Psssst...Excuse me...Yeah, you...Could you do me a favor and step away from the RotoExperts Fantasy Football Draft Kit...Just for a minute...You can get right back to it; I know it's incredible... Thanks, I hate to drag you away from it, but there's the small matter of your fantasy baseball team... What, you don't want to talk about it?... I know, you've never been this low in the standings before... We've all used that line a few times... Oh, you put all your fantasy eggs into the Travis Hafner basket back in March. Join the rest of us who have been "pronked." Don't worry, bad things happen to good owners. There is good news though. The rest of the owners in your keeper league are distracted. Those fighting for the money have rosters full of fantasy studs following the annual July dumpathon, and the owners at the bottom of the standings are all excited about their fantasy football drafts, which will obviously go better than their baseball season did. You, and you alone, can take advantage of MLB's September call-ups. How awesome is it that many of baseball's hottest prospects are joining their major league teams, and you can cherry-pick the lot. Many of them will have absolutely zero fantasy value in the remaining month, but since you're out of it in your keeper league, that doesn't concern you. 2009 and beyond is all that you're worried about.

This week I'll attempt to give you a heads-up on a few of the players likely to be called up in the next few days. Next week, we'll cover the rest of the future stars who get the call. Remember, these recommendations are mostly focused on future value. A few may manage to give you value this year, but we're definitely looking ahead. You may be able to snag the next Ryan Ludwick or Josh Hamilton. Pitchers may be a little harder to snare since managers want to limit the innings on young arms. A few aces will sneak through, however, for teams still in contention. Yeah, I'm talking about you, David Price. Keep an eye out for these players in the next week. If you snag a few of these 2009 will be a lot nicer than 2008 has been.

[all statistics current through Friday, August 29]

NOW THAT SPELLS RELIEF
A look at the top prospects to deliver value as closers, setup men, and long relievers at this point of the season.

F.F. has currently the last man standing in a bad bullpen. Photo Credit: Icon SMI

Frank Francisco, RP, TEX
Francisco takes the reins after the trade of Eddie Guardado to the Twins. Francisco has had a nice year, posting a 3.71 ERA to go along with 67 Ks in 53 innings. He's done a much better job of limiting baserunners than in past seasons, as his 1.22 WHIP bears out. At 29, the hard-throwing righty may be seeing his only chance to seize a closing gig. The Rangers do not have a long-term answer at closer, so Francisco could make a claim to the job in 2009. He can be a factor for all league types.

Jon Meloan, RP, CLE
It just wouldn't be right if we didn't talk about someone from the Cleveland bullpen. Meloan was obtained from the Dodgers in the Casey Blake deal. Meloan had been labeled a "closer of the future" until being converted to a starter. He was immediately put back into the bullpen by the Indians and is thus in the mix for the closer job in the near future. Meloan struggled with the switch to the rotation as the 1.70 WHIP in Las Vegas shows. In the two previous years as a reliever, however, his WHIP was under 1.00. He may not see save opportunities in the next month, but he will be auditioning for the 2009 closer role. Meloan needs to be picked up in all keeper leagues.

CALL TO ARMS
Get your starting pitchers here! … Maybe… Targeting starting pitchers on the waiver wire is a dangerous practice, but here are a few who might have something to offer.

Max Scherzer, SP, AZ
I feel about Max Scherzer the way I once felt about Mark Prior. Prior has hurt many an owner, but Scherzer may erase all that pain. The 24-year-old right-hander has simply dominated the minor leagues and made a strong showing in limited action with the D-Backs. If he can stay healthy, he may be the next pitcher to challenge the 300-K mark. He'll probably be limited to middle relief down the stretch, but he's certainly one of their top five starters. It wouldn't surprise me to see Arizona use him in the closer role during the playoffs. He's that good. With the lack of true strikeout pitchers currently in MLB, Scherzer may have as high a fantasy upside as any pitcher going. Keeper league owners should be tripping over themselves to snag Scherzer.

