Astros "cut" Borkowski, Castillo, Cassel, & Houston

by Joe in Birmingham on Oct 8, 2008 11:39 PM CDT Comment 9 comments

From the Houston Chronincle:

The Astros cleared space on their 40-man roster Wednesday by outrighting four players to Class AAA Round Rock: righthanders Dave Borkowski, Jack Cassel and Ryan Houston and infielder Jose Castillo.

Borkowski and Castillo have the right to refuse the outright assignment and become free agents, while Cassel and Houston automatically become minor league free agents based on their minor league service time.

The Astros’ 40-man roster stands at 36.

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Minor league free agents?

What does that mean? That they can sign just a minor league contract with other teams? But wouldnt that put them in the other parent team’s farm system? How is that different than just sign a contract with the parent club?

by entropic soul on Oct 9, 2008 12:06 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If someone offers them a major league contract, they can take it.

Cassel and Houston, though, have sufficient service time at the minor league levvel that they shop around for minor league contracts, i.e., they aren’t tied to the Astros.

by clack on Oct 9, 2008 8:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Clearing out space for draft protection

and, maybe, free agent signings.

by Only_A_Lad on Oct 9, 2008 9:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

shooting from the hip

players not currently on their 40-man:

Brian Bogusevic
Chris Johnson
Polin Trinidad
Sergio Perez

Not saying all four of those guys are going to be added before the rule 5 draft, but just throwing some names out.

by littlevisigoth on Oct 9, 2008 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bogusevic will be protected.

I don’t think Johnson will be eligible until the next Rule 5 draft, but I’m not sure about that. Same with Sergio Perez.

Drew Sutton will almost certainly be protected. He was our AA MVP this year, and had an OPS of .931. Unfortunately, he’s 25. But we don’t really have much else in the system’s upper levels.

by Only_A_Lad on Oct 9, 2008 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here’s a list of Rule 5 Draft eligible players:

http://farmstros.blogspot.com/2008/09/rule-5-eligibles.html

by AstroAndy on Oct 9, 2008 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the list.

That is a surprising number of eligible minor leaguers who were well regarded by the astros organization as some point. The question will be, which ones look like they might be able to play in the majors in the next year…because that is the question drafting teams will ask about Rule 5 players. I assume that Manzella would be at high risk of being drafted, because he could at least handle a utility infielder job in the majors. Maybe Sutton too. Maybe Bogusevic might not be drafted because he isn’t ready for the majors yet. But that is a big risk to take, and the Astros don’t have much else in the way of slugging talent in the minors. A LH relief pitcher in AA , like Blazek, is the type of pitcher who is drafted in the Rule 5 (think Wesley Wright).

by clack on Oct 10, 2008 12:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, we've got four slots now

maybe those four noted in the link are all protected.

What are the rules for being Rule 5 Draft eligible?

by littlevisigoth on Oct 10, 2008 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Depends on the age at which a player was drafted or signed.

If he was 18 or younger, then he’ll be eligible in four years. If he was 19 or older, then he’ll be eligible in three.

by Only_A_Lad on Oct 10, 2008 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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