NL September Callups

Here's the similarly late followup to last week's column on AL September callups.

National League September Callups

Arizona - Max Scherzer will join the Diamondbacks in September, but it may happen as a reliever. Slowly building back up in Triple-A after missing more than a month with a sore shoulder, he's allowed five earned runs and struck out 20 in 16 1/3 innings over his last three starts. He could be as valuable as any NL callup if he gets the chance to join the rotation, but as well as Yusmeiro Petit has pitched, the Diamondbacks may benefit more from trying him as a setup man. He'd still be a decent option in NL-only leagues in that role, but it's doubtful that he'd be a candidate for saves. . Micah Owings is believed to be one of the players to be named in the Adam Dunn trade. If that's the case, he will remain in the minors through the end of the season. . 26-year-old first baseman Josh Whitesell is due to make his major league debut after hitting .329/.423/.562 with 24 homers and 102 RBI so far for Tucson. However, the Adam Dunn pickup and the pending return of Justin Upton should ensure that he's nothing more than a pinch-hitter.

Atlanta - The Braves just brought up Brandon Jones, and the odds are good that the 24-year-old will get consistent playing time in September. Gregor Blanco has been adequate, but that's all he's ever going to be, and the Braves need to figure out whether Jones should be in their plans for 2009. Although he was a disappointment while hitting .260/.343/.405 in Triple-A this year, Jones has 15-homer power and is a plus defender in a corner. He's worth grabbing in NL-only leagues. . Mark Kotsay was moved, but it doesn't sound like Jordan Schafer will take over in center field, even though he's hit .346 with six of his 10 homers in August. It still seems unlikely that he'll be ready to start for the Braves next April -- he's very weak against left-handers and he strikes out plenty even against righties -- but it's not to be completely ruled out. . Speedster Josh Anderson should be an asset if Schafer isn't brought up. All of his value would come in the form of steals, but he's capable of swiping a couple of bases per week. ... Brent Lillibridge will be recalled, but there won't be much for him to do unless Yunel Escobar gets hurt. . The one pitcher worthy of attention is Tommy Hanson, but there's a good chance he'll have to wait until next year. His Mississippi Braves are in position to go to the playoffs, and he might be over 150 innings by the time he's finished with them. While he'd be worth taking a chance on if he's added to Atlanta's rotation, I think he's something of a long shot to contribute.

Chicago - The Cubs will add Felix Pie, Micah Hoffpauir, Michael Wuertz and Kevin Hart, among others, next month, but they already have the team they want on the field. Barring a Jim Edmonds injury, Pie will probably have to wait until the Cubs clinch before he gets any starts in the outfield. Hoffpauir will be one of the team's top pinch-hitters. He should have a legitimate chance of making the postseason roster. . Rich Hill has been out since the end of July with back spasms and is highly unlikely to spend any time next month on the Cubs' active roster.

Cincinnati - The Reds have already brought up Chris Dickerson and Ryan Hanigan to play significant roles, and they're certain to look at Danny Richar, though what kind of role he'll have is unclear. Since being acquired in the Ken Griffey Jr. deal, Richar has mostly remained at second, with only a few starts at short, for Triple-A Louisville. Brandon Phillips isn't going anywhere, so if Richar was really in the Reds' plans, he'd probably be seeing more time at other positions. . Superior prospects like Drew Stubbs and Chris Valaika are long shots for callups. Stubbs has been better than anyone would have guessed since moving up to Double- and now Triple-A, but he's not on the 40-man roster and he's not looked at as a realistic candidate to open 2009 in the majors. Likewise, Valaika, who is hitting .303/.353/.443 in Double-A, is due to open next year in Triple-A. . Daryl Thompson (shoulder) and Homer Bailey (knee) are both injured, increasing the chances that we'll see Matt Maloney in September. The 24-year-old lefty is 11-4 with a 4.35 ERA for Louisville. He's possible fourth-starter material. Thompson would be more interesting in NL-only leagues if he manages to make it back. . Josh Roenicke projects as a quality setup man or maybe a closer someday. He should get his first taste of the majors next month.

Colorado - Dexter Fowler is the Rockies' one potential September callup with a chance to be a difference-maker, but he still seems unlikely to get the chance. Perhaps he'll get an audition if Willy Taveras is traded, but a mid-2009 arrival would make more sense. As much progress as he's made this year, he's not yet ready to lead off in the majors. . The Rockies will bring back Cory Sullivan and Jonathan Herrera. They could also add one of their extremely speedy middle infielders, either Corey Wimberly or Eric Young Jr., but it would just be to act as a pinch-runner. . The Rockies will probably have starts available for Jason Hirsh, Franklin Morales and/or Greg Reynolds. I'm guessing Hirsh is first in line, as he's the one who has yet to receive any sort of shot this year. However, none have pitched very well in Triple-A lately. . Short reliever Juan Morillo is due a long look, as he's going to be out of options next spring. Blessed with a big fastball but not much else, his stock as has dropped sharply over the last couple of years.