David Price, SP, TB
Although I think Scherzer may be the better fantasy prospect, Price is likely the better pitcher. He's struggled a little since his promotion to triple-A, giving up 22 hits and nine walks in just 18 innings. Ignore that. Price is as close to a "sure thing" as any minor league pitcher can be. He'll probably be stuck in the bullpen to limit his innings, but we'll get a peek into just what this young left-hander can do. I'm a little shocked that Price wasn't called up in time to be playoff eligible, but the Rays have financial considerations that unfortunately come into play. Price can still help the Rays reach their first post-season, and if your league doesn't have minor league rosters, you need to pounce on him the minute he hits the wire.

Michael Bowden, SP, BOS
Bowden was called up Saturday for a spot start in the wake of Josh Beckett's DL stint, but something tells me that if he excels, he'll be here to stay. The Sox are in a battle to make the playoffs, and Beckett may not return soon. Numbness in Beckett's fingers is a big honkin' cry for help from his elbow. Bowden, not yet 22, has slightly above average stuff, but he does a great job commanding it. His strikeout rate is not spectacular, but Bowden has limited opposing hitters to 112 hits in 144 IP. He's not likely to develop into an ace, but Bowden's polish should allow him to step in with minimal growing pains. UPDATE: Bowden earned a win in his debut Saturday, giving up two runs in five innings against a good White Sox offense.

Jon Niese, SP, NYM
At 21, Niese has plenty of time to grow, but I'm not seeing what has earned him the hype as the Mets best pitching prospect. His minor league numbers illustrate a pitcher without the stuff to dominate. His minor league WHIPs have consistently been in the 1.30 range, and his K/9 rate while solid, is nothing special. He will be pitching in a pretty good pitcher's park for a successful team. Mixed-league owners will want to steer clear, but Niese is still worth a shot in NL keeper leagues.

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES
Lacking home runs?  Stuck with a dearth of stolen bases?  Here are some ideas to better shore up your offense.

Dallas McPherson, 3B, FLA
McPherson leads the world in two categories; HR and Ks. Finally healthy after a myriad (Greek term for 10,000, Cliffy) of injuries, McPherson has come back in a big way down in Albuquerque. The success of Jorge Cantu is the only thing that has delayed McPherson's return to the majors. He'll be limited to spot duty upon his recall, but one of the corner spots is likely to open up during the offseason. Mike Jacobs may find himself in another uniform come 2009. McPherson will probably never hit for average and may set strikeout records, but the longballs will be plentiful. Somewhere Dave Kingman is smiling.

Nelson Cruz, OF, TEX
I couldn't possibly write about McPherson without mentioning Cruz. The two have put on a show in the Pacific Coast League this summer. McPherson ended up winning the HR title, but Cruz knocked 37 longballs of his own. Cruz has been a prospect for years and seemed to be looked at as a Quadruple-A player by many. He's getting one final chance to establish himself in Texas. The 28-year-old Cruz has always shown potential, but the 37 HRs are far and away his career high. He's also hit near .350 in triple-A the last two years, though the PCL is definitely a hitter's league. The Ballpark in Arlington is a nice place to hit, and Cruz joins a very good line-up. If he can turn it on now, I see a few years of Ruben Sierra-type production. Cruz could be a huge addition to leagues of all types.

Jeff Larish, 1B/DH, DET
Larish has struggled in 57 ABs for the Tigers but has a track record of good power and solid on-base skills in the minor leagues. He may never hit for much of an average, but 30 HR with a .370-plus OBP can help a major league team. AL leagues that use OBP instead of AVG should definitely make a play for Larish. He's not likely to be a star, but in the next month, he could earn himself a job for 2009 and beyond.

Travis Snider, OF, TOR
Still just 20 years old, Snider is a bit of a project. The Blue Jays love his power and willingness to take a walk. He has struck out 132 times in just 426 AB, so his average is likely to see a big drop-off from his .300-plus minor league rate. He'll likely see quite a bit of playing time down the stretch as the Jays try to figure out where and when he fits into their plans. Keeper league owners who can stash a player away for several years would be wise to take a shot on Snider. He's likely to struggle, but getting the call at the age of 20 says a lot about how the Jays feel about him.

You may now return to the Football Draft Kit, but if you would like to discuss September call-ups becoming part of your profession, send Doug an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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