So it's about this time of year

So who do we start looking at for September callups? I'll break it down to three categories: likely, uncertain, and unlikely. I'll run down through the 40 man roster plus the usual suspects. Also, if the player is on the major league team now or on the 15 day DL, they will not be included. We know that Rogers, EY2 and Chacin will be on the team come Sep 1st, and that barring any unfortunate circumstances, Francis, Cook, and Buchholz should be on the team when they come back. This is for prospects, fringe guys, and those who have been sent down for performance reasons.

Called Up:

LHP Matt Reynolds

IF Jonathan Herrera

Likely:

LHP Franklin Morales: I'm not sure if his issues are completely worked out: he's walked 9 in his last 10 games, and he isn't blowing the league away like Iannetta and Fowler did when they were sent down. Still, I believe the organization has faith in Morales, and he's been excellent against lefties this year, so micromanager Tracy would not mind using an extra left handed fireballer to get a lefty out. Likely to be called up after Sept 7th, when the season's over.

C Michael McKenry: Despite the awful splits, it's hard to think that the Rockies couldn't use a third catcher. His defense is still very good, and while I'm not sure how he calls his game, he should be able to work with the staff. At the very least, he lets us pinch hit Olivo and Iannetta in extra innings without worry of having no catcher if the second catcher is injured. There are lots of organizational catchers to be found, so McKenry could be called up Sept 1st without worry to the Sky Sox season.

IF Chris Nelson: The infamous roster squeeze of 2010; people have been begging for his callup since he was sent down again after Herrera starred in Tulo's absence. There's no way he doesn't get called up: the reason he was sent down was similar to Iannetta: he just wasn't going to to get regular at bats, and there's no reason why Nelson shouldn't have a full Triple A season to his advantage like EY2 and Herrera. He'll be called up once the Triple A season is over.

RHP Edgmer Escalona: I've had a hard time figuring whether he'd be called up due to his home run prone tendencies and his blah 2010 season, but some posters here are confident that his strong play the last two months will earn him a call up. He has a nice K rate, but his fly ball/home run nature will probably make him more hurtful than useful to the Rockies September run, and I wonder if he's in the Rockies future plans enough to warrant a look. Who knows, his strikeout rate will help him and he's been significantly better away from CS than there (surprise surprise). I have no idea when he'd be called up, but I guess it would wait until the season's over.

OF Cole Garner: Great raw tools, and he has a .923 away OPS, and he no longer has an uphill battle on securing a 40 man roster spot. Very intriguing player due to his tools, and has been impressive since he got his career back in track after injuries. Will most likely be fighting for a 5th outfielder's job next year.

OF Matt Miller: He's had the home/away splits for his 3 years in Triple A, and he is also in line for the second 40 man roster spot. He's hit for high average in Triple A for a while, doesn't strike out a ton, and can walk. Questions remain about his power, and I feel this will be similar to a Mike McCoy callup: he'll get his cup of tea in the majors this year, but will be let go in favor of a more talented prospect and let into the blue for a part time job in the majors.

RHP stud: Alan Johnson: Top prospect finally gets a 40 man roster spot opened up for him. Being showcased for a deal for Arvada native Roy Halladay.

Uncertain/Possible:

RHP Samuel Deduno: His pitch repertoire screams that he would be a useful reliever, he's been solid in Triple A thus far considering the environment, and he was called up last year (but didn't pitch), but he's been injured this year. He's pitched just 41 innings in the minors this year (24 in Triple A), and I wonder if the Rockies think his arm is ready for exposure to the majors. This is his last option year, so I figure the Rockies might want to see if he could secure a bullpen slot next year, but who knows. I'm leaning likely with this one, mainly because he'd work so well out of the bullpen in the majors.

RHP Matt Daley: No idea what's going on with him injury-wise, but I feel like the Rockies have been hesitant with bringing him back due to roster constraints. He's on the 60 day DL, so Matt Reynolds roster spot would have to be cleared, or another prospect must be outrighted.

RHP Greg Reynolds: I put him on the unlikely list at first, but his lack of options next year and his strong pitching lately make me believe that the club might take a flyer on him. There's still the fact that he's not striking many out, not getting many groundballs, and he's pitching in AA. Who knows?

OF Jay Payton: Not on the 40 man, and he's been helped by CS dramatically. He'd be an okay veteran addition, but not when Garner and Miller are better players. Still, you can never doubt if Tracy will want another veteran addition. I feel like he could be a potential WTF Tracy surprise.

1B Brad Eldred: Strong looking season in 2010 and passable performance in majors make him a possibility, but he isn't on the 40 man, though he might get a look as a useful right handed power bat off the bench, which the Rockies have lacked in 2010.

Unlikely or not on 40 man roster:

RHP Juan Nicasio: Hasn't pitched in AA yet, though I'd imagine his strong BB/K would serve well out of the bullpen in the majors.

LHP Christian Friedrich: Hasn't pitched strong enough in AA to warrant a callup, and he isn't on the 40 man roster either.

Any recent draft picks from 2009 onward (such as Matzek or Parker): Not ready yet.

RHP Chaz Roe: He's sort of in the same boat as Edgmer Escalona: bad performance this year may be overlooked by bright spots, but doesn't strike as many out, and he's never dominated in the lower minors like Escalona. With Cook and Francis coming off the DL, and the fact that others are ahead of him, I don't see why the Rockies would call him up to be a 4 or 5th potential longman. There's no point in calling him up, and he should still at least succeed in Triple A before coming up. I feel the same way about Escalona, but he's in a better spot in that his late surge has been consistent since July.

IF Hector Gomez: Not developed enough, there's an overload of infield prospects ahead of him, though his glove would be a nice as a defensive substitution.

RHP Juan Rincon: Don't worry, he'll probably never see a major league job again with this pretty 2.12 WHIP.

RHP Al Alburquerque: Despite good stuff, isn't pitching well enough in Double A and doesn't have a 40 man spot anymore.

LHP Greg Smith: He's been dreadful in Triple A this year, but the Rockies were high enough on him to give him a roster spot out of Spring Training, so who knows, they could give him something similar to Jason Hirsh's last taste of the bigs in 2008. Moved to unlikely due to injury.

C Paul Phillips: No reason really to waste 40 man spot on 4th catcher, and his defense/hitting isn't as up to par as McKenry's.

So most likely, there will be the 3 DL spots added after Sept 1st, the 6 in the likely section, and I will probably miss on some. That adds up to at least 9 players not on the 25 man roster right now, and maybe a couple more, sound right? I think I caught the players that are most on everybody's minds. Also, with Hawpe likely gone, there's one 40 man spot opened for Reynolds, and others who are candidates for a 60 day DL trip or being outrighted are Greg Smith, Reynolds, Deduno and Roe. Also, each of the 4 DL members may all have setbacks that may cause them to stay on the 60 day DL or be transferred, so just because a player is in the unlikely category doesn't mean that they will not be called up.

UPDATE: I just read a post from credible poster (habb) who said that Reynolds has been called up, so I guess Reynolds is in the EY2/Rogers/Chacin category now.

UPDATE 2: With the addition of 2 new 40 man roster spots (Flores and the forgotten Wes Hodges), and Reynolds and Herrera are officially called up, there are new players likely to get a callup.