Florida - Cameron Maybin and Dallas McPherson are the notables here. Maybin is hitting .278/.374/.465 in Double-A. Since he's already on the 40-man roster, there's little reason not to take a look at him. At the very least, he can serve as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. If the Marlins drop out of the race, then he'd probably take over as the primary center fielder for the final week or two, giving him some late value. . McPherson is up to 40 homers and 162 strikeouts for Triple-A Albuquerque. It's disappointing that he hasn't gotten a chance yet, but the Marlins haven't had any reason to make a change at the corners. They probably won't next month, either, though McPherson would be well worth grabbing if either Jorge Cantu or Mike Jacobs were to get hurt. . A few of the players one would expect to become Marlins in September are currently on the minor league DL, including Rick Vanden Hurk, Taylor Tankersley and Mike Rabelo. Unless Rabelo comes back, Paul Hoover could be the extra catcher next month. . For pitchers, we'll probably see Justin Miller and Eulogio De La Cruz again. Robert Andino and John Gall should be added to assume bench roles.

Houston - J.R. Towles remains the most interesting player on a Triple-A Round Rock roster packed with mediocrity. The Astros should commit to him in September, but they probably won't, at least not right off. As much of a disappointment as he's been in 140 major league at-bats this year, Towles has hit .304/.364/.500 in Triple-A. The Astros shouldn't be so down on a player who entered 2008 having played in just 74 games between Double- and Triple-A. . Fernando Nieve will probably be up to join the pen, and 23-year-old right-hander Samuel Gervacio could make his major league debut. Gervacio has a 4.09 ERA in 70 1/3 innings of relief this year between Double- and Triple-A, but he's posted a 91/27 K/BB ratio in 70 1/3 innings in the process. He's a solid relief prospect.

Los Angeles - If the Dodgers get as many players back from the disabled list as hoped, they won't need to make many callups. Eric Stults, who had a 3.18 ERA in six starts for the Dodgers earlier this season, is sure to be brought back, and outfielder Jason Repko will be an asset off the bench. Chin-Lung Hu makes a lot more sense as a defensive replacement at shortstop than Angel Berroa. The more interesting players seem like long shots. James McDonald has impressed since moving up to Triple-A, but he doesn't figure to be tried as a reliever and he should be behind Stults in line for starts. Left-hander Scott Elbert has twice as many strikeouts as hits allowed as a reliever for Double-A Jacksonville, but the Dodgers don't want to take any chances with him now after being so careful with him in his first year back from shoulder surgery. . Blake DeWitt was just brought up on Wednesday and figures to see time at third base over the slumping Casey Blake against righties. NL-only leaguers should keep an eye on him.

Milwaukee - Milwaukee's biggest decision will be on Mat Gamel. Is it worth adding the top prospect to the 40-man roster when he probably wouldn't do anything more than pinch-hit? I think the answer is yes, though it would have been more emphatic had he not cooled off over the last couple of months. Since he's too raw at third base to start there in meaningful games, he shouldn't have any fantasy value. . Tony Gwynn Jr., Hernan Iribarren and Joe Dillon also figure to be added to Milwaukee's bench. Jay Gibbons probably won't be, though he would make a little sense if Gamel were bypassed. He's hit .297 with four homers in 101 at-bats in Triple-A. . The Brewers would love to get Yovani Gallardo back next month, but it's highly unlikely to happen as a starter. Maybe he'll be available to pitch out of the pen in the second half of the month. On Sept. 1, the Brewers will probably settle for Mitch Stetter, Tim Dillard and maybe either Randy Choate or Erasmo Ramirez. Hard-throwing reliever Luis Pena has regressed and probably won't be an option.

New York - With Fernando Martinez unlikely to have a significant role even if he is called up (it'd probably take another Ryan Church injury for there to be any chance), the only minor leaguers of interest here are the pitchers. Left-hander Jon Niese could be the choice to replace John Maine in the rotation. He's 11-8 with a 3.18 ERA, 151 H and 143/56 K/BB in 161 1/3 innings between Double- and Triple-A. A long-term third or fourth starter, he'd be a candidate for immediate success because of his plus curve. . Robert Parnell hasn't thrived in the minors this year, amassing a 4.53 ERA in 24 starts in Double-A and four in Triple-A, so he's fallen behind Niese on the depth chart. The Mets will likely see if he can contribute as a reliever. . 2007 supplemental first-round pick Eddie Kunz will be recalled, but if the Mets viewed him as a candidate for saves, he'd likely be in the majors right now.

Philadelphia - The Phillies will add bats to their bench, but none worthy of any consideration. Chris Snelling hasn't gotten anything going during his brief healthy stints this season, and the closest thing the Phillies have to a position prospect in Triple-A is Jason Jaramillo, who will function as a third catcher. The team does have Olympians Lou Marson and Jason Donald at Double-A. Marson, who should be the long-term catcher in Philadelphia, figures to have to wait until next year. Donald would make sense as a bench player and pinch-hitter if the Phillies don't mind adding him to the 40-man roster. It's not like there's a lot of competition for spots. . Top pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco has a 2.10 ERA in five starts since moving up to Triple-A and would be worth considering if inserted into the Phillies' rotation. However, there won't be any room for him there unless someone gets hurt.

Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh has to decide whether it's worth adding Andrew McCutchen. It probably won't happen unless he'd play fairly regularly, and since he's still a long shot to open next year in the majors, it would make more sense to save those at-bats for Steve Pearce and Brandon Moss, two guys whose roles on next year's team remains up in the air. McCutchen has hit .278/.369/.388 with 31 steals in 50 tries for Indianapolis. He projects as the Pirates' long-term center fielder, with Nate McLouth moving back to a corner, but he still has enough trouble hitting righties that he's not ready just yet. . Unless McCutchen is handed a starting job, Pearce should have some value next month as the Pirates' primary choice in right field. He's had a very disappointing year, but he's displayed 30-homer power in the past. . Brian Bixler will rejoin the team and play behind Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson. Also, Ronny Paulino is set to return as Ryan Doumit's backup. The Pirates will want to give him a couple of starts per week to showcase him for offseason trade possibilities. . On the pitching side, Ross Ohlendorf may have a chance to join the rotation, though he wouldn't be a very good bet in NL-only leagues. Dan McCutchen would be a little more interesting, but the Pirates think he's thrown enough innings this season and don't plan to call him up.

St. Louis - Colby Rasmus has returned from a knee injury that kept him out of the Olympics, but he won't make his major league debut next month. Neither will young catcher Bryan Anderson, who is expected to be bypassed in favor of Mark Johnson. The Cards will bring back Brendan Ryan and could give Olympian Brian Barden a chance. Barden isn't on the 40-man roster, but it'd be easy to make room for him by dropping Rico Washington or Jarrett Hoffpauir. One more possibility for the bench is outfielder Jon Jay, depending on his health. Jay is currently on the DL with a shoulder injury, but he'd be worthy of a look as a left-handed pinch-hitter. . The pitching callups figure to be the usual suspects: Randy Flores, Kelvin Jimenez, Mark Worrell and Mitch Boggs. The one particularly interesting possibility is Jess Todd, who has exploded onto the scene with a 2.66 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP at three levels this season. He could make a real impact in middle relief if the Cards want to try him there. It's less likely that he'd be used as a starter, but he'd have to be picked up in NL-only leagues if he is.

San Diego - The Padres will be open to experimenting next month, but they don't have a whole lot left to promote. Second baseman Matt Antonelli has actually turned himself into a possibility by hitting .286/.394/.452 in Triple-A this month, though that still leaves him with an awful 649 OPS for the year. He's due for a second year at Portland in 2009. Paul McAnulty will be brought back as a pinch-hitter and occasional starter in left field. Justin Huber hasn't earned a promotion while hitting .232 with three homers for Portland. Scott Hairston's injury makes it more likely that Will Venable will get a look. The 25-year-old Venable has hit .292/.361/.464 for Portland. He might get enough playing time to amass a little value next month, but it's unlikely that he'll be all that productive. . The Padres don't figure to call up either Will Inman or Steve Garrison, their top two pitching prospects in Double-A. Left-hander Wade LeBlanc might be a candidate for spot starts, but he's struggled while posting a 5.54 ERA in his first year in the PCL. The younger pitchers would have more fantasy potential if called on.

San Francisco - Despite already having 10 rookies on their roster, the Giants won't be shy about making more additions. John Bowker, Brian Horwitz, Travis Denker and Nate Schierholtz are already on the 40-man roster and should be recalled. Bowker and Schierholtz figure to get the most playing time of the group. The Giants failed to clear room for Schierholtz in right field by trading Randy Winn, but they can still find a way to give him three or four starts per week. That would make Dave Roberts a complete non-factor. Schierholtz is a candidate to have modest fantasy value. . The Giants shouldn't have as much use for pitching with Jonathan Sanchez due back next week. Tim Lincecum figures to get some additional rest, but it's doubtful that he or any of the Giants' other starters will simply be shut down. The Giants could go back to Pat Misch if they do need another starter. He had a 5.94 ERA in seven starts and four relief appearances earlier this season. Left-hander Steve Hammond, who was picked up for Ray Durham, would be another option, but he's been mediocre since joining Triple-A Fresno.

Washington - With Justin Maxwell still nursing a wrist injury, the Nationals lack quality position prospects to call up. Kory Casto and Roger Bernadina will be recalled to serve as bench players. 24-year-old Mike Daniel is another possibility, but he's failed to progress in Double-A. He's currently hitting .255/.341/.378 with 18 steals in 29 tries. Elijah Dukes or another player would have to get hurt for any of these guys to have any fantasy value. . Tyler Clippard will be a top candidate to join the rotation if Collin Balester gets shut down. He has a 4.35 ERA in his two starts for the Nationals this season. I still look at him as a sleeper, but since the Nats' schedule is full of contenders next month, none of their starters look like very good bets. . Less likely to get a chance is 22-year-old Jordan Zimmerman, who has a 2.93 ERA and a .214 average against between high-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg. However, he would be worth grabbing if it happens.

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