One strategy going into the playoffs is to add a hot prospect or two whom has just been called up or will be with roster expansion on September 1st.  To be honest, this is not always the safest strategy.  Sure, you can strike gold with a Desmond Jennings, but most of us knew that name over the past couple of years.  There are guys who just came up or will who will come out of nowhere.  BUT, if your team is struggling, or more likely you have been hit by a bevy of injuries and the waiver wire is barren, it is an option.  What you want to look out for are prospects who are coming up to teams that really are flying the white flag of surrender already.  They can't make the playoffs, so they will give the prospect plenty of playing time to see what they have for next year.  Thus, a good prospect like Brandon Belt of the Giants will probably NOT be a good add.  His manager with SF has already stated he is going to go with the veteran Aubrey Huff.  So when Belt comes up THIS year, it will probably be for the experience of the pennant race and to serve as a pinch hitter and to provide depth.

Here then, are 10 who MAY get some extended playing time.  But hey, I'm no major league manager (who can really figure out what goes on in some of their heads?), so no promises here…like I said….this is not always the safest strategy.

1)  Brett Lawrie, 2B and 3B for Toronto.  He has probably been snatched up by attentive owners in a lot of leagues, but if he's on the wire he would be the #1 grab right now.  He has started off 5-11 with a HR and 2 RBI, and more is probably coming in that Blue Jay line-up.  He is slated to play the rest of the year at 3B, but in yahoo leagues has the bonus of 2B eligibility!

2)  Jesus Guzman, 1B for San Diego.  Yes, SD is where hitters go to die, but this kid is hitting .339 in his first 115 at bats, so he is looking legit.  His line so far includes 18 runs, 5 HR, 28 RBI (!), and even 4 stolen bases.  In 6 of his past 9 games he has multiple hits.  The Padres have tried a few others at 1B this year to utter disappointment, so I think he sticks.

3)  Jesus Montero, see spotlight done about him a couple of days ago.  Will not get as many at-bats as the above 2 prospects, but qualifies at catcher, always a thin position.

4)  Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona.  Another team that has tried a few guys at first base with limited success, so they recently called up their prize prospect.  He has started slow with batting average as he is at .190 with a 4-21 mark.  But he did hit a HR in San Francisco in his 2nd game, which is no small feat.  The D-backs will try him for a little while, but if they are in the pennant race and he isn't producing…..

5)  Johnny Giavotella, 2B, Kansas City.  And the parade of prospects to KC continues!  This kid is a 2B, and apparently the Royals are going to let him play out the season, even after Getz gave them half way decent production.  He has started 5-15 with 3 extra base hits, 2 ribbees, and a stolen base.  His minor league production shows why the Royals are high on him, as he produced a .338 BA, with 9 HR, 9 SB, and 72 RBI!

6)  Mike Carp, OF, Seattle.  Listen, it would be real hard for me to add a Mariner since I am force fed Seattle baseball news where I live, but I do know that their outfield has been terrible this season, so if Carp shows any signs of life he is going to play.  So far he has.  He is hitting .368 in his first 107 at-bats, with 9 runs, 3 HR, and 15 RBI.  In deep leagues some of the others on this list are probably gone, so he might help you.

7)  J.D. Martinez, OF, Houston.  Like Carp it is hard for me to recommend an Astro, but hey, Mom lives in Texas and……oh, wait, she's a Ranger fan.  So we'll just have to go with the facts.  He's gonna play, because Houston seems to believe in a AAA line-up this year.  But so far he has jacked 3 HR's with 11 RBI in his first 9 games, so maybe there is something there.  There just won't be too much around him in the line-up to help.

8)  Jason Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland.  With Orlando Cabrera off to SF, Kipnis has his shot for the rest of the season.  And in his first 48 at-bats he has sent 5 shots over the outfield wall!  Also has 8 runs, 8 RBI, and 2 stolen bases so far.

9)  Kyle Blanks, OF, San Diego.  He has been a prospect for a while in that Padre system, but he may stay up for the remainder of this season as the Padres need to see if he can be part of their future.  He does have 15 HR in 295 career at-bats and has been hot this past week.

10) Ivan Nova, P, Yankees.  The only pitcher on the list (which should tell you something), he has been up and down with the Yanks this season.  I'm not sure why they send him down, as he has won 10 games for them this season.  In fact, in his last 7 starts he is 6-0 with a 2.91 ERA and a  1.12 WHIP.  With that line-up behind him and being in a pennant race where you need your best pitchers out there, I can't see the Yanks going  back to Phil Hughes over this kid.  I've snatched him up in my deepest league and was very appreciative that his previous owner dropped him.