Fantasy Baseball: Preparing for next season in the late season

As the pennant races start to conclude, so does the fantasy baseball season.

Leagues of eight, 10 or more teams have been whittled down to a selective few trying to best each other for a championship or other prize money. Owners out of the race -- even those in keeper leagues -- often wean themselves from the baseball boxscores and turn to other pursuits, mainly football, basketball and hockey.

But September is a crucial month for fantasy baseball owners, especially those in keeper leagues. Moves made during the last month of the season can make a difference next year. Major league teams expand their rosters to include young prospects, and knowledgeable fantasy owners can take them from their unsuspecting opponents.

Last year, players like Pittsburgh's Aramis Ramirez, Montreal's Tony Armas Jr. and Oakland's Barry Zito were some of the players that were called up during the year. This year, those players are integral parts of their teams.

With that in mind, here is a list of prospective "keepers" that could help contend next year.

First Base: Pick up Carlos Pena (1-13, 1 RBI) of Texas if you can. This year, he will share time with the aging Rafael Palmeiro. But next year, Pena will likely find himself playing first base full-time as Palmeiro becomes the designated hitter. Pena has excellent power potential and will get plenty of opportunities in the Rangers' high-scoring offense. Nick Johnson (.181, 1 HR, 5 RBI) of the Yankees is more of a gamble. What New York plans to do there next year remains uncertain. They may go after Jason Giambi, resign Tino Martinez or give Johnson a chance. Johnson should only be considered if you have a solid first baseman and are in need of a backup.

Second Base: After a month of playing in Colorado, Jose Ortiz (11 HR in 188 AB) may not be available in your league. But if he is, pick him up immediately. He was considered a power threat in spacious Oakland, and his potential should rise now that he's in homer-happy Coors Field. He also can help in stolen bases. Brent Abernathy (.276, 5 HR in 243 AB) of Tampa Bay has posted some solid numbers since his mid-season call up. He appears to be the Rays second baseman of the future.

Shortstop: Ortiz' double play partner, Juan Uribe (4 HR, 34 RBI in 205 AB), should receive some consideration as well as San Diego's D'Angelo Jimenez (.268 in 238 AB). In addition, Houston's Adam Everett (0-1, 1 R) could be a nice sleeper pick, although Everett's status for next year isn't certain.

Third Base: There really doesn't appear to be any standout picks from this crop. Sean Burroughs of San Diego still appears to be a year away. If you're in a bind, Jared Sandberg (11 RBI in 92 AB) of Tampa Bay could be worth consideration. Just don't expect much.

Outfield: There are two studs out there. The Cubs' Corey Patterson (4 HR, 3 SB in 99 AB) eventually will start as the regular centerfielder. It's a good guess that will happen next April. In Toronto, Vernon Wells (.381, 5 SB in 63 AB) will have to be shoehorned into an already impressive outfield, but there are rumors that Wells will rotate with Jose Cruz Jr., Shannon Stewart and Raul Mondesi next year. Whoever doesn't play in the field will likely DH.

Pitching: There's plenty of good, young pitchers for the taking, and now is the time before they become tangled up in fantasy auction bidding wars. Philadelphia is banking on its young hurlers -- David Coggin (4-5, 4.16 ERA) and Brandon Duckworth (2-1, 3.14) -- to help it surge past Atlanta in the NL East this year. Houston's even deeper. Wade Miller and Roy Oswalt came through earlier this year, and the Astros have called up Tim Redding (43 K in 43.1 IP) and Carlos Hernandez. Hernandez has been shut down for the rest of the year, but should be ready for next April.

Milwaukee's Ruben Quevedo (58 K in 49.1 IP) offers owners many strikeouts, and San Diego's Jason Middlebrook (1-0, 1 ER in 6 IP in his first start) has potential. Middlebrook's teammate, Brian Tollberg, is an older pitcher that somehow eludes the spotlight, although he posts solid ERA (4.04) and WHIP (1.26) figures. Oh, and if the Cardinals' Bud Smith (5-2, 3.40) is still out there, pick him up. After throwing a no hitter on Labor Day, he followed with a strong performance in his next start.