Recent Shortstop Call-Ups: Cliff Pennington and Alcides Escobar

Also featured on Rotoprofessor.com.

Today I will continue my segment on some recent call-ups.

Like I said in the initial post, keeping track of late-season promotions is crucial for fantasy owners. Think of yourself as a major league general manager or coach; you're trying to see if these players can hold their own at the major league level. Are they players you can count on for the future? Or should you shift your focus elsewhere because these guys look like they need more minor league seasoning?

Also, be sure to keep a keen eye on the offseason movement of certain teams. If they acquire someone at the same position that a certain prospect you were watching plays, then it will be that much harder for them to make a contribution at the major league level.

This should not be a cause for concern if the prospect is good enough; nowadays teams would rather keep their own players for financial reasons than sign a free agent to an exorbitant contract.

Let's continue our look at some more youngsters trying to make a mark at the big league level: Cliff Pennington and Alcides Escobar. Again, if your favorites aren’t included, I apologize—I'm sure we'll analyze them eventually!

Cliff Pennington, Oakland A's

Pennington is a switch-hitting shortstop drafted out of Texas A&M in the first round of the 2005 draft. According to MLB.com, he "uses a short, compact swing from both sides. [He's a] "patient, line-drive contact hitter." Baseball America cites Pennington's best attribute as his makeup: "Scouts have loved Pennington’s grit and energy since he was in high school."

Pennington seems like the ultimate A's player; a high motor guy with good on-base skills. Pennington is the type of player who gets maximum production out of all of his assets, even if he's not the most gifted athlete.

Before he was promoted to Oakland on July 31, Pennington wasn't overly impressive at the Triple-A level. He had a .264 AVG with three HR and 40 RBI, to go along with 27 SB. He also slugged just .358, so don't expect power to be a part of his game in the majors.

The A's gave him a look for 99 at-bats last season, but he hit just .242 with no HRs and nine RBI. They really have nothing to lose by giving the gritty shortstop a chance.

So far in 46 AB with the A's, Pennington has one HR, five RBI, three SB, and a .326 AVG. If you need a shortstop, I'd give Pennington a look. He's playing well since his promotion and could be a guy to utilize as long as he stays hot. Just don’t expect him to hit for too much power.

Fantasy impact this season

I don't think it will be too great right now, although if he stays hot he can be the flavor of the week type. He just doesn't do a whole lot that impresses me, to be honest.

Future fantasy impact

His great OBP skills (a .426 mark in Triple-A last season) should translate well at the major league level. He has some speed as well and handles the bat relatively well. He could be a decent middle infielder for your team, but I wouldn't want him as your shortstop starter.

Alcides Escobar, Milwaukee Brewers

Recalled on Wednesday in correspondence with J.J. Hardy's demotion and Bill Hall’s release, it's now Escobar's time to show he’s ready to be the long-term answer at shortstop for the Brewers.

Rated the No. 1 prospect for the Brewers coming into the season, Escobar’s main assets are his speed and his defense. Baseball Prospectus calls him “a future Gold Glove shortstop and an ideal number two hitter.”

Before the promotion, the speedster was batting .298 with four HR, 34 RBI, 75 R, 42 SB, and just 32 BB in 430 AB. He was only caught stealing 10 times on the season. Escobar also has some doubles power (24 at Triple-A), which I'm sure is aided by his excellent speed.

If you're an owner in need of speed, Escobar's your man. If his bat can stick in the majors and he learns to walk more often, I'm sure he'll be able to swipe bases in bunches.

He batted ninth in his first start on Thursday, going 1-for-4 in the contest. However, he does already have a steal after coming on to pinch run in Wednesday’s game, so already we know what his calling card will be.

Fantasy impact this season

Escobar's No. 1 asset is his speed, and he should be able to get a slew of steals this season. Don't expect much else though.

Future fantasy impact

I'm thinking his production will be similar to Chone Figgins': not a lot of pop, but a solid OBP guy who fits in as the No. 1 or No. 2 batter in a lineup. A player of Escobar's type will find a way to tally the steals. If he draws more walks, he becomes a top stolen base threat; if not, he still should find his way onto fantasy rosters.

What do you guys think? Who is the best bet for this year? Who's got the brightest long-term future?