Cleveland Sports Forum

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:30 pm**

I'm going to combine 2 folders and copy as much as I can from WC, so we don't have to look it all up again!

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:33 pm**

Save rule

10.20 Credit a pitcher with a save when he meets all three of the following conditions:

(1) He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his club; and

(2) He is not the winning pitcher; and

(3) He qualifies under one of the following conditions:

(a) He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning; or

(b) He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck (that is, the potential tying run is either already on base or is one of the first two batsmen he faces); or

(c) He pitches effectively for at least three innings.

No more than one save may be credited in each game.

What is a draft-and-follow?

Drafted players who enter (or return to) junior college remain eligible to sign with the team that drafted them until seven days before the next year's draft. Teams often sign these players almost a year later. Draft and follow is the name for this process, and such players are sometimes referred to as draft and follow players

More from a different BA article (the complete article, about the 1999 draft, is here):

The rule was conceived between the 1986 and 1987 drafts after the elimination of the January draft and secondary phase of the June draft, which were dominated by junior college players. Clubs decided to simplify the draft process because of confusion about the different eligibility rules and the cost of having first-round picks in four different drafts.

Draft-and-follow was one of the changes to evolve out of that. It allows clubs to maintain exclusive signing rights to a drafted player until a week before the following draft, if that player attends junior college. Under other circumstances–high school players who go to four-year colleges or college players who return to school–clubs lose their rights as soon as the player attends his first class.

"Options"

After three years as a pro, a player must be protected on a team's 40-man roster, or he is eligible for the Rule 5 draft (more on that later). Once he's served those three years, and assuming he is added to the 40-man roster, his club then has what are called "options" on him.

When a player is on the 40-man roster but not on the 25-man Major League roster, he is on "optional assignment." One common misconception about the rules is that a player may only be "optioned out" three times. Actually, each player has three option years, and he can be sent up and down as many times as the club chooses within those three seasons.

When you hear that a player is "out of options," that means he's been in the majors during three different seasons, beginning with his fourth as a pro, and to be sent down again he'll have to clear waivers (more on those below).

More on Options (this is from Baseball America):

How do options work?

When a player is added to a 40-man roster for the first time, the major league team is permitted three optional assignments of his contract, or three "option years." This gives them the option to assign that player to the minor leagues without requiring him to clear waivers. For each season thereafter in which the player is assigned to a minor league team, one option is used up.

When a player is out of options, he can still be assigned to the minor leagues, but first he must clear waivers.

In some rare cases, a player is entitled to four option years. Players with less than five professional seasons are eligible for this fourth option year. This generally comes into effect only when a player signs a major league contract immediately upon being drafted, because most players will not be added to the 40-man roster until their third or fourth pro season.

Waivers

Waivers just might be the most complicated single aspect of the rules. In the rule book, a waiver is defined as "... a permission granted for certain assignments of player contracts or for the unconditional release of a Major League player ..."

If a player placed on Major League waivers is not claimed by another team during the three business days after waivers have been requested, then the players is said to have "cleared waivers," and the team has secured waivers for the remainder of the waiver period.

And what does that mean? Essentially, the team can do with the player's contract as it pleases. This generally means one of three things:

(1) They can send him to the minors (subject to his consent, if he's a "Veteran Player," more on that below).

(2) They can release him, which makes the player a free agent and thus available to sign with any team.

(3) They can trade him to another team, even if the so-called "trading deadline" has passed. Any trades made after July 31 may only involve players who have cleared waivers.

If a player doesn't clear waivers -- in other words, if he's claimed by another team or teams -- the club requesting waivers may withdraw the waiver request.

If the club doesn't withdraw the waiver request, the player's contract is assigned in the following manner:

(A) If only one claim is entered, the player's contract is assigned to that claiming club.

(B) If more than one club in the same league makes claims, the club currently lower in the standings gets the player.

(C) If clubs in both leagues claim the player, preference shall always go to the club in the same league as the club requesting waivers.

There are other, more esoteric rules involved here. For example, during the first 30 days of the season, the previous season's final standings are used to determine claim order, rather than the current standings.

Disabled Lists

There are two Disabled Lists, the 15-day and 60-day. The only real difference between them is that players on the 60-day DL don't count against a team's 40-man roster.

To be placed on either Disabled List, a player must be certified disabled by a doctor. That said, such certifications generally aren't particularly difficult to acquire.

Players can be disabled retroactively, up to a maximum of 10 days, beginning with the day after the last day on which they played.

A player on the 15-day Disabled List may be shifted to the 60-day DL at any time.

According to the Rules, players on a Disabled List "may be assigned to a Minor League Club for the purpose of injury rehabilitation for a maximum of 20 days in the case of non-pitchers and 30 days in the case of pitchers."

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:35 pm**

Designated for Assignment

You'll sometimes read that a player has been "designated for assignment."

