For those of you who noticed this week’s “Diamonds in the Rough” is a day late, I thank you for your keen observational skills. A wonderful and joyous family occasion took me out of town and away from my Interwebz for a few days, and as you can see, it was a busy weekend of debuts so I was playing some catchup.

But one promotion I was particularly happy to see was that of Jemile Weeks. Because frankly, until now, I was feeling an awful lot like some sort of “Sports Illustrated cover jinx.”

Weeks, the younger brother of Milwaukee Brewers star Rickie Weeks, was the first-round pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2008 out of Miami, and once he signed he got his pro career off to a hot start, hitting over .300 in his first few weeks at Class A Kane County.

On July 29, his Cougars squad traveled to Chicago to face the Cubs’ Midwest League club, the Peoria Chiefs, in the inaugural “Road to Wrigley” game, the first Minor League game to be played in the “friendly confines” in 94 years (and, almost as notably, my first — and thus-far only — trip to Wrigley Field).

The game drew over 32,000 fans and prior to the start of the event I had the opportunity to interview Weeks for a feature for MLB.com (which you can read here) as well as a video piece for the site.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080806&content_id=442491&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

He led off the game and hustled down the first base line in a valiant attempt to beat out an infield grounder to shortstop. In doing so, he stumbled over the bag and fell motionless to the ground for several minutes. When he left the field, leaning heavily on assistants on both sides, it did not look promising.

The injury turned out to be a hip flexor but it was the end of Weeks’ season and it took him a long time to recover, which no doubt is part of the reason it’s taken until now for him to make his big league debut.

Here, then, are the lucky 13 players who debuted through games of Sunday, June 12:

JEMILE WEEKS
2B, Oakland Athletics
B/T: S/R H/W: 5-9/160 BORN: Jan. 26, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the first round (12th overall) of 2008 out of the University of Miami
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Sacramento June 7 when IF Mark Ellis went on the DL.
DEBUT: June 7 in a 4-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles: The starting second baseman, he batted leadoff and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
NOTES: As noted, injuries have slowed the ascent of the younger brother of Milwaukee Brewers star and fellow first-rounder Rickie Weeks. A good hitter from both sides of the plate, if he can stay healthy, he should stick around for awhile. Prior to his promotion, he was hitting .321 for the RiverCats.

CHARLIE BLACKMON
OF, Colorado Rockies
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-3/200 BORN: July 1, 1986
ACQUIRED: Selected in the second round of 2008 out of Georgia Tech
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Colorado Springs June 7 when OF Dexter Fowler went on the DL.
DEBUT: June 7 in a 2-0 loss to the San Diego Padres: The starting left fielder, he batted seventh and went 0-for-3.
NOTES: A .312 hitter coming into the 2011 campaign, Blackmon was a quick sign in 2008 and hit .338 at short-season Tri-City that summer, then moved up to Advanced-A Modesto in 2009, skipping a level and hitting .307 with seven homers, 69 RBI and 30 steals. In 2010 at Double-A Tulsa, despite missing the first several weeks of the season with a hamstring injury, he hit .297 with 11 homers, 55 RBI and 19 steals. His hot start to 2011, hitting .337 with 10 homers, 49 RBI and 12 steals to go with 19 doubles in 58 games with the SkySox, had Rockies fans eagerly anticipating this arrival. He is a fine defensive outfielder as well.

REX BROTHERS
LHP, Colorado Rockies
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-0/205 BORN: Dec. 18, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the supplemental first round (34th overall) of 2009 out of Lipscomb University
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Colorado Springs June 4 when P Matt Daley went on the DL.
DEBUT: June 6 in a 3-0 win against the San Diego Padres: The second of six pitchers, he allowed two hits in a scoreless two-thirds of an inning.
NOTES: Brothers’ rise through the system has been swift, hastened further by the move from starting to relief, where his blazing fastball and plus slider make a solid one-two punch. After an impressive debut split between short-season Tri-City and Class A Asheville after signing in ’09, he moved up to Advanced A Modesto in 2010 where he posted a 2.68 ERA in 33 games, then transitioned easily to Double-A Tulsa for a 3.91 ERA in 24 games. At Colorado Springs prior to his promotion, he had a 2.89 ERA in 25 games, fanning 45 in just 28 innings. Coming into 2011, he’d limited hitters to a .182 average.

ANDREW BROWN
OF, St. Louis Cardinals
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-0/185 BORN: Sept. 10, 1984
ACQUIRED: Selected in the 18th round of 2007 out of the University of Nebraska
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Memphis June 12 when OF Allen Craig went on the DL
DEBUT: June 12 in a 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers: Pinch-hitting for P Jason Motte, he struck out in his lone at-bat.
NOTES: Brown has quietly put up some very impressive power numbers in his climb through the Cards’ system and was hitting .351 with 11 homers and 41 RBI in 50 games with the Redbirds, en route to his best season yet. He was coming off recent Pacific Coast League Player of the Week honors after hitting .291 with 22 homers and 63 RBI at Double-A Springfield in 2010 and combining for 21 homers at three levels in 2008, his first full season.

