Call of the Wild II

Jason Michael Barker

Last week I looked at eleven players in the American League who received September call-ups thanks to expanding rosters. Speaking of those expanding rosters, have you noticed what I was talking about, i.e., games in the final month being decided by a completely different set of rules? In the National League, some managers have taken to using five or six relievers just because they can.

Speaking of the National League -- wasn't that a handy and clever segue? -- today we'll look some of the more interesting call-ups in the Senior Circuit.

The future is now in Chicago, where interim manager (from the Latin for, "won't be here next year") Bruce Kimm has begun playing the players of the Cubs' future. Having already turned second base over to Bobby Hill and a rotation spot to Carlos Zambrano, the Cubs brought up Korean 1B Hee Seop Choi from AAA Iowa, where he hit .287/.406/.513 with 95 walks in 478 at-bats. He was repeating the level after not hitting well last season, but that can be blamed on a hand injury which bothered him all year and sapped his considerable power. Still just 23, Choi should be the Cubs' opening day starter next season and for years to come.

Arizona's Lyle Overbay just can't seem to catch the break needed to get him regular playing time with the Diamondbacks, to the point that he probably should hope for a trade. After hitting .352 at AA El Paso in 2001, he started the year in the minors due to the presence of Mark Grace and Erubiel Durazo on the major league roster. All Overbay did this season was hit .343 at AAA Tucson with 40 doubles and 19 homers in 525 at-bats, but still he remained in the minors until this month. He hits for average and draws walks, though his power is a bit lacking for the position... meaning a good comparison is the very same Mark Grace who just signed up for one more year in the desert. Free Lyle Overbay!

If you follow prospects at all, you've probably heard the name Wily Mo Pena. He has always been young for his leagues and oozes with the tools scouts drool over, but as often happens, that hasn't translated to on-the-field performance. After a solid year at low-A Dayton last season in which he hit .264, stole 26 bases and saw 41% of hits go for extra bases, Pena regressed this year at AA Chattanooga. While it's true he was jumping a level (why the Reds don't have a high-A team yet is beyond me), his power showing for a player with his raw strength was disappointing. This is to say nothing of his horrendous plate discipline and astronomical strikeout totals.

So why is he in the majors at all, after a marginal AA season? Because thanks to a major league contract given him by the Yankees when he first signed, he must stick in the majors next season or be placed on waivers if the Reds want to send him to the minors. Despite his performance, there's no way a player with his physical tools will clear waivers. So rather than be forced to make the decision in spring training next year, the Reds are getting a look at him now. It's not ideal, but they are making the best of a sticky situation. Pena is only 20 and did improve his walk rate slightly this year despite skipping a level, so it's not unreasonable to project a great deal more improvement.

The Dodgers have been waiting for Chin-Feng Chen for several years now, and here he is. Once considered a top-flight prospect, Chen's stock dropped due to a poor 2000 season (later determined to be the result of a season-long shoulder injury which he played through). He bounced back last season with a very strong showing, including 50% of his hits going for extra bases at AA Jacksonville, then had another solid campaign this year at AAA Las Vegas. So what's the problem? He moved from the outfield to first base. Chen's a good hitter, but his new position demands the very best hitters in baseball. I'd like him better as a corner outfielder, but the Dodgers didn't like his defense out there.

On player who'll remain in the outfield is Philadelphia's Marlon Byrd, a centerfielder and the top position player in the farm system. The last three years Byrd has hit a combined .307 with 37% of his hits going for extra bases and has averaged 30 steals a season, all while playing good outfield defense. He doesn't draw a ton of walks but isn't an undisciplined hack either, generally checking in right around the 10% threshold. With only Doug Glanville standing in his way in Philadelphia, Byrd should have the job all but sewn up when he arrives at spring training next season.

The Dodgers drafted Ben Diggins in the first round of the 2000 draft partially on the basis of his 98 MPH fastball, but his velocity dipped considerably last season and he was considered something of a project. Diggins stands 6-7, so the theory that his mechanics might have been off kilter certainly seems reasonable. He began the year at high-A Vero Beach, then found himself at AA Jacksonville after a trade to the Brewers. Despite a 3.63 ERA, his other numbers -- including a 1.26 WHIP, 10 wild pitches and 10 hit batters in 114 innings -- didn't really suggest a promotion was in order. He ripped off seven starts with a 1.91 ERA after the move, however, earning himself a major league call-up. His strikeout rate improved considerably from last season to this, but his other numbers indicate some more minor league seasoning might be in order. I think he's been rushed to the majors and is likely to struggle given extended innings; 13 walks in 13.2 innings so far aren't a good sign.

LA's Joe Thurston got a good deal of press this season for the numbers he put up at AAA Las Vegas, including 196 hits and .334 batting average. He also hit 39 doubles, 13 triples and 12 homers, pulling off one of my favorite feats (ten or more in all three categories). Something about that statistical line just looks nice. In any event, the big thing missing from Thurston's game this season was walks, as he drew just 24 of the unintentional variety against 587 at-bats. He didn't strike out much either, but that low walk rate means he's relying quite a bit on his batting average, which is certain to go down as he moves from the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League to pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. He has walked more in the past, however, so perhaps another half-season in the minors to work on plate discipline specifically is in order.

about the author

Jason Michael Barker turns 24 today. Tell him not to do anything you wouldn't do when you write jmb@strikethree.com.

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