Rule 5 thread -- Latest: Rosario back to Brewers, Egan to Orioles

[docduany]

Thanks Mass, I was thinking about a Rosario for Egan swap. I guess I didn't know that Rosario was thought of as much of a prospect.

[CheezWizHed]

Rosario's going to have to be on the 40-man roster regardless if the Brewers do take him back.

 

If the Brewers take him back, they don't have to put him on the 40-man, do they?

[Mass Haas]

Rosario's going to have to be on the 40-man roster regardless if the Brewers do take him back.

 

If the Brewers take him back, they don't have to put him on the 40-man, do they?

Right now he's on the Orioles' 40-man roster. If the Brewers take him back for the $25,000 fee (half of the Orioles' $50,000 cost initially), he'd be on their 40-man roster. Now the Brewers could immediately remove Rosario from the 40-man, but then he'd be on waivers at that point. Any club could claim him and then option him to the minor leagues without having to worry about making him a big leaguer for all of 2011.

 

So, in effect, the answer is yes, he'd remain on the Brewers' 40-man roster, but he'd also end up down in Brevard County most likely.

 

That's one reason being selected in Rule 5 is so nice for the player. Even if you don't stick on a 25-man roster, you've at least earned the 40-man spot you didn't have last October.

[CheezWizHed]

Ahhh, I missed that. I always thought if the player was offered back, he went back to the same pre-RuleV draft status. I guess that is a big reason why some teams don't take the player back.

[battlekow]

Rocky Hill's Pat Egan Will Try To Make Milwaukee Brewers' Pitching Staff

Dom Amore/Hartford Courant

CROMWELL — He has been watching Pat Egan work out for 11 years, watching him chase something that has always been far off.

This winter, Pete Asadourian sees something a little different.

"It's 'go time,' " Asadourian said. "And Pat knows it. He knows it's go time. He doesn't have to be told what's right in front of him now."

Egan has overcome two major surgeries and massive odds, but when he leaves Asadourian's gym next month for Glendale, Ariz., leaving the Rocky Hill High freshman basketball team he is coaching, he will be going for a job in the major leagues — in the bullpen of the Milwaukee Brewers.

"It has got to be like the regular season for me," Egan said. "I have to be ready to go."

The Brewers took Egan, 26, in the Rule V draft in December. He had finished last season in Triple A for the Orioles. So, by rule, the Brewers paid the Orioles $50,000 and have to keep him on the major league roster all year or offer him back to Baltimore for $25,000. They would prefer, of course, that Egan justify their choice in spring training and make the team.

"I was excited when I found out," Egan said. "It feels great to be wanted."

He faces strong competition. The Brewers, who expect to contend in the NL Central, have added veteran relievers Sean Green and Takashi Saito.

Egan, 6 feet 7, and 235 pounds, was moved from starting to relief pitching last year, the Orioles thinking his sinking fastball could be a more effective weapon out of the bullpen. He was 6-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 22 appearances for Double A Bowie, allowing 29 hits and seven walks in 46 2/3 innings. That led to a promotion to Triple A, where Egan struggled to a 5.11 ERA in 27 games. He rebounded with a 2.53 ERA in the Arizona Fall League.

"I think I made a breakthrough with my mind-set," Egan said. "What [the games at Bowie] did was give me the confidence."

If Egan can take the final step and make Milwaukee's Opening Day roster, it would be the culmination of a journey that has had more than enough obstacles.

"He's had some speed bumps," Asadourian said. "Someone else might have shut it down."

Egan was a basketball and baseball star at Rocky Hill, leading the Terriers, coached by Asadourian, to a state basketball title. He played both sports for a time at Quinnipiac, but realizing his future was baseball, he began concentrating on that full time as a sophomore. Then, as he prepared for a postseason game, he felt something strange.

"My arm swelled up to almost the size of my leg," he said. "And I felt, the best way to describe it, is an uncomfortable stretch near my armpit. I went out and started throwing BP and guys were way out in front, asking, 'What are you throwing, all changeups?" I told Coach [Dan] Gooley, 'I better get this checked out.'"

Egan was first told he had a torn pectoral, but he knew that wasn't right and sought a second opinion. Ultrasound revealed he had a large blood clot in his shoulder, too hardened to be broken up by medication. Egan underwent surgery to remove part of a rib that doctors believed caused the clot and had part of a vein removed from his leg and moved to his shoulder.

"I feel like it cost me two years," Egan said. "When I came back, there's no prescribed rehab for something like that. I started long-throwing and pitching."

Shortly after returning, Egan hurt his elbow and ended up getting Tommy John surgery. During the yearlong rehab, Egan began to doubt whether he would make it back.

"The rehab is so long and tedious," Egan said. "One day, you feel like you can go out and throw 110 pitches, the next day you're sore and hurting."

Egan did make it back, though, and the Orioles drafted him for the third time after he completed his redshirt senior year. As he moved through their system, Scott McGregor, pitching coach at Aberdeen in the New York-Penn League, had a great influence and helped convince him to rely on his two-seamer, the sinker. Despite his height, Egan has never thrown over the top, just "three-quarters," almost sidearm. Hitters, especially righthanders, find it hard to pick up.

"That gives him some deception," Dick Groch, a Brewers special advisor, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It's a little cross-body. He's a big, strong, physical guy."

Though he looks like a guy who might throw 98 MPH, Egan throws 91-93, which also fools the hitters, and he has the sinking action.

"Strikeouts are great," Egan said, "but for me it's all about pitching to contact, getting ground balls."

The Brewers see him in the mold of Kameron Loe, a 6-8 righthander who is not overpowering but had a 2.78 ERA in 53 games for them in 2010.

When he returned home from Arizona, Egan stepped up his training with Asadourian at Future Fitness in Cromwell, a small gym behind Champions Skating Center. A number of other local pro athletes work out there.

Asadourian, who has returned to coaching the boys basketball team at Rocky Hill, asked Egan to take over the freshman program. Egan's father, Pete, the career rebounding leader at the University of Hartford (1971-75), is the Rocky Hill girls varsity coach.

Egan, who also gives lessons at Baseball City in Hartford, has been throwing regularly for several weeks. He sometimes pushes equipment aside at Future Fitness, approximating 60 feet, 6 inches, and fires in to Asadourian, his trainer since age 15.

"My hand is throbbing when he's through," Asadourian said.

For Egan and those pulling for him, it's living in the moment — and the moment for which he has worked a lifetime is at hand.

"There's no question about it," he said, "you go through life and you make decisions and you wonder, and people wonder, if they're the right ones. Now, you have the chance to make it all pay off."

[battlekow]

The Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck with an update on Adrian Rosario's chances of sticking with Baltimore:

The only other subject, other than the update about which hand specialist examined Derrek Lee's wrist today, was the performance of Rule 5 draftee Adrian Rosario. The ninth inning didn't go well and Showalter didn't hide the fact that it will be almost impossible to consider keeping Rosario on the major league roster. If a Rule 5 draftee does not make the club, he must be waived through the rest of the major leagues and offered back to his original club -- in this case, the Milwaukee Brewers.

[YoungGeezy]

The Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck with an update on Adrian Rosario's chances of sticking with Baltimore:

The only other subject, other than the update about which hand specialist examined Derrek Lee's wrist today, was the performance of Rule 5 draftee Adrian Rosario. The ninth inning didn't go well and Showalter didn't hide the fact that it will be almost impossible to consider keeping Rosario on the major league roster. If a Rule 5 draftee does not make the club, he must be waived through the rest of the major leagues and offered back to his original club -- in this case, the Milwaukee Brewers.

I would say the Brewers would have to be crazy if they do not take him back or decide to trade him for Egan. He is only 21 and has really good stuff. You usually don't take a young kid in the major league portion of the rule 5 unless your scouts are sold on that player being a major league pitcher and at least compete for a job.

 

I think it would be very exciting to see what he could do in BC or maybe Huntsville this season

[TooLiveBrew]

I would hope they wouldn't trade for him. There's no realistic way the O's keep him on their 25-man all season, is there?

[YoungGeezy]

I would hope they wouldn't trade for him. There's no realistic way the O's keep him on their 25-man all season, is there?

