AL Callup Report

Jason Michael Barker

September is one of my favorite months of the season, right up there with April (Opening Day), July (the All-Star Game and trade deadline), and October (the post-season). OK, so there isn't a month I don't like, but that's beside the point.

Normally September is great because of its pennant races, but that really isn't the case this year. Instead, this September is fun because of late-season callups. Rather than look at every player called up when the rosters expanded (that means you, Pat Borders), here's a look at the younger guys who might actually help a club in coming years.

Anaheim
Matt Wise was up at the end of last year, and he also made two starts each in April, May and July of this year filling in for injured Anaheim starters. In any event, he doesn't get much press because he lacks a blazing fastball, but he's smart and changes speeds well. I saw him pitch last year at AAA and was impressed. He doesn't overpower hitters but won't beat himself with walks, either. With a few breaks, he could wind up with a decent career as a third or fourth starter.

Minor league closers are an interesting lot. Sometimes they're top prospects, but more often than not they're journeymen without much hope of a career. Bart Miadich isn't really either -- he throws hard enough, and at 25 he isn't either too young or too old. His career has been marked by control problems, and this year he fanned 73 and walked 29 in 59 innings with a 2.44 ERA. If he cuts down his walks there'll be a job for him in someone's bullpen.

Baltimore
As you might expect, a struggling club like the Orioles called up a number of players when the rosters expanded. Of course, there's a reason the O's are struggling, and as such the players they called up are of little consequence. Rick Bauer posted a 3.45 at AA this year, but his low strikeout rate doesn't inspire confidence. Jorge Julio missed most of the year with injuries, then posted a 0.73 in 12.1 innings as Bauer's AA teammate. He's had control problems in the past but throws hard and could stick in a bullpen.

Willie Harris, a 2B/OF combo player, stole 54 bases in 70 attempts (.771) and posted a .364 OBP at AA, but his walk rate came in just below the 10% threshold. In a more patient organization, he could be a solid leadoff prospect. With the O's it's pretty much a crapshoot, though he did display a great walk rate last season. Luis Matos is speedy and plays a solid centerfield, but he missed time this year with injuries and isn't very patient at the plate.

Boston
The Calvin Pickering saga lives on. Left to rot in AAA by the Orioles after years destroying minor league pitching, Pickering was waived earlier this month and picked up by the Reds, who subsequently let him go only to see him snatched up by the Red Sox. Pickering is a huge man (6-5, pushing 300 pounds) who wields a dangerous lefty bat and won't turn 25 until later this month. I still think he could mash 30 homers if somebody gave him 500 at-bats, but I'm stubborn that way.

Angels Santos, a 2B who brings an interesting mix of power and speed, displayed a decent walk rate at AA but also struck out quite a bit, leading me to wonder if he'll be able to make contact at higher levels. The best thing to be said about him at this point might be that he's young.

Chicago
The White Sox will probably go with Joe Crede at the hot corner next season, after a solid AAA year in which he hit .276/.349/.464 with 52 extra-base hits in 463 at-bats. He could stand to walk a bit more, but he's got power, plays solid defense and won't be 23 until next April. An early favorite for 2002 Rookie of the Year honors?

Cleveland
Don't blink, or your might Ryan Drese's career as a starter. Manager Charlie Manuel said he'd give Drese a spot start or two this month against teams the rookie matches up well against, but his future is probably in the bullpen because he doesn't throw all that hard and has had injury problems in the past. Drese posted solid numbers this season splitting time between AA and AAA.

Detroit
I liked Adam Bernero last year in much the way I like Matt Wise, but Bernero was a huge disappointment this year, getting shelled this spring and then at AAA. It will be interesting to see how he handles himself this season, though if his minor league performance is any indication, he's far from being ready for the majors. Luis Pineda posted some mighty fine numbers at AA, with 92 K's and just 28 walks in 85.2 innings with 68 hits allowed. Heading into this year he was being groomed for short relief because he had only two pitches and wasn't thought to be durable. This was his first year as a starter, so it remains to be seen what his role will be.

Kansas City
Sorry, Royals fans, but I don't see anyone worth mentioning. OK, quickly -- drafted out of Stanford, Jeff Austin was supposed to be the next Mike Mussina and the ace of a pitching staff. His minor league performance has been spotty at best (including a 6.88 ERA at AAA this year), and now they're talking about him as a closer rather than a starter.

Minnesota
Despite his struggles in the majors and at AAA, Adam Johnson is still the best pitching prospect in the system after his strong year at AA, just one year removed from being the #2 pick in the draft out of Cal-State Fullerton. He might need some time at AAA to work out the kinks, but he should be part of a very good Twins rotation -- Radke, Milton, Mays, Johnson -- sooner than later.

Matt LeCroy has hit like Mike Piazza in the minors, but for whatever reason Tom Kelly has never really given him a chance to play. I worry that he's going to wind up like Colorado's Ben Petrick, a good bat able to play catcher but with an organization that doesn't appreciate him.

New York
I'll come right out and say it -- Erick Almonte just might be a better player than Alfonso Soriano. They're similar in that they're both power-hitting middle infielders, but this year Almonte learned that you could get to first base by taking four pitches outside the strikezone. That's never been a problem for Nick Johnson, who might have to, er, "take care" of Tino Martinez in the mob sense if he wants a job next year. Johnson has line drive power and controls the strikezone like few others. If they both get 500 at-bats next year, Johnson can spot Tino 100 points of OPS and still come out on top. Juan Rivera got quite a bit of press as a prospect this year after a fine year split between AA and AAA, but he has strikezone issues. Rivera has pop in his bat and a strong throwing arm. So long, Paul O'Neill?

Oakland
Luis Vizcaino has been up a bit longer than some other players on this list, but he deserves a mention because he's widely rumored to be the Oakland's new closer if Jason Isringhausen skips town this winter. Vizcaino is a short right-hander who touches the mid-90's and who made big strides this year by mastering something other than the fastball. He fanned 12 per nine innings in the minors and is sitting right around eight in the majors.

Seattle
I saw Ramon Vazquez play in the Pacific Coast League playoffs last week. He works the count and has a good glove, but his arm might be a bit short for shortstop. He hit .300/.397/.429 for Tacoma this year, fine numbers for a shortstop in a pitcher's park. He'd make a good middle infield backup thanks to his solid glove; unlike many such subs, he can hit a little and will take a walk.

Tampa Bay
The D'Rays put Dewon Brazelton on their major league roster, but say their recent #1 pick isn't likely to pitch. Watch closely to see if he does, in case that sort of thing would make him eligible to be drafted in your fantasy league as it would in mine. Joe Kennedy has an average fastball, but has pitched well at every stop since being drafted in 1998. A tall (6-4) lefty, he posted an incredible 52:3 K:BB ratio in 47 innings at AA this year before being promoted to AAA, where he predictably wasn't quite as stellar.

Texas
You probably know about Carlos Pena... after a strong AA season, he got off to a very slow start in 2001 but rebounded to post very nice numbers at AAA. It remains to be seen if he'll have a job next with the Rangers next year, but we all know they could use a few cheap players to offset that big contract sitting over at shortstop. A contract, I might add, that he has lived up to in every way possible. If it weren't such crazy talk, I might even go so far as to say Alex Rodriguez should be the AL MVP this year. But... nah.

Getting back to Pena, the slugging first baseman is just 23 and should hit for both power and average in the majors, and he'll draw walks as well. Really, there's nothing not to like here, unless of course you're an opposing pitcher.

Toronto
Most clubs accept pathetic offense from their backstop, but the Blue Jays don't have to settle for that if only they'll give Josh Phelps a job next year. Phelps had always hit for good power in the past, but he exploded this year for 31 homers and 36 doubles in 486 at-bats. The big difference? Phelps doubled his walk rate this year, drawing 80 bases on balls and reaching 17 times more via the old hit-by-pitch, all of which led to a .406 OBP. The one warning is that this was AA, so he might need some time at AAA.

Tune in next week, when we'll take a similar tour around the National League, including one of the newest great baseball names around -- Tim Spooneybarger.

about the author

Despite a clause in his contract, Jason Michael Barker is not getting a big league callup this September. Offer to share his pain (and his $12 per diem) at jmb@strikethree.com.

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