GRAHAM GODFREY
RHP, Oakland Athletics
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-3/215 BORN: Aug. 9, 1984
ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Toronto Blue Jays for IF Marco Scutaro in November 2007
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Sacramento June 10 when P Bobby Cramer was sent down.
DEBUT: June 10 in a 7-5 win against the Chicago White Sox: The starting pitcher, he didn’t get a decision, allowing five earned runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out two while giving up a homer to Paul Konerko.
NOTES: Originally a 34th-round pick in 2006 by the Blue Jays out of the College of Charleston, Godfrey had split the beginning of the 2011 season between Double-A Midland and Sacramento (with just one game at Midland), going 7-1 with a 2.32 ERA in 10 starts, limiting hitters to a .221 average and striking out 51 batters while walking 15 in 54 1/3 innings. In 2010 between the same two spots, he’d combined for a less eye-opening 5.33 ERA in 125 innings, striking out 103.

DEE GORDON
SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
B/T: L/R H/W: 5-11/150 BORN: April 22, 1988
ACQUIRED: Selected in the fourth round of 2008
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque June 6 during an eight-player shift, specifically replacing IF Ivan DeJesus on the active roster.
DEBUT: June 6 in a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies: Pinch-ran for Juan Uribe and scored the team’s lone run in the ninth inning.
NOTES: By replacing DeJesus on the Dodgers’ active roster, it was the swapping out of one big league legacy for another. But while the younger DeJesus followed his infielder dad’s footsteps, Gordon is a fleet-footed shortstop while his father, southpaw Tom “Flash” Gordon, was a reliever who enjoyed a 22-year big league career. Though he didn’t start playing baseball competitively until his senior year of high school in Florida, Gordon came to the Dodgers’ attention because his dad was roommates in the minor leagues with Los Angeles’ Assistant GM/Director of Player Development DeJon Watson. An outstanding athlete with a live bat (though minimal power) and plus arm, he was the Class A Midwest League MVP in his first full season, 2009, when he swiped 73 bases at Great Lakes, a 2010 Southern League All-Star and Futures Game participant as he batted .277 with 53 steals at Double-A Chattanooga, and was hitting .315 with 22 steals already in 50 games at Albuquerque before his promotion.

BRAD HAND
LHP, Florida Marlins
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-3/200 BORN: March 20, 1990
ACQUIRED: Selected in the second round of 2008 out of high school in Minnesota.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Double-A Jacksonville June 6 when SS Hanley Ramirez went on the DL.
DEBUT: June 7 in 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies: The starting pitcher, he took the loss despite tossing six innings of one-hit ball, striking out six and walking just one. The lone hit was a homer by Alex Gonzalez.
NOTES: Let the “aloha, Mr. Hand” jokes begin. And, hopefully, end really quickly. Losses in one’s big league debut don’t come much more tough-luck than that of Hand. Hand comes armed with a plus curveball, a fastball in the low-mid 90s and a changeup as well as outstanding makeup. At Jacksonville, he was 7-1 with a 3.53 ERA in 11 starts prior to his promotion, limiting Southern League hitters to a .234 average and having nailed down the league’s Pitcher of the Week honors in late April. He’d combined for a 3.31 ERA in 27 starts between Advanced A Jupiter and Jacksonville in 2010.

MIKE MOUSTAKAS
3B, Kansas City Royals
B/T: L/R H/W: 5-11/230 BORN: Sept. 11, 1988
ACQUIRED: Selected in the first round (second overall) of 2007
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Omaha June 10 when IF Mike Aviles was sent down.
DEBUT: June 10 in a 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Angels: The starting third baseman, he batted sixth and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
NOTES: Moustakas continues the Royals’ run of bringing up some of the most highly-regarded prospects in the game. In 2010, at Double-A Northwest Arkansas with a brief finish at Omaha, he shared the minor league lead in homers with 36, hitting a combined .322 with 124 RBI and earning Texas League MVP honors. A power hitter with great bat speed, he was hitting .287 with 10 home runs and 44 RBI in 54 games at Omaha when summoned to the big leagues.

CORD PHELPS
2B, Cleveland Indians
B/T: S/R H/W: 6-2/200 BORN: Jan. 23, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the third round of 2008 out of Stanford
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Columbus June 8 when DH Shelley Duncan was sent down.
DEBUT: June 8 in a 3-2 10-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins: The starting second baseman, he batted seventh and went 0-for-4.
NOTES: After being born at Stanford Hospital and attending high school down the coast in Santa Barbara, Phelps returned to Palo Alto to play college ball. A .286 hitter over three seasons coming into 2011, Phelps is neither a power hitter nor a speed threat but rather a solid player on offense and defense across the board. In 2010 he hit .296 with two homers and 23 RBI at Double-A Akron before moving up to Columbus, where he didn’t miss a beat, batting .317 with six homers and 31 RBI. At Columbus this season, he was hitting .299 with seven homers and 40 RBI prior to his promotion.

ANTHONY RIZZO
1B, San Diego Padres
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-3/220 BORN: Aug. 8, 1989
ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Boston Red Sox with P Casey Kelly for 1B Adrian Rodriguez in December 2010
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Tucson June 9 when IF/OF Eric Patterson was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: June 9 in a 7-3 win against the Washington Nationals: The starting first baseman, he batted seventh and went 1-for-2 with a triple, a run scored and two walks.
NOTES: Originally a sixth-round draft pick out of high school in Florida, Rizzo’s debut season was lost to a diagnosis of Hodgkins lymphoma and several months of chemotherapy thereafter. But not only has he recovered fully, he’s become one of the most feared power hitters in the minors. Just 21 years old, Rizzo was leading the minors in RBI when promoted from Tucson, where he was batting .365 with 16 homers and 63 RBI in just 52 games, along with a dazzling .715 slugging percentage. He came into 2011 ranked by Baseball America as the Padres’ No. 2 prospect, right behind pitcher Casey Kelly with whom he was traded from Boston for All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. With Gonzalez gone, the path was clear for Rizzo to make it to the big leagues as soon as he showed he was ready. Those early numbers give you the first hint. In 2010, between Advanced-A Salem and Double-A Portland with the Sox system, he hit .260 with 25 homers and 100 RBI, along with 42 doubles.

BRYAN SHAW
RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
B/T: S/R H/W: 6-1/210 BORN: Nov. 8, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the second round of 2008 out of Long Beach State
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Reno June 10 when P Zach Kroenke was sent down.
DEBUT: June 10 in a 6-4 loss to the Florida Marlins: The last of four pitchers, he walked two and struck out one in one inning.
NOTES: The closer at Long Beach State when drafted, Shaw has a repertoire that includes a lively fastball in the low 90s, a curveball and a slider. After starting the 2011 season at Double-A Mobile, where he had an 0.87 ERA in 15 games, he moved up to Reno where it rose to 5.59, but combined between the two he had a 2.37 ERA and 10 saves. In 2010, in 33 games including 13 starts at Mobile, he had a 4.26 ERA after posting a 4.70 in a similarly split role at Advanced-A Visalia.

TONY WATSON
LHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-4/220 BORN: May 30, 1985
ACQUIRED: Selected in the ninth round of 2007 out of Nebraska
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis June 7 when P Jose Ascanio was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: June 8 in a 3-2 12-inning win against the Arizona Diamondbacks: The fourth of seven pitchers, he faced two batters and struck out both.
NOTES: Watson, who best profiles as a situational left-handed reliever due to his dominance against left-handed hitters, boasted a 2.45 ERA in 22 games in relief at Indianapolis prior to his debut, where he had fanned 29 batters in 29 1/3 innings, limiting International League hitters to a .179 average. Though his stuff is not overwhelming, he’s had success during his career when healthy. A strained elbow cost him most of the 2009 season, when he was assigned to Double-A Altoona, but before that he’d made a steady climb. In 2010, when when he returned with 34 games, nine of them starts, to the Curve staff, he posted a 2.67 ERA and overall brought a 3.33 career ERA into 2011, even with the 8.22 in his five games in 2009.

KEVIN WHELAN
RHP, New York Yankees
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-0/200 BORN: Jan. 8, 1984
ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Detroit Tigers with Ps Humberto Sanchez and Anthony Claggett in 2006 for OF Gary Sheffield.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre June 10 when OF Chris Dickerson was sent down.
DEBUT: June 10 in an 11-7 win against the Cleveland Indians: The second of five pitchers, he allowed one earned run in two-thirds of an inning, walking four, including a bases-loaded walk.
NOTES: Whelan’s numbers at Scranton prior to his callup were impressive, with a 1.67 ERA and 18 saves in 25 appearances, during which time he’d limited International League hitters to a .183 average and struck out 30 in 27 innings, walking just six (yes, two more than he walked in two-thirds of an inning). Originally drafted by the Tigers in the fourth round of 2005, he’d struggled in 2010 between Double-A Trenton and Scranton, posting a 6.02 ERA in 41 games, but limiting hitters to a .215 average. He’d collected 27 saves back in 2006, his last previous year as a closer, at Advanced A Lakeland prior to his trade to the Yankees. Injuries have slowed his progress.