Rule V Draft

The Rule V draft is today! I don't think the Tigers will participate, but talk about any breaking news on the rule V draft here!

Rule 5 Eve Rundown

Posted Dec. 6, 2007 1:33 am by Chris Kline
Filed under: Winter Meetings

NASHVILLE–Word on the street in Music City in advance of Thursday’s Rule 5 draft came fast and furious late Wednesday night.

According to several sources, the Padres are planning on moving up to Tampa Bay’s No. 1 spot to take Indians outfielder Brian Barton.

Barton is a different breed of player–there is little question about that. After transferring from Loyola-Marymount to Miami to pursue baseball and an aerospace engineering degree, Barton climbed the ranks of Cleveland’s system, ranking as high as the No. 5 prospect in the system heading into the 2007 season.

Barton injured his right knee coming out of the batter’s box in 2006, and after playing through the injury, he required surgery this offseason. But Barton, who had the surgery in Miami while finishing up his degree, is perhaps even more eccentric than even we at Baseball America knew. The 25-year-old outfielder apparently traveled all season with a pet turtle (name unavailable).

Tigers’ righthander Randor Bierd is expected to go with the next pick to either Houston, who would move up into Pittsburgh’s spot, or the Pirates would use the pick on either Bierd or possibly Rays righthander Evan Meek.

Kansas City was reportedly targeting Astros catcher Lou Santangelo, who missed a large chunk of 2007 after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, with the third pick overall. Santangelo has two power tools though in his bat and throwing arm.

MORE BUZZ

• The only significant name to pop up on the radar Wednesday–aside from Santangelo–was Orioles righthander Nick McCurdy, who is garnering interest among at least three clubs. McCurdy, 27, went a combined 3-6, 3.20 in 76 innings between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in 2007.

• Rockies righthander Shane Lindsay was also generating more buzz the day before the draft, but like a lot of players in this year’s crop, Lindsay comes with some medical baggage.

Signed as a nondrafted free agent out of Australia in 2003, Lindsay ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the short-season Northwest League in 2005. He also ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the NWL in 2006 after recovering from a partially torn rotator cuff that season. After the Rockies shut him down in Hawaii Winter Baseball at the end of the 2006 season, Lindsay eventually needed labrum surgery and missed the entire 2007 season.

Colorado sent the 22-year-old back to Hawaii in October, where he struggled with command issues, walking 16 in 18 innings. When he was healthy and at his best, Lindsay threw a plus fastball that sits in the mid-90s and touched 97. He added an above-average curveball and had some feel for a changeup.

• The Reds officially became Rule 5 players Wednesday after they outrighted infielder Jorge Cantu off the 40-man roster. The club reportedly has more interest in arms than position players, though it seems Cincinnati–which blew out the 2006 Rule 5 draft by selecting Josh Hamilton–won’t likely take a chance on a pitcher with a similarly troubled background.

Marlins righthander Jeff Allison’s name has been all over the board in recent days, but don’t expect the Reds to bite.

“I seriously doubt that,” said one scouting director from a National League club. “That’s just Hamilton hype, and we’re talking about a completely different animal under a completely different set of circumstances.”

However, at least Allison’s name was on peoples’ minds. That’s more than can be said about the handful of Allison’s fellow 2003 first-round picks who were not protected. That list of players includes No. 3 overall pick Kyle Sleeth (Tigers), No. 5 overall pick Chris Lubanski (Royals), No. 6 overall pick Ryan Harvey (Cubs), No. 21 pick Matt Moses (Twins) and No. 27 pick Eric Duncan (Yankees).

• The Cubs will be Rule 5 players, with more than one front-office official saying that the club is focused on “arms, arms and more arms.” Chicago picks at No. 19 in the first round of the major league phase.

As you might have guessed, we’ll have full coverage of the Rule 5 here on the blog and after it’s all over with a special podcast.

Report: Cards release Taguchi to open spot for Rule 5 draft pick

Outfielder So Taguchi has been released by the St. Louis Cardinals after six seasons with the team, according to MLB.com.

By cutting the 38-year-old Taguchi, the Cardinals made room on their 40-man roster to allow them to make a selection in Thursday's Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings in Nashville.

Taguchi, who signed with the Cards before the 2002 season after a successful career in Japan, established himself as a valuable member of the club in 2004 when he appeared in 109 games.

In parts of six seasons with the Cardinals, Taguchi batted .283 with a .336 on-base percentage and became a fan favorite for his hustling style and performance in the 2006 postseason.

Taguchi, not noted for power hitting, struck a tie-breaking home run in Game 2 of the 2006 National League Championship Series -- a solo shot off Billy Wagner in the ninth inning that began a three-run rally in the Cardinals' 9-6 win.

St. Louis went on to win the NLCS in seven games and beat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

No one interested?

