Regarding 40 man rosters

November 16, 200619 yr

I came across this just now and while it deals with the Cubs (with a short reference to the Fish) I'm hoping some mod won't move it because I think it's illustrative of background stuff few of us are usually thinking about this time of the year. I know I learned something by reading it..

Some interesting names on this (anyone remember Luke Hagerty, Lincoln Holdzkom?) and perhaps some enterprising MBer might do the same for the Fish. Anyways, if nothing else it explains the dates and rules of roster management regarding the upcoming Rule 5 draft. And it may give impetus to Beinfest and company to strike before Monday's deadline, or in the alternative, do nothing until after the draft.

In effect between this upcoming Tuesday and December 7th, as I understand it, the minor leagues are out of bounds for trading. The effect that has on trading generally is any deal that might include a major league matched with a minor leaguer as package to pick up a player from another team. If for example the Fish wanted to trade Randy Messenger and Nic Ungs for Willy Taveras, it would have to wait until after the draft. This perhaps is why Admin Beinfest commented to the media that things really don't get started until around the 20th of the month (December).

Big Freeze

by Arizona Phil

Next Monday is the last day players on minor league rosters can be traded or moved up to a major league roster. Starting next Tuesday, and until the completion of the Rule 5 Draft on December 7th, players on minor league rosters are "frozen." That is, any player on a minor league roster as of next Tuesday cannot be traded and cannot be added to an MLB 40-man roster until the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft. Players on an MLB 40-man roster can be sent outright to the minors during this period, but it's strictly a one-way highway.

(Three years ago, the Cubs acquired Derrek Lee from the Florida Marlins for Hee Seop Choi and a Player to Be Named Later (PTBNL), but because the deal was made during the period between November 20th and the Rule 5 Draft, the PTBNLRHP Mike Nanniniwas not identified and could not be sent to the Marlins until the Rule 5 Draft had been completed).

At present, the Cubs 40-man roster (or "reserve list") has 39 players on it, with one opening. (FAs Juan Pierre and John Mabry do not count against the Cubs 40-man roster). With the recent change in MLB Rule 5, fewer players than usual will be eligible for this year's Rule 5 Draft, but even so, the Cubs have 45 players eligible for selection in the Rule 5 Draft if not added to the 40-man roster by Monday:

* bats or throws left

# bats both

PITCHERS (28):

Thomas Atlee

Federico Baez (MLFA after 2007)

Oscar Bernard (6Y FA after 2007)

Ryan Bicondoa (MLFA after 2007)

Chadd Blasko

Bobby Brownlie

* Edward Campusano

Jose Caridad RHP

Rocky Cherry

Alfredo Francisco

Cristian Gonzalez (MLFA after 2007)

* Luke Hagerty

Lincoln Holdzkom (6Y MLFA after 2007)

* Fabian Jimenez-Angulo

Adalberto Mendez

* Isaac Pavlik (MLFA after 2007)

Leonel Perez

Billy Petrick

* Carmen Pignatiello (MLFA after 2007)

Jose Pina

Robert Ransom

* Clay Rapada

Joel Santo

Andy Shipman

* Les Walrond (MLFA after 2007)

Randy Wells

* Jesus Yepez

CATCHERS (3):

Jake Fox

Tony Richie

* Alan Rick

INFIELDERS (13):

* Gary Cates (MLFA after 2007)

Robinson Chirinos (6Y MLFA after 2007)

# Matt Craig

* Mike Fontenot

Alberto Garcia

* Micah Hoffpauir

Jesse Hoorelbeke (MLFA after 2007)

Richard Lewis (6Y MLFA after 2007)

# Albenis Machado (MLFA after 2007)

Casey McGehee

Carlos Rojas (6Y MLFA after 2007)

Issmael Salas (6Y MLFA after 2007)

Jemel Spearman

OUTFIELDERS (2):

Jesus Valdez

Chris Walker

As of right now, there are 39 players on the Cubs 40-man reserve list. However, with maybe three or four players likely to be added to the 40-man roster by next Monday, and with at least one or two spots on the 40-man roster likely to be allocated to a FA starting pitcher and/or FA outfielder, probably at least three or four players (and possibly as many as five) will need to be removed from the 40-man roster.

Here is the Cubs current 40-man roster:

* bats or throws left

# bats both

PITCHERS (20):

*

CATCHERS (4):

INFIELDERS (9):

OUTFIELDERS (6):

I would say the three or four players currently on a minor league roster who are most-likely to be added to the Cubs 40-man roster by next Monday will probably come from this group (probably in this order):

1. Clay Rapada, LHP

2. Jake Fox, C

3. Carmen Pignatiello, LHP

4. Casey McGehee, 3B

5. Lincoln Holdzkom, RHP

6. Randy Wells, RHP

7. Rocky Cherry, RHP

8. Edward Campusano, LHP

9. Federico Baez, RHP

10. Billy Petrick, RHP

The four or five (or six, if necessary) players most-likely to be removed from the 40-man roster are (alphabetical):

Buck Coats, IF-OF