What does this mean? Essentially, it allows a club to open up a roster spot while it figures out what it's going to do with a player. As we'll see below, there are certain situations in which a team needs a player's permission to either trade him or send him to the minors. So rather than force the player to make a quick decision, the team can simply designate him for assignment while he decides.

More commonly, a player is designated for assignment so the club can open up his roster spot while they're waiting for him to clear waivers, which can take four or five days. Occasionally, a club will designate a player for assignment while they're trying to trade him. That's what happened to Hideo Nomo this past June.

"Called Up" vs. "Contract Purchased"

When a player is summoned from the minors to the majors, you'll see that he was either "called up" or his "contract was purchased." For most practical purposes, this really doesn't make much difference. If he's already on the 40-man roster, he's called up. If he's not on the 40-man roster, then his contract is purchased (for a nominal fee) from the minor-league team.

However, the player must be added to the 40-man roster when his contract is purchased, which often necessitates dropping another player from the 40-man roster, whether by release or trade.

"Veteran Players"

Any player who has been in the major leagues for five full seasons may not be assigned to a minor-league team without his written consent. This sometimes puts the team in a bad position, because a player with five years has every right to say, "I don't want to go to New Orleans. You can either release me and keep paying me, or keep me on the major league roster and keep paying. Your choice."

Also, a player with five years of service time who is traded in the middle of a multi-year contract may demand another trade prior to the start of the season following the one in which he was traded.

Any player with at least 10 years of Major League service, the last five of which have been with one Major League Club, may not be traded to another Major League Club without his written consent. This is commonly known as "the five-and-ten rule."

Player To Be Named Later

Quite often, you'll read that a player has been traded to another team for "a player to be named later."

There are two restrictions at work here. First, the transaction must be completed within six months. And second, the player named later can't have played in the same league as the team he's being traded to. That's why the player named later is almost always a minor leaguer.

And what if the teams can't agree on who that player will be? This happens rarely, but if no names are agreed upon initially, the clubs will agree on a price to paid in lieu of a player.

Sometimes, at the time of the deal the team receiving the player will provide the other club a list of minor leaguers, and later the club will have their pick of the players on that list. This list is negotiated at the time of the trade. In recent years, the Minnesota Twins lost Enrique Wilson this way. When it came time for Cleveland to make their choice, the Twins did what they could to "hide" Wilson, but the Indians found him anyway.

Finally, sometimes "Player to be named later" is used to trade players on the Disabled List, since technically teams aren't allowed to trade players on the DL

The Rule 5 draft

First off, note that it's not the "Rule V Draft," but the Rule 5 draft. It's called the Rule 5 draft because the section of the Official Rules that covers the draft just happens to be Rule 5 in the book.

Eligibility: A player not on a team's Major League 40-man roster is eligible for the Rule 5 draft if: the player was 18 or younger when he first signed a pro contract and this is the fourth Rule 5 draft since he signed, OR if he was 19 or older when he first signed a pro contract and this is the third Rule 5 draft since he signed..

A player drafted onto a Major League roster in the Rule 5 draft must remain in the majors (on the 25-man active roster or the DL) for all of the subsequent season, or the drafting club must attempt to return him to his original club. However, since a returned Rule 5 player must first be placed on outright waivers, a third club could claim the player off waivers. But of course, that club would then also have to keep him in the majors all season, or offer him back to his original club.

Occasionally, the drafting club will work out a trade with the player's original team, allowing the drafting club to retain the player but send him to the minors.

How the Rule 5 draft works

Sometimes, GMs find gems in Winter Meetings event

By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com

Jay Gibbons is one of the best Rule 5 success stories in recent memory. (AP)

• Top 10 Rule 5 picks Many people have heard of it, few completely understand it. But as obscure as the Rule 5 draft might be, the basic premise behind what has sometimes been called the "minor league" draft is something that can easily be explained, even by someone who thinks he doesn't get it.

"I didn't really understand how it worked, but I knew it was a big chance and that I wanted to make the best of it," said Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons, taken in the 2000 Rule 5 draft. "All I know, you had a chance to be in the big leagues. I knew about the 40-man roster, and that if you weren't on it, you had a chance to get picked up."

Unintentionally, Gibbons -- who is one of the best Rule 5 success stories in recent memory -- hit the nail on the head. The Rule 5 draft, which has taken place at the Winter Meetings for as long as anyone can remember (and will take place this year on Monday in Nashville), not only gives minor league players a shot at making a big league club if drafted, but gives teams a chance to find young diamonds in the rough for a bargain price.

Sounds simple, doesn't it? Of course, reading the actual rule is more confusing than it's worth. So here's the abridged version: A player who is 18 when he's signed can spend four seasons in an organization before he has to be protected. Anyone who is 19 or older must be protected after three years. Once past that time of service, a prospect must be put on the 40-man roster if his organization wants to keep him from being eligible for the Rule 5 draft.

