Someone out there must be taking notice of Chris Coghlan. Otherwise, Fredi Gonzalez wouldn't find himself educating folks in other National League outposts about his fast-rising youngster.

``I get more and more questions about him,'' the Marlins manager said this week as his squad stubbornly hung tough in the playoff chase by winning two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Coghlan hasn't let the pressure of a pennant chase slow himn, rapping out two hits in each game as he continued to show the form that earned him Rookie of the Month honors for August.

``In St. Louis, people were asking me about him. And in Cincinnati,'' Gonzalez continued. ``So I guess there are some people out there recognizing him.''

The question is whether the 24-year-old outfielder can open enough eyes to earn serious Rookie of the Year consideration.

With pundits across the nation beginning to forecast the race for various postseason honors, it appears Coghlan continues to fly beneath the radar.

``I can't control how it all goes down,'' Coghlan said. ``I don't have too much for you because that's not the focus.''

Phillies left-hander J.A. Happ appears to be the front-runner in the chase, though a rib-cage injury has slowed his momentum. Atlanta pitcher Tommy Hanson, Cubs pitcher Randy Wells, Pittsburgh outfielder Andrew McCutchen and Brewers third baseman Casey McGehee also rank high in a crowded field.

Coghlan? Down around the ``also-receiving-votes'' category.

When CBSSports.com polled its four baseball writers, only one listed Coghlan among his top three candidates. Happ was on all four ballots, Wells appeared on three and McCutchen on two.

A recent Chicago Tribune breakdown gave Coghlan only passing mention. ESPN.com's Rob Neyer suggested McCutchen is the top offensive rookie.

PLAYERS ARE AWARE

Even in a market that doesn't generate a lot of baseball buzz, such disregard surprises Coghlan's Marlins teammates.

``You go to any clubhouse around the league and ask players who this Coghlan kid is,'' second baseman Dan Uggla said. ``Every one of them will [tell you] exactly what kind of player he is.''

Not only does Coghlan's .314 batting average lead all NL rookies, he's among the class' top 10 in nearly all offensive categories. Coghlan's 45 multi-hit games are 10 more than Arizona's Gerardo Parra at No. 2.

``The media may not be paying attention to him,'' Uggla said, ``but that's just the way it is down here in South Florida with baseball. You go to the people that matter to us -- our peers and guys we play against -- and every one of them will tell you who he is.''

BELATED CHARGE

Part of the dilemma might be that Coghlan has only recently become a serious contender. As recently as July 25, he was hitting just .248 after going hitless four times in a nine-game stretch.

Since then, he's blistered NL pitching at a 90-for-239 clip (.377), picking up 24 of his 43 RBI.

His 97 hits since the All-Star break top anyone else in the majors, just ahead of Yankees icon Derek Jeter.

``I went through some bumps,'' said Coghlan, who also was getting his first taste of the outfield when he was called up May.

``It wasn't an easy transition, that's for sure.''

Said Uggla: ``All of a sudden it kind of clicked. He's going to be a .320-, .330- [type] hitter, and he'll be doing it for a long time.''

Is it too late, though, to get a little recognition now?

``I know that stuff is out there,'' Coghlan said, ``If at the end of the year it happens, I'll have a lot of people to thank. But right now I just have to focus on the team.''

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