Are we certain that Capuano and Bush would have to clear waivers? (split from Build your Brewers Pitching Staff)

[splitterpfj]

Are we certain that Capuano and Bush would have to clear waivers? Yost is talking like two guys are going out, no matter what, and he doesn't know yet which two it'll be. He doesn't give any mention to the possibility of waivers.

 

"I'm going to have two guys go to the Minor Leagues who are big league pitchers," Yost said. "I don't know who they are going to be. For me, Parra, Villanueva, Vargas, Bush, Capuano are big leaguers.

"I don't have any sense who it is yet. But that's the way that it's probably going to be. I'm trying to figure out the best way for our organization and our team. That's what happens when you get into a championship situation."

 

First round of cuts yields no surprises

[SoCalBrewfan]

In reference to the question above, here's something I posted on the transactions forum about our vet pitchers and optional assignments:

 

As noted, it's not just unusual to option veteran players...it's often not possible. Players with a lot of experience can veto optional assignments...Capuano, Vargas, and Bush all fall short of the service time requirements but they are close (Vargas with 4 years / 157 days is closest to the 5 years.) Players with more than 3 years service time (including Capuano and Bush as well as Vargas) must be exposed to revocable waivers. If a claim is placed, the waivers can be revoked, but as I understand it, that would prevent the optional assignment...and often be the precursor to a trade.

 

See the sections in this transactions glossary on Options and Waivers:

 

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2003/01/transactions-glossary.html

 

Additionally, a player with 5 years of Major League service may not be sent to the minor leagues on an optional assignment without his consent.

 

And

 

* Optional waivers. Optional major league waivers are required when optioning a player who has options remaining but who is more than three calendar years removed from his first appearance on a Major League roster. Because optional waivers are revocable, players usually clear in this scenario.

[sbrylski]

Just curious, where would these rules be "officially" listed? I've went through the CBA and couldn't find them.

[SoCalBrewfan]

I should clarify that the three years refers not to service time but to time since major league debut...not that it matters much in this case.

 

Also, as I understand it, with only a few more weeks of service time, Vargas will hit the five years' threshold...I believe 172 or 180 days is a full season so he'll hit five years in April if he makes the big league team. At that point he would have to consent to a minor league assignment.

[1992casey]

Sam, there's apparently some big fat book that's separate from the CBA that lists all these rules. I remember Brian posting a sticky a couple of years ago saying that wanted to find a copy--and was willing to pay for it. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

I'd assume that what's in there would generally need player approval. There must be a stipulation or implication that this stuff can be separate from the CBA.

 

I'm not sure why this information can't be online somewhere. It's not like it's meant to be a secret. Maybe the length of the thing simply makes it too long and cumbersome to provide it.