As the calendar turns to September 1st each year, Major League Baseball teams get up to 15 additional active roster spots, with the active rosters expanding from a maximum of 25 to a maximum of 40 players. During the month of September, and until the end of the regular season, teams can call up additional players to the majors, commonly referred to as “September call-ups”. A few rules and notes on September call-ups:
-In order for a player to be called up, he must be on the 40-man roster.
-Players can be added to the 40-man roster and called up.
-There is no deadline to call up additional players.
-There is no rule stating how many players you have to call up, and no rule stating that you have to call certain players up.
-Any player optioned down to the minors within a ten day span prior to September 1st still has to wait the full ten days until he can return to the majors.
-A player who is a September call-up accrues service time for every day he is on the active roster.
-If a player is added to the 40-man roster and called up, he doesn’t use an option year for the current season.
Bowker got the call to the majors as rosters expanded today.
The Pittsburgh Pirates started things off today by calling up outfielder John Bowker. Bowker was acquired in the Javier Lopez trade, which also brought back pitcher Joe Martinez. Bowker hit for a .319/.367/.571 line in 91 at-bats with Indianapolis after the trade, along with four homers. Bowker will be out of options heading in to next season, which means he either needs to start the season on the 25-man roster, on the disabled list, or the Pirates would have to designate him for assignment.
As for the other potential call-ups, some things to consider:
The Minor League Season is Still Going
The minor league season won’t wrap up for Indianapolis until next week. Indianapolis still needs to field a team, and it’s not imperative for the Pirates to get extra guys on the roster. Therefore, don’t expect a lot of additions until after the AAA season is over. While time in the majors is nice experience, a week of starting in AAA is definitely better than a week of riding the bench on a very crowded roster.
Don’t Expect the Stars
Anyone who might be a serious part of the Pirates’ plans probably won’t be called up. Every year you hear “Let’s call ‘so-and-so’ up and give him a look at the big leagues”. By doing that, you start the player’s arbitration clock, meaning that the player now has to wait in AAA until the end of May of the following season for the team to get an extra year of control (rather than the norm of waiting until the third week in April). The one exception this year might be Brad Lincoln, who already has his arbitration clock started.
Players Will Only Come Up When Ready
Right now the Pirates don’t have many players on the 40-man roster who are potential future upgrades, and below the AAA level. Most of the guys that qualify are either injured, or reaching their season limits. However, even at the AAA level, a player isn’t going to come up unless they are ready. So even if Bryan Morris wasn’t close to his innings limit this season, there’s a slim chance he jumps past AAA just to get a few innings, and one month of service time, in the majors.
With that said, here are the predictions for who will be called up this season by the Pirates…
Tim
Due to injuries and pitching limits, there aren’t many options available to be called up to the majors. Kevin Hart and Donald Veal are both out for the season with major arm injuries, and while the Pirates could clear two roster spots by placing both players on the 60-day disabled list, they would have to call up Hart and Veal to the majors to place them on this list, thus running up their service time.
Gorkys Hernandez is out of action with an injury, but he wouldn’t be an option to get called up in the first place. Ramon Aguero has struggled this year, and won’t skip a level to go from AA to the majors, especially when he has more to prove at the AA level. Bryan Morris is naring his innings limit, but wouldn’t get the call to begin with.
Justin Thomas is all but a guarantee to return to the majors, although he has to wait ten days from the time of his last demotion until he can be recalled. The Pirates will likely bring up one of Erik Kratz or Jason Jaramillo to give the roster an extra catcher. Akinori Iwamura also seems likely to get the call. I don’t think the Pirates will pay him to just sit at home when they already have a roster spot for him.
I think Joe Martinez could be up, but there are no guarantees. I don’t really view Martinez as anything more than a bench guy, and he’s on the chopping block of my 40-man roster when it comes crunch time. They need to see if he can perform now, or make plans to get rid of him. There’s really no reason to not give him a shot in September.
I doubt Pedro Ciriaco gets the call. If the Pirates wanted Ciriaco in the majors, they probably would have brought him up a few weeks ago when Ronny Cedeno missed so much time. Ciriaco is also the same as Argenis Diaz, maybe a bit better, but definitely not a guy who is going to see a lot of playing time in September at the major league level.