1. Tim Lahey-R- Rays
2. Evan Meek-R- Pirates
3. Randor Bierd-R- Orioles
4. Jose M. Capellan-S- Giants
5. Carlos Guevara-R- Marlins
6. Sergio Valenzuela-S- Reds
7. Matt Whitney-1B- Nationals
8. Wesley Wright-R-Astros
9. Fernando Hernandez-S-Athletics
10. Brian Barton-OF-Cardinals
11. Randy Wells-S-Blue Jays
12. R.A. Dickey-S-Mariners
13. Steven Register-S-Mets
14. Travis Blackley-S-Phillies

That looks better!

Round 2:

1. Garrett Guzman-OF-Nationals
2. Callix Crabbe-2B-Padres
3. Lincoln Holdzkom-R-Phillies

Cubs acquired RHP Tim Lahey from the Rays in exchange for cash considerations.

Yawn.....after yesterday, its kinda hard to get interested in this!!

Padres acquired RHP Carlos Guevara, the fifth pick in the Rule 5 draft, from the Marlins for cash considerations...

Orials snatch Tigers reliever Bierd

December 6, 2007

BY JON PAUL MOROSI

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Baltimore Orioles selected Tigers reliever Randor Bierd in the major-league phase of this morning's Rule 5 draft.

Bierd will need to remain in the majors all season or be offered back to Detroit for half the $50,000 transaction price.

Bierd, 23, pitched well at Class A West Michigan and Double-A Erie this year, with 81 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 67 2/3 combined innings. He had a 4-3 record and 2.93 ERA in 42 appearances between the two clubs.

Lost another one.....DOH!!

There's a Triple-A and Double-A phase of the Rule V Draft! I won't bore you with the details...

No action from the Tigers...

bobrob2004 wrote:

Padres acquired RHP Carlos Guevara, the fifth pick in the Rule 5 draft, from the Marlins for cash considerations...

Sweet! Line Loria's pockets some more!

Ok, so I lied earlier...

Tigers see three leave in Rule 5 Draft
Bierd taken by O's, club picks up two Triple-A pitchers
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tigers closed out their busy week at the Winter Meetings by losing rather than gaining.

In this case, Detroit lost another pitcher from their farm system. Reliever Randor Bierd, who distinguished himself as a standout reliever over the second half at Double-A Erie, is headed to the Baltimore Orioles after being selected with the third overall pick of Thursday's Rule 5 Draft.

Bierd, a 2003 signing out of the Dominican Republic, jumped from the lower levels of the farm system to join the SeaWolves when they needed relief help. He responded by posting a 3-2 record and 3.35 ERA in 27 appearances, including three spot starts.

It was a breakout season for the 23-year-old right-hander, who had a 6.57 ERA to go with a 5-0 record in short-season Class A Oneonta the previous season.

"He came up and really fit," said Matt Walbeck, Bierd's manager at Erie and now the third-base coach for the Texas Rangers. "Electric fastball, sharp slider. He's a high-energy guy, an emotional guy. He gets really excited at times. Sometimes that works to his advantage and sometimes it's to his detriment. He can get Major League hitters out with his stuff."

Walbeck feels Bierd could help a team out of the bullpen. With the Tigers looking for more experienced arms in the bullpen, however, it wasn't going to be in Detroit. He was left off the 40-man roster at the deadline last month, and though the Tigers had an open spot on it following this week's trade with Marlins, it was too late to protect anyone.

"Bierd was 41 on our list," president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "We only had 40 [spots]. He was our bubble guy. We liked him. We had to make a decision."

Though the Tigers had an open spot, they didn't select anyone in the Major League portion of the Draft. At this point, they feel their bullpen is close to set, barring any trades, and they need pitching help in the Minors moreso than in the big leagues.

To that extent, Detroit gained two pitchers and lost two others in the Triple-A portion of the Draft. The Tigers selected left-hander Juan Cedeno from the Washington Nationals organization and righty Benjamin Fritz from Oakland's farm system. Both are viewed as fringe relievers, though Fritz was a starter last season.

Cedeno, 24, went 3-2 with a 6.33 ERA in 35 appearances this past season for Wichita of the Texas League before showing better results in winter ball. He has allowed two runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings in six appearances so far for Licey in the Dominican League.

"We feel he still has projection, that he can pitch out of the bullpen at some point in the big leagues," assistant general manager Al Avila said.

Fritz, too, had somewhat better success in winter ball than he did during the regular season. After going 11-11 with a 5.67 ERA in 28 starts for Double-A Midland of the Texas League, he went 0-3 with a 4.40 ERA in seven starts for Caracas in the Venezuelan League.

"He's more of a control guy," Avila said.

From a numbers standpoint, the Draft ended up being a wash for the Tigers, who lost two other players in the Triple-A phase. Longtime farmhand Corey Hamman, who split this year between Erie and Toledo en route to a 1-9 record and 4.84 ERA, went to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jose Fragoso, who spent most of the season at Oneonta with a brief appearance at Class A West Michigan, went to the A's organization.