He threw about 20 pitches today in a simulated game, should throw Thursday in a minor league game

 

could be ready to come off the DL on Sunday

 

say Gardner get another scoreless inning in, I wonder if he makes it through waivers (unless he has options left)

Great news.

 

Just send Wood down and have the bullpen figure themselves out.

He threw about 20 pitches today in a simulated game, should throw Thursday in a minor league game

 

could be ready to come off the DL on Sunday

 

say Gardner get another scoreless inning in, I wonder if he makes it through waivers (unless he has options left)

He could be activated for Saturday's game. He'll meet with the coaches and medical staff on Friday to be evaluated and could then be activated as soon as Saturday.

That's excellent news, hopefully he doesn't come too early, though I'd like to have him available against the Phils.

He threw about 20 pitches today in a simulated game, should throw Thursday in a minor league game

 

could be ready to come off the DL on Sunday

 

say Gardner get another scoreless inning in, I wonder if he makes it through waivers (unless he has options left)

I think he'd pass...or at least I hope he does. After watching his sinker today he'd be great depth

He threw about 20 pitches today in a simulated game, should throw Thursday in a minor league game

 

could be ready to come off the DL on Sunday

 

say Gardner get another scoreless inning in, I wonder if he makes it through waivers (unless he has options left)

I think he'd pass...or at least I hope he does. After watching his sinker today he'd be great depth

Astros would probably make him closer at the rate they're going out.

He threw about 20 pitches today in a simulated game, should throw Thursday in a minor league game

 

could be ready to come off the DL on Sunday

 

say Gardner get another scoreless inning in, I wonder if he makes it through waivers (unless he has options left)

I think he'd pass...or at least I hope he does. After watching his sinker today he'd be great depth

 

Gardner throws another inning or two like last night and not a chance he passes through waivers. Not one chance.

 

First of all I wouldn't rush Tankersley back and if it means he comes back stronger next week I'd wait (although he could be a force against Philly and I realize that). That said, I believe Owens and Lindstrom are still optionable, as may be Pinto (???) I would be loathe right now to let Gardner go.

 

The other option is as mentioned, to cut Wood or perhaps Ross, but you're going to have to address that hole sooner or later.

 

Not an easy choice, no matter how you go at it.

No way he'd make it through waivers...

 

I guess it is a good problem to have. In no way did I think a month ago that the bullpen would have this kind of depth. Especially if you told me Jose Garcia and Tank were going to be out to start the season. I do agree with 2003 that there is no reason to rush Tank back. Nothing wrong with coming back next week.

 

I wouldn't mind cutting a guy like Ross. I wonder if he'd make it through waivers. Obviously that wouldn't be a permanent solution, but it's probably the best short term solution at this point imo. To basically give away a guy like Gardner, who provides quality depth to the bullpen, would be frustrating. He'll come back down to earth eventually, but ride him while he's hot.

 

Or just send Wood down (does he still have options?)

Gardner would most likely make it through waivers IMO. The idea of going with 13 pitchers doesn't really appeal to me, no matter how bad our bench players are.

 

Though I wonder if there will be some temptation to send Pinto down instead. A nice problem to have, regardless, and one very few people would have anticipated a month ago.

It dawned on me while I was out whether Gardner in fact may have options left.

 

Does anyone know definitively? Have a source? I can't find anything on the web that would indicate he can't be sent down.

 

Look at his major league time ( http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=5179 - if you go to "gamelog" you can actually see his work in each year) TB used him sparingly twice in 2002 and 2005, btw both times were mid-season so he wasn't a Sept callup. There's the five year rule, and the three and four year rules, but I don't know what happens when a player is released and picked up by another team, released or trade to a second then third team, etc., frankly it gets too confusing for me.

 

Since 2002 he's been with Tampa Bay twice, pitched all over the minors with two other organizations, San Francisco and most recently Detroit, signing both major league and multiple minor league contracts.

 

I don't pretend to understand all the rules of how options work on the clock although I think I have a good understanding of the concept and how they work when a player is in his original (drafted or signed) organization, but it seems to me it may be possible to stash Gardner in AAA if the need arises.

 

(Hmmm... perhaps an interesting idea for a baseball website would be the option situation of all major league players)

 

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And to carkjackistan, IMHO look at the number of teams looking for relief help right now, either due to late spring training or first couple games injuries, or pitchers coming back from rehab not yet ready and I think you might agree there's a market out there for Gardner.

I love Tankersly, I really do, but does a trade of Tankersly, De Aza and maybe a Ryan Tucker/Vanden Hurk(pitching prospect) net us a Jacob Ellsbury?

 

The Red Sox supposedly love the guy, so I'm just throwing it out there. We seem to have good numbers in the bullpen and still have Jose Garcia coming back soon.

I love Tankersly, I really do, but does a trade of Tankersly, De Aza and maybe a Ryan Tucker/Vanden Hurk(pitching prospect) net us a Jacob Ellsbury?

I think it does

 

I'd rather go get Pence but Ellsbury, if an option, seems more likely