There are three phases of the draft. The Major League phase is the one Gibbons was taken in. Any minor leaguer who fits the above qualifications is game, at any level. In the minor league phases, only players left unprotected -- and there are protected lists at each level to consider for these rounds -- can be selected.

At the Major League level, it costs $50,000 to select a player and the team must create space on its 40-man roster to select a player at this level (see chart). The fee is $12,000 for the Double-A segment, and $4,000 for the Class-A draft.

Got it? OK, now here's the main wrinkle. A player taken in the Major League phase of the draft must stay on the 25-man roster all season, or be offered back to the original club for half the original fee.

In the past, players have been "hidden" on rosters as mop-up men in the bullpen or pinch-runners/defensive replacements off the bench. Every once in a while, they find a little more playing time. But there's a certain risk-reward teams have to weigh before slotting a valuable Major League roster spot to someone who probably isn't going to help the team that first season.

Every team gets a list of players eligible for the draft from the Commissioner's Office shortly after 40-man rosters are set. Then they go to work to try to find players that might be worth taking that Rule 5 risk on.

"It's just another avenue we can pursue players to add to our pool," said Jim Rantz, farm director for the Minnesota Twins, who have had success with Rule 5 picks like Johan Santana and a few years earlier, Shane Mack. "We send that list to every scout and every field person that works for us. That raises some eyebrows when a field person sees it -- if a player was in his league (that jumps out). It does happen."

The Kansas City Royals have been on both sides of the risk-reward. Last year, they snagged Miguel Ascencio in the Rule 5 draft, and he ended up being a major contributor, making 21 starts and likely cementing a spot in the rotation for 2003 and beyond. But they also left Corey Thurman unprotected, and he went on to become a valuable reliever for the Blue Jays in 2002. "In our market size, it's definitely an avenue we look at not when the season ends, but even during the season," Royals GM Allard Baird said. "It's definitely an avenue for us to acquire talent."

While the actual draft might not be as confusing as it seems, the process to decide which players are worth taking can be complex. The research really begins once those reserve lists come in. Baird and the Royals have a three-tiered system they use to sort out the possibilities.

"We do it A, B and C," Baird said. "'A' is guys we feel we would take in Rule 5 that would play a legitimate, contributing role to the Major League team. 'B' would be an upside guy. 'C' is for the minor league phase."

Ascencio, Baird said, fit into the B category, which brings up the other issue/problem with Rule 5 selecting. Young players with "upside" usually benefit from regular seasoning and consistent experience in the minors. But if a player's good enough to stick on a Major League roster, his development may be stunted. Ascencio was an exception to the rule.

"Usually development is more subjective with a Rule 5 pick," Baird said. "Generally, they don't get that kind of experience. You look at the upside of the guy, you factor in the age and what a guy can be in the future. Usually, when you're looking at a Rule 5 guy, you're looking long term."

And that is easier said than done. The players available aren't exactly the cream of the crop. Those blue-chippers are invariably protected. Of course, one team's lost cause is another's diamond in the rough. And that's what teams like the Royals will be looking for at Monday's draft.

"Usually, they're not on the 40-man for a reason," Baird said. "Usually, clubs know their own players the best. "There are guys who stand out. When you see them on the list, you have interest. Then you really go to work."

If all the work pays off, the dividend can be a player like Gibbons. The 25-year-old right fielder hit 15 homers in 225 at-bats in his first season with the O's, then finished last season second on the team in home runs (28) and RBIs (69) is his first year as a full-timer.

Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:38 pm**

The Role of Salary Arbitration in Major League Baseball: By Michael Novoseger

Introduction

Major League Baseball underwent a financial revolution in the mid-1970s, beginning in 1973 when the Major league Players Association, led by Marvin Miller, negotiated the right of salary arbitration in the new collective bargaining agreement. Twenty years later, it is argued that the availability of salary arbitration is a major contributor to spiralling baseball player salaries. Recent numbers support this assertion, as arbitration eligible players have secured an average salary increase of almost 1000/9 throughout the 1990s. This paper details the role of salary arbitration in Maior League Baseball and examines how salary arbitration contributes to increasing baseball player salaries. Thm Baseballs salary arbitration system is conuaged with the salary arbitration system in the National Hockey League in order to show how varying system of salary arbitration are perceived by players and owners. The paper concludes with an analysis of the financial structure of Major League Baseball and a critique of the practicality of continuing to implement the current salary arbitration system.

Impact of Salary Arbitration In Baseball

Baseballs Version of Salary Arbitration

Since 1973, Baseball has implemented a model of final offer selection arbitration that allows players with two or more years of major league expaience to have their salaries determined by a neutral arbitrator on the basis of salaries paid to comparable players on other teams. The player and owner each submit a suggested salary figure and the arbitrator then chooses one of the figures. All cases are conducted during three week period in February and the final verdicts am given the day after the hearing.

Players with less than two years of major league service and the 83% of players with the lowest service time among third-year players have no negotiating rights with their teams and are subject to the major league - minimum salary. The top 17% of third-year players and all players with three or more years of major league service time may negotiate with their teams for salary. If a salary is not agreed upon, a team may release the player thereby making him a free agent (and consequently relinquishing all negotiating rights with that player until May 1) or the team or player may file for salary arbitration. If the player has six or more years of major league experience, he may refuse arbitration and become a free agen but if the player has less than six years of major league experience, he must accept arbitration.

In an arbitration proceeding, the player and team submit proposed salaries to the selected arbitrator and then present their cases. Since the arbitrator must choose one figure or the other, it is strategically advantageous for neither side to submit an unreasonable salary demand, as the arbitrator will select the submitted figure that is closest to the players perceived value (i.e. perceived by the arbitrator). The arbitrator takes into account a variety of factors in determining the award, most notably the salaries of players of comparable position, skill, and seniority. Other relevant factors include the quality of the players contribution to the team during the past season, the length and consistency of the players career contribution, the players past compensation, any physical or mental defects on the part of the player, and the recent public acceptance of the team and player.

Problems With Arbitrators

Arbitrators are selected from a pool of arbitrators from the American Arbitration Association (AAA). All arbitrators in the pool are approved by representatives of both the owners and players, and consequently do not appear biased for either side. Usually the selected arbitrators make reasonable decisions, such as turning down Boston first baseman Carlos Quintanas 1993 request for a salary of $850,000 after he had missed all of the previous season due to an automobile accident; the arbitrator decided that Quintana should have the same $340,000 salary as he had the previous year. However the occasional presence of an ignorant arbitrator may contribute to players and owners dissatisfaction with the salary arbitration system.

In one case, an agent compared his client with some of Baseballs past legends, and each time a name was brought up, the arbitrator interrupted Hold it a minute, Ive got to write that down, until Babe Ruths name was mentioned to which the arbitrator replied Now thats a name I recognize! This presents the dilemma of how an arbitrator can make a decision without having a sense of history for the matter at hand.

In the middle of another case, an arbitrator asked Doesnt ERA stand for Equal Rights Amendment? Another arbitrator saw the letters AB on a statistics sheet and asked if that stood for the Atlanta Braves. This presents the dilemma of how an arbitmor can make a decision without having a quantitative means of comparing players and analyzing players performance.

Salary Arbitration Put to Practice

Neither players nor owners are content with the current salary arbitration system in Baseball. It is therefore no surprise that there is speculation that the Collective Bargaining Agreement that is currently being negotiated might eliminate salary arbitration all together.

The Players, including David Cone, a member of the players negotiating subcommittee, contend that arbitration gives the clubs leverage to hold onto players for six years without making long-range decisions, and is therefore not desirable for players. (Players would prefer unrestricted free agency after three years, although owners are not likely to permit it.) Furthermore, owners are able to manipulate arbitration by simply not tendering contracts to players, thereby avoiding arbitration altogether.

While players see arbitrgion as an alternative to unrestricted free agency that benefits owners, owners see salary arbitration as a means of granting players higher salaries. Lee Thomas, general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the system claiming that it just inflates everything on the clubs side. As a consequence, owners often use other tactics, such as releasing or trading an arbitration eligible player who may potentially be awarded a large salary or signing an arbitration eligible player to a long term contract, in order to avoid arbitration.

John Schuerhoiz, general manager of the Atlanta Braves, has typically avoided salary arbitration by settling contracts with his players before the cases are scheduled to be heard. For example, Schuerholz offered roolde Chipper Jones a long term contract after the 1995 season so as to avoid salary arbitration during the first two years that Jones will be eligible. Schourholz bases his decisions to avoid arbitration on his desire to promote cohesiveness and togetherness, rather than attempting to save a few dollars.

The Detroit Tigers implemented a similar strategy in 1993 when negotiating a contract with Cecil Fielder. In fear that an arbitrator might grant Fielder a record high salary for the procedure, Detroit proceeded to avoid the salary arbitration process by agreeing to pay Fielder $36 million over 5 years for his services.

Salary arbitration is indeed a nasty ordeal, which is a reason why players and owners often come to terms beforehand. In the interest of winning the case, the club must speak poorly of the player and emphasize the players poor statistics or shortcomings. The mental anguish caused to a player by sitting in a room for hours while his team insults him may harm the players self-confidence and thereby hurt the players performance in following seasons. Such is considered the situation with Jim Dedmond, who lost his arbitration case in 1986. Dedmonds agent believes that Dedmonds disastrous 1987 season was a result of the salary arbitration process from the previous year.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:43 pm**

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TRANSACTION RULES YOUR TRANSACTION DICTIONARY
(From the New York Mets website)

Confused by the difference between Options and Waivers?

Get Your Answers Here!

1. Player Limits

A team's roster may consist of 40 players until Opening Day, when the number must be reduced to 25 until September 1st, when it again becomes 40.

2. Disabled Lists

You often may hear of a player being placed on the 15-day disabled list, but there are actually two disabled lists, the 15-day and the 60-day disabled list. The only difference between the two is that a player on the 60-day disabled list will not count against a team's 40-man roster. This allows a team to keep an extra player on the roster while the disabled player remains out.

A player may only be placed on the disabled list for verifiable medical reasons, that is a player must be certified hurt by a medical doctor.

A player can be placed on the disabled list retroactively for as many as 10 days, beginning with the day after the last game he played.

Any player may be moved from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list at any time. A player cannot be moved from the 60-day disabled list to the 15-day disabled list.

A disabled player may be assigned to a Minor League Club for injury rehabilitation for up to 20-days for position players. Pitchers can be granted as many as 30-days of Minor League Rehab.

3. Player Options

After a player has played three full professional seasons, he must be protected on the Major League Team's 40-man roster or he becomes available to be selected in the Rule 5 draft. If after the three years he is placed on the Major League Roster, the club then has options on that player.

A player on the 40-man roster but not on the 25-man Major League Roster is on what is called optional assignment. A player on optional assignment has three option years, and can be sent up and down as many times as the club sees fit during those three seasons.

A player who has been in the Major Leagues for parts of three different seasons is out of options, and must clear waivers in order to be sent down beginning with his fourth big league season.

4. Waivers

A waiver on a Major League Player is defined as "...a permission granted for certain assignments of player contracts or for the unconditional release of a Major League player..."

A Major League Player placed on waivers will have "cleared waivers" if after three business days following waivers have been requested he has not been claimed by another team. If a player "clears waivers", the team has secured waivers on that player for the rest of the waiver period.

A team can do one of three things with a player once he has cleared waivers. They can send him to the minors, for veteran players with the consent of the player, they can release him, making him available to other teams, or they can trade him to another team, regardless of whether or not the trading deadline has passed. In order for a team to trade a player past the July 31st trading deadline, he must have first cleared waivers.

If a player placed on waivers is claimed by another team, the club requesting waivers may withdraw the waiver request. If the club doesn't withdraw the waiver request, the player's contract is assigned based on certain criteria. If only one club claims the player, that club is awarded the player. If more than one club in the same league makes claims, the club currently lower in the standings gets the player. If the claim is made during the first 30 days of the season, the previous season's standings are used to determine who gets the player. If clubs in both leagues claim the player, the player will always go to the club in the same league as the club requesting waivers.

5. Designated for Assignment

When a club designates a player for assignment, it allows the club to open up a roster spot while it figures out what it is going to do with a player. Most often a player is designated for assignment so the club can open up his roster spot while they wait for him to clear waivers. A club may also designate a player for assignment while they try to trade him to another club.

6. Recalling Players From the Minors

When a player is recalled from the minor leagues he is either called up or his contract is purchase. A player who is called up already holds a spot on the 40-man roster. A player whose contract is purchased is not on the 40-man roster and must be added to it. If a club already has a full 40-man roster, it must drop a player from the roster.

7. Players To Be Named

A team may make a trade involving a player to be named at a later date.

There are two restrictions on deals involving players to be named. Any transaction made in this manor must be completed within 6 months of the initial transaction. Also the player to be named can't have played in the same league as the team he is being traded to.

A player on the disabled list can be traded as a player to be named. This happens because players on the disabled list can't be traded while they are disabled.

8. The Rule 5 Draft

A player is eligible for the offseason Rule 5 draft if he is not on the 40-man Major League Roster, if he was 18 or younger when he first signed a pro contract and this is the fourth Rule 5 draft since he signed or if he was 19 or older when he first signed a pro contract and this is the third Rule 5 draft since he signed.

A player drafted in the Rule 5 draft must remain in the majors, be it on the 25-man roster or the disabled list, for all of the following season, or the club that drafted him must return him to his original club. Since a player to is returned must first be placed on waivers, a third club can claim the player. The claiming club would then be responsible to the same rules placed upon the team that drafted him in the Rule 5 draft.

9. Veteran Players

Any player who has been in the major leagues for five full seasons may not be assigned to the minor leagues without his consent.

A player with five years of major league service who is traded in the middle of a multi-year contract may demand a trade prior to the start of the season following the one in which he was traded.

Any player with at least ten years of major league service, the last five with the same major league club, may not be traded without his consent.

10. Inter-League and Intra-League Trades

A team may make trades without waivers from 5pm Eastern time, the day after the scheduled end of the season through July 31st. Waivers are necessary to make trades from August 1st through 5pm Eastern Time, the day after the scheduled end of the regular season.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:44 pm**

What is Official Rookie Status?

A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit.

Time spent on the major league disabled list does not count towards rookie status.

How long do players stay in extended spring training and what is the daily ritual?

Extended spring is like a combination of spring training, instructional league and the regular Gulf Coast League season. The exact ritual varies a little from team to team, but basically you're talking about drills and practice games. There are a couple of different types of players there: players rehabbing from injuries and players who are not ready for full-season assignments. Most of the players in extended spring will be there until June, when the short-season leagues begin play.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:48 pm**

Welcome to the first CIR 2003 draft report. Over the next two weeks we'll provide you with all the information that you need to get ready for the MLB draft on Tuesday, June 3. The MLB draft is the least publicized of the major drafts and, therefore, also the least understood. Today will serve as a draft primer in FAQ format and serve to answer all the questions you may have wondered about regarding the draft.

HOW IS THE DRAFT ORDER DETERMINED? The draft alternates between AL and NL teams, with the NL team with the worst record picking first in even numbered years and the AL team selecting first in odd years. So in an odd-numbered year (i.e., 2003), the worst A.L. team picks 1st, the second-worst A.L. team picks 3rd, the third-worst A.L. team picks 5th, and so on.

CAN DRAFT PICKS BE TRADED? Draft picks cannot be traded.

HOW IS THE DRAFT CONDUCTED? The draft is conducted via conference call. You can listen to the draft via mlb radio on the internet. It is very fast-paced with Tommy Lasorda typically providing the only entertainment when the Dodgers make their picks.

HOW MANY ROUNDS ARE IN THE DRAFT? The draft lasts 50 rounds or until all teams have passed on selecting a player.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE DRAFT? Residents of the United States, United States Territories (Puerto Rico), and Canada.

High school players, if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college.

College (4-year) players, who have either completed their junior or senior years or are at least 21 yrs old within 45 days after the draft.

Junior college players, regardless of how many years of school they have completed.

21-year-old players.

Teams must provide a list of potential draftees to MLB one week prior to the draft. If you've ever listened to the draft and heard the i.d.'s assigned to each player, you know the reason why.

WHAT IS A DRAFT-ELIGIBLE SOPHOMORE? A sophomore who turns 21 within 45 days of the draft (i.e., the draft is on June 5 and the players birthday is July 3). That player would be eligible for the draft as a sophomore. Power hitting Rice 1B Vince Sinisi is the the premier draft-eligible sophomore this year. Jeremy Guthrie was drafted in the 3rd round by the Pirates in 2001 as a draft eligible sophomore but elected to return to Stanford for his junior season.

HOW LONG DOES A TEAM HAVE TO SIGN A PLAYER? A club generally retains the rights to sign a selected player until one week prior to the next Draft, or until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college on a full-time basis.

A selected player who enters a junior college cannot be signed until the conclusion of that school's baseball season. The window is from that date until one week prior to the draft.

A player who is drafted and does not sign with the Club that selected him may be drafted again at a future year's Draft, so long as the player is eligible for that year's Draft. A Club may not select a player again in a subsequent year, unless the player has consented to the re-selection. The Indians went through this with Ben Francisco in 2002 after drafting him out of high school in 1999.

WHAT IS A DRAFT AND FOLLOW (DFE)? Drafted players who enter (or return to) junior college remain eligible to sign with the team that drafted them until seven days before the next year's draft. Teams often sign these players almost a year later. Draft and follow is the name for this process.

WHEN CAN DRAFTED PLAYERS BE TRADED? A drafted player cannot be traded until one year after he signs his first pro contract. This is often the reason for PTBNLs (player to be named later) during the summer as teams must wait a full year before dealing a player they drafted/signed the year before. If a player is drafted in June and doesn't sign until August 5, he cannot be traded until August 5 of the next season.

WHAT HAPPENS IF A PLAYER IS NOT DRAFTED? An eligible player who is not drafted becomes a free agent and may sign with any Club, up until one week before the next Draft, or until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college full-time or enters, or returns to, a junior college. In the one-week period before any Draft, which is called the "closed period," the general rule is that no Club may sign a new player.

WHEN ARE FOREIGN PLAYERS ELIGIBLE TO BE SIGNED? Players from outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico that are not draft-eligible may sign with major league teams when they are 16, with the restriction that the player must turn 17 by the end of his first professional season.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:51 pm**

From CIR:

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT

Free Agency and Arbritration FAQ

Last Update: January 17, 2003

When does a Player Qualify for Free Agency?

To qualify as a major league free agent, a player must have at least six (6) full years of major league service.

How about minor league free agency?

To qualify as a minor league free agent, a player is eligible for minor league free agency if he is not on the major league 40-man roster and has gone through six renewable contracts. Hence, the term "six-year minor league free agent". Although that term is a bit of a misnomer as the key is the "renewable contracts" not just the number of a years a player has been in the minor leagues.

Example: A player is drafted in the June 2000 draft and signs his INITIAL contract. He stays with the organization and every year his contract is renewed. His first "renewable" contract would be for the 2001 season. Once he completes six "renewable" contracts, he would be eligible for minor league free-agency provided he is not on a major league 40-man roster by that time. So in this example, the player would not be eligible for minor league free agency until after the 2006 season and his sixth renewable contract (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) and seventh year in the organization.

Players waived during their renewable contract period become minor league free agents after their new contracts expire, although teams do have the option of signing the player for however many years remain before the expiration of their sixth renewable contract. For example, a player is released by the Reds after his third renewable contract. The Indians sign him and have the option of a one-year, two-year, or three-year contract since the player would have three renewable years left. If they sign him for one or two years, the player becomes a free-agent once that contract expires.

What are Free Agent Compensation Rankings?

During the offseason, the Elias Sports Bureau compiles rankings of all major league players based upon their previous two years stats. The players are ranked by position, so first basemen are not compared to second basemen, etc., and then broken down into Type A, Type B, Type C, and the rest (call these guys the Professors and Mary Anns)

-- Type A players are players rated in the top 30 percent of all players at their position.

-- Type B players are players rated in the 31-50 percentile for their position.

-- Type C players are players rated in the 51-60 percentile for their position.

Important note: Since the players are only compared to players at their own position, the allocation of type A and B players might seem inconsistent from one position to another.

If a team offers arbitration to a player and he signs with another team, the original team receives the following as compensation:

Type A: The signing teams first-round pick as well as a supplemental "sandwich" pick between the first and second rounds. The signing teams pick is top 15 protected so if that pick is in the top 15 of the first round, the signing team will keep the first-round pick and lose a second-round pick instead.

Type B: Same as type A except no sandwich pick.

Type C: Supplemental "sandwich" pick between the second and third round.

The Rest: No compensation is provided.

If a club fails to offer arbitration to their free agent, they receive nothing when the player signs with another club. This brings up the question of why a club would not always offer a player arbitration. The answer is, they simply are afraid he might accept it. It’s a gamble some clubs are not willing to take, even if it appears likely the player is heading out of town.

When does a player qualify for salary arbitration?

Any player with three or more full years of major league service is eligible for salary arbitration. In addition, a group of players known as "super-two" players are eligible for arbitration. These players must be among the top 17 percent in total major league service of all players between two and three years of major league service and have accumulated a minimum of 86 days of major league service in the previous season.

Players are eligible for arbitration from years three-six of their major league service. After that, they have earned the right to be major league free agents.

Time spent on the major league disabled list counts as major league service.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:56 pm**

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:59 pm**

Just because the trade deadline has passed doesn't mean that teams still can't improve. It's just a bit more complicated now. After the deadline, players must go through the often-confusing waiver process to be moved.

During the waiver period, there are controls on player movement. The waiver process was put in place so teams at the top of the division cannot unilaterally load their clubs for the stretch run. It is a system which favors the teams behind in the standings. Teams with lesser records have the first opportunity to improve themselves and can also block better teams from making deals.

What complicates these trades is the timing necessary to move multiple players through waivers and between teams. It can be done. My first trade as general manager of the Mets was a six-player waiver deal which sent Lance Johnson, Mark Clark and Manny Alexander to the Cubs for Mel Rojas, Turk Wendell and Brian McRae.

What are waivers?
The way to best understand waivers is to look at it as this: Teams trying to earn the right to trade their players.

Things to know about waivers during this period
These type of waivers are called Major League Waivers. It is different from "outright waivers" and "unconditional release waivers." I will explain both of those another day.

Players are often not informed they are on Major League Waivers.

Players remain on waivers for a period of 47 business hours. (The waiver period starts at 2 p.m. ET on the given business day and ends at 1 p.m. ET two business days later.)

A waiver claim can be submitted anytime during the 47-hour period a player is on waivers. There is no advantage to submitting the claim in the first hour or the 47th hour.

Major League Waivers are revocable, meaning that if a player gets claimed, his club can pull him back and keep him if they do not reach a deal with the claiming club. If a player is pulled back off of this type of waivers, he cannot be placed on them again for 30 days.

If a player is claimed on waivers, the team which claims the player has 48½ hours (from 1 p.m. ET on the day he was scheduled to clear waivers to 1:30 p.m. ET two business days later) to make a deal with the player's club or he is automatically pulled back off of waivers.

If a player has a no-trade clause, he can be placed on Major League Waivers, but can only be traded or dumped to a team not on his no-trade list or to a team that he gives written approval to waive his no-trade rights.

Also, a player to be named later cannot be an active major league player.

Players can change teams one of three ways during this time of year
1. A player is claimed on waivers and the team awarded the claim makes a trade with the other club. Remember, all 40-man roster players must go through waivers in order to change teams even if they are in the minor leagues. So timing is critical when teams are moving players back and forth.

2. A player is claimed on waivers and the player's team just decides to dump the claimed player on the claiming team. This is what happens sometimes when a team tries to block a deal that their competition might make. The Padres got burned a few years back because they claimed Randy Myers from the Blue Jays. There were rumors that the Braves wanted to make a deal for Myers so the Padres claimed Myers to block the deal. Unfortunately for the Padres, they blocked the deal but the Blue Jays dumped Myers and his hefty contract on them. Myers went on to suffer a significant injury after that.

3. A player clears waivers, meaning that no team claimed him during the 47-hour period, and is later traded to an interested party.

Here's how it works
Starting Aug. 1, each team can have up to seven players per business day scheduled to clear waivers. (The commissioner's office is closed on weekends and holidays.)

Each business day, teams receive a computer-generated document which identifies those payers who have been placed on waivers.

Imagine the waiver wire as a fashion show where up to seven players per day per team are walking down a runway in front of the general managers. The GMs are looking at them, evaluating them and trying to decide whether they want them for their team or whether their competition may want to acquire them. During the 47-hour period in which players are on waivers, general managers are busy talking to scouts and strategizing about players.

General managers decide to claim a player for the following reasons
1. If they really want to trade for a player.

2. If they want to block an opponent's possible deal.

Once the 47-hour period is over, the commissioner's office informs the player's team if he has been claimed by any major league team(s). Only the player's club knows who put in a claim on the player and who was awarded the claim. The claiming teams are just told whether they were awarded the claim or not.

What happens if more than one team claims a player?
Only one team ultimately gets awarded a waiver claim, no matter how many submit claims. Claims are awarded based upon the following criteria:

1. National League teams get first rights over National League players and American League teams get the first shot at American League players.

2) For teams in the same league, the club with the worst record is awarded the claim.

Once a claim is awarded, the two teams' general managers have a discussion and sort through the grounds for the claim: Was it a claim to make a deal or to block a deal? The GMs may have already spoken about the potential for a trade before the player cleared waivers and quite possibly even before he was placed on waivers.

After these discussions, a deal may be consummated, the player may be dumped to the claiming team or the player could be pulled back off waivers.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2011 7:00 pm**

Summary of New Joint Drug Agreement
2005
I. Penalties for Steroids

A. Test Results

1. First positive: 50 games

2. Second positive: 100 games

3. Third positive: Lifetime ban, subject to right to seek reinstatement after two years of suspension, with arbitral review of reinstatement decision.

B. Conviction for Possession

1. First offense : 60 to 80 games

2. Second offense : 120 games to 1 year

3. Third offense ? Lifetime ban, subject to right to seek reinstatement affter two years of suspension, with arbitral review of reinstatement decision.

C. Conviction for Distribution

1. First offense : 80 to 100 games

2. Second offense : Lifetime ban, subject to right to seek reinstatement after two years of suspension, with arbitral review of reinstatement decision.

II. Amphetamines

A. Suspicionless testing for amphetamines and other amphetamine-like stimulants during regular season and post-season

B. Disciplinary schedule for positive tests

1. First positive: Mandatory follow-up testing

2. Second positive: 25 games

3. Third positive: 80 games

4. Fourth positive: Discipline imposed by the Commissioner up to and including a lifetime ban, with arbitral review.

C. Conviction of Possession

1. First offense: 15 to 30 games

2. Second offense: 30 to 90 games

3. Third offense: 1 year

4. Fourth offense: Discipline imposed by the Commissioner up to and including a lifetime ban, with arbitral review.

D. Conviction for Distribution

1. First offense: 60 - 90 games

2. Second offense: 2 years

3. Third offense: Discipline imposed by the Commissioner up to and including a lifetime ban, with arbitral review.

III. Frequency of Testing

A. Every player will have:

1. A pre-season test in connection with spring training physicals.

2. An unannounced test during the season on a randomly selected date

B. There will be additional, year-round random testing

1. No matter how many times a player is tested, he remains subject to an additional random test

2. Testing will occur during the off-season

IV. Independent Administrator

A. Health Policy Advisory Committee (“HPAC”) responsibilities reduced substantially.

B. An independent person, not affiliated with Baseball or the Major League Baseball Players Association, will be responsible for:

1. The scheduling of tests

2. Supervision of the collection process

3. Transportation of samples to the WADA-Certified Laboratory

4. Oversight of the laboratory

5. Reporting of positives

V. Governmental Investigations --

A. Agreement expressly recognizes the parties’ cooperation with Congressional investigations.