fantasy Rookies | ||
| Position, player, team | Rotisserie stats | |
| 1 | 3B Ryan Braun, MIL | .350 AVG, 23 HR, 60 RBI, 56 R, 10 SB |
| Starting off like this is one thing, but in a pennant race? Wow! | ||
| 2 | SP Tim Lincecum, SF | (6-3), 3.88 ERA, 121 Ks, 1.231 WHIP, 0 SV |
| He's posting big innings, big strikeout totals every time out still. | ||
| 3 | SS Troy Tulowitzki, COL | .283-15-61-66-5 |
| Rockie has stayed steady all season at a thin Fantasy position. | ||
| 4 | OF Hunter Pence, HOU | .330-12-45-42-8 |
| He shouldn't be used next week yet, but perhaps week after. | ||
| 5 | OF Chris Young, ARI | .231-21-42-59-19 |
| Had pair of homers and steal, but nothing else in past week. | ||
| Honorable mentions: 3B Mark Reynolds, ARI; SP Yovani Gallardo, MIL; OF Josh Hamilton, CIN; SP Micah Owings, ARI; 1B James Loney, LAD; SP Kyle Kendrick, PHI; C Carlos Ruiz, PHI; 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, SD; SP Matt Chico, WAS; 2B Mike Fontenot, CHC; 2B Yunel Escobar, ATL; OF Justin Upton, ARI. | ||
Baby talk
Kip, Ellensburg, Wash.: I have held on to Brandon Wood for about a year now. When will he be in the majors for good and will he be a middle infielder when and if he gets to the show?
Emack: Wood is one of those September call-ups we were referring to above. He will arrive after the Triple-A season and not get anything more than reserve at-bats. He has rebounded after a rough start this season, which included a few call-ups, going .269-19-70-61-10 (.343-.480) in 375 at-bats. His power will make him a reserve option for AL-only leagues. Long-term, he won't be starting at shortstop for the Angels with Orlando Cabrera around, so consider him someone who could compete for at-bats at third next spring.
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