Brad Lincoln could return, although he’s currently on the disabled list, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pirates use that as an excuse to keep him away from the majors until next season. Lincoln pitched in AAA tonight, working on a 50 pitch limit. Jeff Clement will probably return once his disabled list rehab is complete.
Outside of Thomas, Jaramillo or Kratz, Iwamura, Martinez, and possibly Lincoln, the only players I would consider adding would be Brandon Moss and Alex Presley. Neither player is currently on the 40-man roster, so both would have to be added. Moss is eligible for minor league free agency after the season, while Presley is eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Both have been successful this year, with Presley showing success between the AA and AAA levels, and Moss having his success in the second half. I’d rather see one of these two guys on the active roster, rather than someone like Delwyn Young.
Don’t be surprised if the Pirates add someone from the outside. Last year they claimed Anthony Claggett off of waivers at the end of September. The move didn’t amount to anything, as Claggett has struggled big time this year, going all the way down to AA after being outrighted off the 40-man roster. However, the Pirates have the number one waiver claim, and it wouldn’t hurt to take fliers on players, especially when they’ve got dead weight like Iwamura taking up space on the 40-man roster.
John
Note: John wrote this before Bowker was called up.
With a full 40 man roster, I don’t think the Bucs will add anyone to the 40 to call them up unless they release Akinora Iwamura. The problem is I don’t think there is anyone they will add to the roster at this point among the most obvious guys they have to add before the Rule 5 draft in December. Based on that my guesses for September call-ups are the following:
Jason Jaramillo. based on the fact it seems like he is the team’s 3rd catcher at this point. He’s playing more often than Erik Kratz at Indy and he’s also playing better. They always call up a 3rd catcher in September and Jaramillo seems like the choice. I don’t think Kratz gets the call unless an injury occurs. No need to pay a 4th catcher to sit on the bench when the 3rd string will barely play.
Jeff Clement might be the only infielder to join the team once he’s off the disabled list. Argenis Diaz hasn’t seen the field since Cedeno has came back and LaRoche is barely playing so there isn’t a big need for Pedro Ciriaco or Iwamura to join the team. Those two are the only other infielders on the 40 man currently.
I would be shocked if John Bowker wasn’t recalled and didn’t get some starts here and there. He’s out of options next year so if he’s going to be a member of the Pirates after this year they need to get a good look at him. He’s the only outfielder on the 40 man who is in the minors and healthy. Gorkys Hernandez is out for the year so he won’t be getting recalled. Due to Bowker’s situation next year I don’t think they add Alex Presley or Brandon Moss to the 40 man roster. There just won’t be enough at-bats to justify having another outfielder on the bench. I know some people want to see either or both of these guys but I just don’t think it will happen.
I think three pitchers get recalled and two of them make starts before the year is over. Brad Lincoln is currently on the minor league disabled list but he should be back and starting before the year is over even if the Bucs go to a 6 man rotation to finish the year. Justin Thomas will be recalled and be that extra lefty out of the pen. Joe Martinez would be the other guy who might get a start before the year is over. He hasn’t pitched well since the Bucs acquired him so if he didn’t get the call that may be the reason but I’m sure they would like to get a look at him vs. major league hitters. At worst he would be a good long man and you could always use another one of those late in the year.
Ramon Aguero (season long struggles) and Bryan Morris (innings limit) are likely to be left off the September roster. Both are on the 40 man and the only other healthy pitchers besides the three previously mentioned hurlers.
My darkhorse pick if Iwamura is released(or someone else is moved to the 60 man disabled list) is Jean Machi who will be a minor league free agent at the end of the year. His overall stats aren’t great but he has a very good K rate and righties are hitting just .191 off him. I thought he would be in the majors at some point this year after an outstanding showing in winter ball that followed a good run at Indy to finish last year. They may want to just take a look at him although he would have to be impressive to keep a 40 man spot once the year is over. The Bucs have at least seven guys they need to add before the Rule 5 draft.