I think you may have misunderstood what I was saying. There is no way for the O's to keep him unless he is on the 25 man roster but if the Brewers do not accept him back then if he clears waviers we would join the O's. A lot of times team will accept them back and then trade them to that team so they get something for the player. Because Brewers drafted Egan from O's and O's drafted Rosario, the two teams could accept the players back then trade them in a swap. I hope the Brewers do not go that route. I'd prefer him back in our system and would take him over Egan.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

I see what you're saying, but under Rule 5 ... rules... theoretically Egan could make the 25-man, and then Rosario could be offered back to the Brewers if he's not on the O's 25-man, right? That's where I was going with it.

[YoungGeezy]

Ah I see, yeah he would be offered back but I don't think Egan will be the one to win that last spot, therefore we will have to offer him back.

[CheezWizHed]

I doubt Egan is going to make the 25-man roster. This isn't the year I want the Brewers "hiding" someone in the bullpen. I'd prefer everyone there be a contributor.

 

TLB, why so high on Rosario and low on Egan? Rosario might have a higher ceiling (although he wasn't even on the P50), but Egan is closer to ready. Seems like a wash if you are comparing both players in the minors (comparing both on the MLB roster would favor Egan as he would be closer to "ready").

[endaround]

Look at their ages and K/9 numbers. Egan might be a MR at some point, Rosario can be a late innings guy.

[TooLiveBrew]

TLB, why so high on Rosario and low on Egan?

 

I don't believe either of those describes how I feel about either player. My "hope they don't trade for him" comment was only related to that the O's would probably have to offer Rosario back to the Brewers. But, yes, I do like Rosario more than Egan... with what very little I know of them.

[battlekow]

Roch Kubatko from MASN:

Rule 5 pick Adrian Rosario isn't making the team, so the Orioles must determine whether they can work out a trade with the Brewers. Otherwise, they'd have to offer him back if another club doesn't claim him.

[battlekow]

Rosario will be cut today, so we'll find out soon whether the Brewers want him back, as I seriously doubt anyone else will claim him on waivers.

[Mass Haas]

As many anticipated, the two Rule 5 picks, RHP's Adrian Rosario and Pat Egan, have been returned to their original organizations.

 

Each remains on their respective team's 40-man roster, however (for now).

[And That]

Colin Fly says that Rosario has cleared waivers, will be assigned to Brevard.

[paul253]

Was Egan ever really give a chance to make the roster? He didn't give up a run in spring did he? Not that I am calling for him to make the team, but it seems weird they'd select him if they weren't going to give him a chance.

[And That]

Egan was injured for a large chunk of camp.

[Mass Haas]

As many anticipated, the two Rule 5 picks, RHP's Adrian Rosario and Pat Egan, have been returned to their original organizations.

 

Each remains on their respective team's 40-man roster, however (for now).

Everyone, my apologies --

 

4. If a club decides not to keep a player selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 draft on its MLB 25-man Active List (or MLB 15-day or 60-day Disabled List), the player must be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers, where any of the other 29 MLB clubs can claim the player for the $25,000 Rule 5 waiver price and assume the Rule 5 obligations.

5. If the Rule 5 player is not claimed off Outright Waivers, the player then must be offered back to the club from which he was drafted, and the player's former club can reclaim the player for $25,000, with the player being automatically outrighted to the AAA club from which he was drafted. If he has at least three years of MLB Service Time and/or has been outrighted previously in his career, the player can elect to be an MLB Article XX-D minor league free-agent after being outrighted (he has three days to decide if he is outrighted during the MLB regular season, and he has a week to decide if he is outrighted during Spring Training), or he can accept the Outright Assignment and defer the right to be a minor league free-agent under MLB Article XX-D until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season. (The player is not eligible to be an Article XX-D minor league free-agent if he accepts the Outright Assignment and then is subsequently added back to an MLB Reserve List prior to the end of the MLB regular season).

***

 

Basically what this means is that when a Rule 5 guy does not stick, not only does he lose his chance at 25-man status, but he loses his 40-man roster status as well. Bummer for the player.

 

Sorry about that, folks.

[CheezWizHed]

Just a little baseball lingo question: So you are saying the word "outrighted" is the reason he is off the 40-man? Otherwise it would have been "optioned"?

 

Bummer for the player, good for the team. Nice to have the 40-man spot open again...