Travis Buck and Oakland

Rumor has it that Buck will be called up from the minors, soon. He's only in his 2nd season in the minors but he's been batted .320 in 84 games, last year. On the downside, he only played 84 games due to injuries...which leaves me wondering if he's being pushed too hard and his body is not ready for the demands of a full season in the majors. Ultimately, what may affect his call-up prospects more is the health and productivity of Oakland's bench. Last year, Thomas accounted for a great deal of the A's RBI and HR production, while Payton, Kendall, Swisher and crew rounded out the production. While the lineup certainly wasn't spectacular, it got the job done, day to day - and it was good enough to win 93 games and clinch the division, last year. But - with Kotsay now out for back surgery - this may be Buck's cue to step up to the plate.