What do Stan Musial, Fernando Valenzuela, and Ryan Howard all have in common?

Each of them was a key September call-up to their respective teams. Until recently, each MLB team was allowed to call up as many as 14 players from their farm system on Sept. 1, but the rules have been altered to just two call-ups. In most cases today, any budding star usually makes it to the parent club before September.

In this week’s version of my Behind the Plate column, I’ll look at some of the game’s more notable September additions, as well as those by the Phillies. In a recent Times News online poll about the subject, you the fans selected Ryan Howard as the Phillies’ most productive September add-on.

Howard received 57% of the vote, while Greg Luzinski and Jimmy Rollins each garnered 14%. Marty Bystrom and Carlos Ruiz each recorded 7%, and Bobby Estalella had 1%.

The Man, Fernandomania, and the Big Unit ... In 1941, the Cardinals recalled Stan “The Man” Musial, and he proceeded to begin the start of his illustrious 21-year career. In 47 at-bats, Musial hit. 427 and had the first of his 475 career homers. Musial struck out once and never fanned more than 46 times in a season, having an incredible 5.5 strikeout percentage.

In 1980, Fernando Valenzuela burst onto the scene for the Dodgers. Valenzuela hurled 17.2 scoreless innings to end the season, and the hype behind him swelled. The following season, Valenzuela won both the Rookie-of-the-Year and the Cy Young Award.

Johnson’s career began rather quietly in Montreal, but the “Big Unit” quickly established himself. He finished out the 1988 season with 25 strikeouts in 26 innings with a 2.42 ERA and just seven walks. Everyone soon realized there was much more to come.

Let’s Play Two and Not Drew ... In 1953, Ernie Banks broke in with the Chicago Cubs in the final month of the season. Banks hit .314 in 10 games and launched two homers. It was long that the Cubs’ brass knew they had a potential Hall of Famer in their presence, whose love of the game was noted through his fables “Let’s Play Two” saying.

J.D. Drew, one - if not the worst - of the most despised villains to Phillies’ fans, broke in with the Cardinals at the end of the 1998 season, and he hit .417 with five homers in 14 games. Fortunately for the Phillies, Drew never lived up to his billing when they made him the top overall draft pick in 1997.

Some Others Along The Way ... Jose Canseco broke in with the A’s in 1985, and hit .302 with five homers, playing most of the final month. However, Canseco struck out 31 times and walked only four times.

Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton made his presence felt in the final stanza with his speed. Hamilton swiped 13 bases in as many games and hit .368.

Boston’s Fred Lynn hit two homers and had 10 RBIs with his .419 average in 51-plate appearances in 1974. Lynn would build on it by winning both the Rookie-of-the-Year and MVP in 1975.

Francisco Rodriguez helped the Angles to the 2002 championship when he flourished in the postseason. In the playoffs and World Series, Rodriguez struck out 28 batters in 18.2 innings and posted a 1.93 ERA, thus gaining the nickname “K-Rod.”

Others who could be in the mix were Tampa Bay’s David Price, who had a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings in 2008, and also got a pivotal four-out save against Boston in the ALCS.

Longtime Seattle designated hitter Edgar Martinez hit .372 in 13 games in 1987. It would be the start of a stellar 18-year career.

Ex-Phillie and colorful Pedro Martinez struck out eight in his lone September start with the Dodgers in 1992. His career would ascend after he was acquired by the Expos in 1993.

September Stars ... After his much-heralded minor-league career, Howard was called up in 2004, and hit two homers and had five doubles over a .282 average. But he got his chance in 2005 when Jim Thome went down with an injury. Thome was consequently dealt to the White Sox, and Howard took off.

Like Howard, Rollins’ arrival was well anticipated as the team’s next great shortstop. In 2000, he hit .321 (17-for-53) and became a fan favorite. There’s plenty in Rollins’ resume that he easily could be viewed as the best call-up since 2000.

Before 2000, there was Greg Luzinski and Marty Bystrom. Luzinski got a cup of coffee in 1970 over eight games and hit .197 with five strikeouts in 15 at-bats. The following season, “The Bull” hit .300 in 28 games with three homers and 15 RBIs.

Bystrom will always be remembered for his 1980 September when he went 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA in five starts. He struck out 21 in 36 innings and had a five-inning, no-decision start in both the NLCS and World Series.

Carlos Ruiz was a relative unknown catcher when he came up in May and July - and finally again in September of 2006. But “Chooch” had two homers down the stretch and became a regular in 2007.

Estalella certainly can be easily forgotten, but the catcher was instrumental in September of 1996 and 1997. During his first call-up, Estalella went six-for-11 against the Mets, and the following season, he hit three homers off the aforementioned Pedro Martinez in a game. Unfortunately, he never became the power-hitting regular behind the plate the Phillies envisioned.

I did forget to mention Darrin Ruf, who set a Reading franchise record with 20 homers in a month during August 2012. He was recalled by the Phillies and hit .333 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 21 games after his 38-homer season at Reading.

Also, there’s second baseman Marlon Anderson, who hit a homer in his first at-bat in 1998. In 17 games that September, Anderson hit .333, and appeared to be the solution at second base. He hit .292 as a starter in 1999, but his career fizzled after that.

Phillie Flats ... Do you remember Gene Schall and Calvin Maduro? Both were two prime call-ups in 1996. The Phils had high mound hopes for the Aruban-born Maduro, but he never got on track with a 3-8 record over two seasons before he was traded to Baltimore. Schall - who was a local product from LaSalle and Villanova - first came up in 1995 and hit .231 in 24 games. He was then recalled the following season and hit .273 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 28 games. Unfortunately, Schall never played in the majors again.

Up and Coming ... In the Bronx, the “Baby Bombers” have taken over the scene from a core of veterans, likely most of them who will be changing addresses next year. Austin Wells, Everson Periera, Jhony Brito, Oswald Peraza, and Jasson Dominiquez will be the new “core” beginning next season. Ironically, the Yanks recently honored their 1998 championship at their Old Timers’ Day, a squad that featured a rising Derek Jeter among others.

The Mets have followed suit, jettisoning some of their veterans and going with a youth movement. Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, and Mark Vientos are their core four for next season paired with vets Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, and Brandon Nimmo. That’s at least for the time being.

As for the Phillies, they should hold onto the top Wild Card spot, and we’ll see where it goes from there.

On this date ... Many of us recognize the importance of this date on the national scene. In 1970, Oakland’s 21-year-old Vida Blue hurled a one-hitter to beat Kansas City, 3-0. He was recalled from the minors eight days earlier. Blue first entered the majors in 1969.

Feedback ... Your comments, thoughts, and ideas are always welcomed at tnpsorts@tnonline.com