September is a big month in fantasy baseball for those of us who are still hanging in there. Hopefully you are among that group of survivors at this point. Fantasy baseball leagues are won and lost in September and this is the time of the year where you especially have to be on your game.
One of the ways in which you have to be on your game is the way you work the wire. It’s not really the time to be tentative and passive. Part of the perk of September is that new faces arrive thanks to the expanded rosters baseball allows.
The real trick to navigating these September call-ups is trying to get a feel for how much they might play in order to judge impact level. If a guy is up just to get a taste, but he’s only going to be playing every couple games, he may not do you much good.
I’m offering up five guys here who either have been called up or I think will be called up that I believe would help fantasy teams down the stretch run:
Nick Castellanos – 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers: It feels like we’ve been waiting all season for the Tigers to call up Castellanos. It seems like it’s now or never at this point though as we near September. Castellanos has been playing well the last week or two and he certainly looks like a guy ready for the bigs.
Andy Driks has continued to be fairly underwhelming in Detroit. Despite hitting .278 in August, it’s insane that he only has 5 RBI for the month when he’s hitting behind one of the best 4-5-6 combos in baseball. Matt Tuiasosopo has cooled big time and now it’s time to see if Castellanos can push Dirks and actually do something with that coveted sixth spot in the lineup. Also, it’s worth noting that Castellanos is a third baseman originally and Miguel Cabrera has been dinged up lately, most recently an ab strain in yesterday’s game. So there could be at bats to be had there and no one else too appealing to take them. This just feels like the right time for Castellanos.
Reymond Fuentes – OF, San Diego Padres: Sometimes it’s more important to have an under the radar prospect on a bad team then a big name prospect on a good team. Fuentes was called up by the Padres earlier this week and we’re told could be in line for some decent playing time in September. The Padres are out of contention and I would think want to see what they might have in Fuentes.
Fuentes brings speed to the table with 35 SB’s so far in the minor leagues. He also has a nice knack for reaching base with a .330 average and a walk rate on the plus side of 10% which is very impressive for someone his age. I wouldn’t grab Fuentes in a 10 team league, and would probably only reach for him in a 12 teamer if your bench is deep and you need speed. Deeper leagues though should certainly be watching.
Michael Choice – OF, Oakland A’s: I’m a little surprised the A’s haven’t already called Choice up at this point, but I think expanded rosters is going to be the time. Opportunity is probably what has had them hesitating so far, but with Josh Reddick on the DL the opportunity for playing time is there now. The A’s have a few other OF’s who are serviceable, but none of them have the offensive upside of Choice.
So far this season at Triple-A Choice has hit .300 with 90 R, 14 HR and 89 RBI. One of the more promising signs in his 11.6% BB rate and we all know how much the A’s love their hitters to be able to take walks. Also keep in mind it was just a couple years ago that Choice had 30 HR’s in a season, so he has even more power then he’s shown this year in my opinion.
Taijuan Walker – SP, Seattle Mariners: Here’s another guy who has already been called up and will be making his major league debut today against the Astros, a very welcome beginning and I am sure a designed plan by the Mariners.
Walker has been electric so far between Double-A and Triple-A with a K rate over 10 per nine innings at both levels. I do have some concerns, mostly about control. Walker walked 4.24 batters per nine in 11 starts at Triple-A and had a WHIP of 1.41. He may not be able to get himself out of jams quite so easily in the big leagues. Still, when a guy who throws like this and has this kind of upside comes along you have to take a flier, especially when he pitches in Safeco Field for half of his games.
Erik Johnson – SP, Chicago White Sox: The White Sox have absolutely nothing left to play for this season so why not see what their future might hold. I don’t see an immediate spot for Johnson in the rotation, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them go to a six man rotation just to make room.
Johnson has only been in the minor leagues for two seasons, but the 23 year old already looks like a guy who has nothing else to prove in the minor leagues. Johnson is 11 – 3 this season between Double-A and Triple-A with a 2.07 ERA, 8.2 K/9 and just 2.5 BB/9. I don’t know how the strikeout stuff will translate to the big leagues, but I would honestly feel safer having him on my team then Walker. I think Johnson has a bright future ahead of him, hopefully a future that starts in September.
What do you think about these five guys? Do you like them, or do you have your eye on someone else as a September callup?
More...
