Probables:
Alberto Callaspo
It's true that the Diamondbacks already have a bevy of infield options at the
major league level, but Callaspo's simply too good not to get the call.
He's hit .340 for Tucson, and has been the hardest professional player to strike
out over the past two years. To top it all off, he can play either
shortstop or second base very well, and even logged a few innings at third
during his brief stint with the parent club last week. He's good enough to
start for several big league clubs, and there's little doubt that he'll return
shortly.
Scott Hairston
Because of his recent stint on the DL, people forget that Scott Hairston was
easily Tucson's best all-around hitter this season. He clubbed 25 homers
despite logging just 365 at bats. Oh, and he hit .323 as well.
Hairston may be sorely needed in the outfield if Luis Gonzalez, Carlos Quentin,
and Eric Byrnes continue their struggles from the past few weeks. Even if
those guys rebound, Hairston makes for a formidable bat off the bench.
Dustin Nippert
He's been up and down all year long, so the safe money is that he'll be up
again one final time. But honestly, several of his teammates at Tucson
have outpitched him this year, and he hasn't shown any indication that he can
get major league hitting out consistently yet. Plus, if they do bring him
back, it likely won't be as a starter, and they may not want to risk warping his
development by using him as a reliever.
Robby Hammock
Hammoch has quietly put together a nice season at AAA, having hit .290 with
19 homers in just 348 at bats. He's a likely callup for his versatility;
Not only is he a quality backstop, but he can play left, right, or third base in
a pinch. It doesn't hurt that he's done well in the majors before.
Bob Melvin shouldn't have to worry that Robby might freeze up in a key situation
because he's in awe of playing in the majors. He'll give Melvin an awful
lot of flexibility down the stretch.
Questionables:
Chris Carter
Carter has done nothing but cream the ball since he's gotten into the
Diamondbacks organization. The problem remains that he really can't play
any position besides first base, and one of the most important building blocks
of the organization already resides there in Conor Jackson. And with Tony Clark now healthy, there's no way that the club will go with a prospect who is
unproven at the major league level over a solid veteran who can hit in the
clutch as Jackson's backup. They could call him up to get him one or two
at bats as a pinch hitter, but that could end up being more frustrating for the
kid than not being promoted at all.
Brian Barden
Barden has always performed well for the organization, but has never really
distinguished himself from the pack. This was probably the most
disappointed guy in the world when Chad Tracy moved back to third base and
signed a three year extension. The eighteen errors that Barden has
committed this year won't help his cause, but his solid performance in spring
training this year may have served to convince upper management that he can
handle the pressure of the big leagues.
Mike Bacsik
Bacsik turns 29 in November and hasn't ever proven himself at the big league
level, but an 11-0 record and 2.79 ERA are hard to ignore. Perhaps more
importantly, Bacsik would give the Diamondbacks another much-needed lefty out of
the bullpen. Trouble is, Bascik hasn't dealt with left handed batters any
better than he has right handed ones this year. The Diamondbacks aren't
the type of organization who will promote someone just for show. If Bacsik
gets the call, it will be because they have faith in his ability to get those
lefties out.
Doubtfuls:
Micah Owings
He doesn't need to be protected on the 40-man roster, so it's unlikely that
the club would bring him up at such a late date. On the other hand, could
the organization live with itself if the DIamondbacks missed the playoffs by one
game, knowing that a couple of late starts from this stud might have made the
difference?
Mike Schultz
His control has improved dramatically this year, but generally you'd like to
see some year-to-year consistency with a reliever before relying upon him in key
stretch games. And Schultz's 6'-7" frame makes consistent mechanics
difficult.
Jeff Bajenaru
By the time the Triple-A playoffs are over, Bajenaru will have logged about
85 bullpen innings on the year. He's old enough to have built up some arm
resiliency, but also has an injury history that set back his career earlier.
The possible rewards of a promotion here just don't outweigh the risks.
Read more from Keith Glab at
BaseballEvolution.com