The Rays Must Add Jeremy Hellickson and Desmond Jennings to 40-Man Roster by Early December

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 27, 2009 7:21 PM EDT

H/T to Brickhaus for the idea.

For those unaware, the Rule 5 draft is basically MLB's way of preventing talent hoarding, here are the rules associated with eligiblity:

After 4 or 5 years as a professional, a player must be added to his club's 40-man roster or exposed to the 29 other clubs in the Rule 5 draft. (A club has 5 years to evaluate a player who signs his first pro contract at 18 years old or younger, but only 4 years to decide on a player who signs at age 19.) For purposes of calculating years as a pro, the counting begins the day a player signs his first pro contract, not the season he begins to play.

So, who do the Rays have that fit those requirements?

Desmond Jennings
Jeremy Hellickson
Aneury Rodriguez
Ryan Royster
Chris Nowak
Eduardo Morlan
Nevin Ashley
Ryan Reid

The first two are givens, after that I doubt any of them are added to the 40-man besides Rodriguez. Maybe Reid if the Rays really like him, otherwise it seems unlikely he gets a spot or can stick in the majors next year -- remember, selected players must spend the year on their new team's 25-man roster or otherwise be offered back to the original team.

Alex Cobb and Alexander Torres top the list of guys eligible next year.

For more information on the Rule 5 draft, read this piece by the fantastic Alan Schwarz.

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Comments

Interesting

Who gets cut to make room?

by Tommy Bennett on Sep 27, 2009 7:56 PM EDT reply actions

quick overview of the possiblities

bennet, bradford, shouse/choate, springer, lobaton, Aki, Helliot, Richard, Ruggs

the ghost of stokes, camp, lugo strikes TB-sept 2009

by CubFanRaysaddict on Sep 27, 2009 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, there's plenty of guys who can be let go without a problem.

Vroom vroom party starter
www.raysprospects.com

by Imperialism32 on Sep 27, 2009 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Pretty much.

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 27, 2009 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions

add gross and/or kapler

to the bunch as well

the ghost of stokes, camp, lugo strikes TB-sept 2009

by CubFanRaysaddict on Sep 27, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not done with Lobaton yet

dbullsfan is going to slap you for including Helliot

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 27, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions

You mean Eckstein Johnson?

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 27, 2009 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah he's a big fan

HE CAN PLAY 8 POSITIONS!!!!!11

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 27, 2009 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions

How does SBN have pages for Ashley and Reid but not Jennings and Hellickson?

That makes no sense.

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 27, 2009 8:06 PM EDT reply actions

Not Reid, Royster.

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 27, 2009 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Alright, let's be logical. Who on this list would have a shot at making a MLB starting 25?

Desmond Jennings, yes. He is young, cheap, and speedy. He can help on the basepaths, in the field, and as a trade chip you don’t need him for your future. So, move him to the 40.

Hell-boy, yes. He is pretty much MLB ready and any young team would be stupid not to take a chance on him.

Anuery Rodriguez, I feel would be picked up by someone on the MLB roster but, he may not be able to hang on a MLB roster for the full 162. But, to be safe, I say keep A-Rod on the roster.

Royster was availible last year and no one took him. He has played worse this year then last.

Morlan had a good season and will probably be picked by someone on the Rule 5. He was picked up last year by the Brewers for those who don’t remember.

Nowak would be a bench guy and nothing more. I don’t see someone wasting a 25 man roster spot on a guy who probably a dime a dozen. But, I still do like Nowak in our system, please don’t get me wrong.

Ried, I doubt would be picked up, but who knows. Nick DeBarr got picked up a few years back and was returned quickly, and I like Ried more then I do DeBarr.

Finally, who on the Rays current 40, if exposed would be picked up? Elliot Johnson would be given a shot by someone, I can almost bet on it. He is still young, versatile, and a switch hitter w/ some slight pop. He would be a valuable bench buy for a minor league squad. I see Johnson as an upgrade to a guy like Josh Wilson. Mitch Talbot would also be taken, he has live arm and could probably hang on a major league roster for the whole year. Is Talbot Cy Young? No, but he could be a productive 5th starter.

In the name of Shinji Mori, we shall win!

by thebaddancingraysfan on Sep 27, 2009 9:56 PM EDT reply actions

Does Johnson even have an option left after this year?

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Sep 28, 2009 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Say good bye to Peterson

who served as Cleveland’s farm director before joining the BoSox, was expected to be a candidate to manage the Indians if Eric Wedge is not brought back.
More from Ken Rosenthal as he reports that the Brewers are “seemingly on the verge” of retaining Ken Macha and are considering hiring pitching coach Rick Peterson. Macha and Peterson were on the Oakland staff together from 1999-2003. Peterson served under Macha in 2003, his first year as the A’s skipper.

by sternfan1 on Sep 27, 2009 10:21 PM EDT reply actions

I wonder if Rosenthal was using the tea leaves or the magic 8-ball for this.

I know he doesn’t want to succumb to groupthink or spreading false rumors.

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 27, 2009 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Yankees/Sox on ESPN? re-play?

by sternfan1 on Sep 27, 2009 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I try to stay away from games like that

Maybe when it’s chillier

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 27, 2009 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

He'd be a nice way to start our off-season.

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 27, 2009 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Did the Rays get anyone in the Rule 5 last year?

Then again I never said I was a genius.....

by thedudeofdudes on Sep 27, 2009 10:53 PM EDT reply actions

We drafted Derek Rodriguez but returned him in Spring Training

Vroom vroom party starter
www.raysprospects.com

by Imperialism32 on Sep 27, 2009 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions

oh yea thats right

thanks

Then again I never said I was a genius.....

by thedudeofdudes on Sep 27, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I assume the list above is meant as highlights, not complete

Lots more eligible guys in the Rays system. There’s hardly a player in the Rays top 2 levels, perhaps excepting some late promotes, that aren’t eligible for Rule 5 or are minors FA’s.

Others of some note are Heath Rollins, Paul Phillips, Darin Downs (FA?), Matt Spring, Rainer Oliveros. Rollins might get protected. Even at A ball levels there are a handful of eligibles, not that any are likely selects in the majors round. Seems protection on 40 man AAA list allowed for the draft should cover most from minor league rounds though.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Sep 28, 2009 2:27 AM EDT reply actions

Correct.

Also I think I messed up on Jennings and Rodriguez being eligible.

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 28, 2009 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

No, you're correct

Jennings was 19 when drafted in 2006, and Rodriguez was signed in 2005.

I do think the rules on international signings, particularly of Carribean players, needs a revision. These kids are signed as early as age 16, and often play 2 seasons in DSL/VSL leagues. Plus they face the challenge of leaving home and acclimating to a new country, language, etc. Seems to me if signed before age 17 another year should be added, unless the player jumps directly to US leagues, which rarely happens. And 16 YO signees generally don’t play anywhere until the following season anyway. Players are becoming Rule 5 eligible when in low A or even at lower levels if they stay in Carib leagues longer.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Sep 28, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe, maybe not

Historically, almost all of the best Rule 5 picks have been foreign players who were stuck in the low minors (Johan Santana, Joakim Soria, Roberto Clemente). If the point is to give guys the opportunity to move up, then leaving it where it is seems okay to me.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Sep 28, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions