Thursday, November 20, 2008

Davis, McGee to join players union today

Today is the deadline for the Rays to add prospects to their 40-man roster and protect them from next month's Rule 5 draft.

So, pitchers Wade Davis and Jake McGee, come on down and receive your membership in the Major League Baseball Players Association. Drafted out of high school in 2004, these two are eligible and too potentially valuable for the Rays to lose.

The Rule 5 draft is Dec. 11 at the winter meetings in Las Vegas. If someone is drafted, they have to stay in the major leagues all next season OR be on the disabled list. McGee is recovering from Tommy John surgery and likely won't pitch for all of 2009.

Tampa Bay has 36 players on its 40-man roster right now and it out trolling for free agents. They'll also need 40-man space for those additions.

This is an oversimplification, but basically high school players drafted in 2004 or college players drafted in 2005 are exposed in this year's Rule 5. Looking at Tampa Bay's draft lists from those years, I don't see any other possibilities (sorry, Chris Mason).

No comments: