1.Astros take Rhiner Cruz from Mets.

I've never heard of Rhiner Cruz before, but I'm assuming that this is the next Josh Hamilton or Johan Santana.

EDIT: Eh, he's a crappy reliever.

23.Red Sox take Marwin Gonzalez from Cubs.

I read somewhere else that he was then traded to the Astros

Who knew the Twins would be interested in a soft-tossing control pitcher?

Nate - it was reported by Alex Speier on Twitter:

#redsox selected Gonzalez Marwin in Rule 5 draft,but will trade him to #astros for minor lg rule 5er Marco Duarte, RHP from #rockies

Marco Duarte has been pitching in the Mexican league for most of the last three years - I guess the Rockies must have picked him up in the offseason, then lost him to the Astros in the minor league rule 5.

Thed needs to be taken for task over the Flaherty loss, especially considering all indications are that the Cubs had 5-6 open slots.

He's defensively indifferent, but he bats left-handed, has a good track record, and can play (albeit poorly) both corner OF spots, 2B, 3B, and 1B.

This was a mistake and while I'm not calling for his head - it was a dumb move.

Marco Duarte has been pitching in the Mexican league for most of the last three years - I guess the Rockies must have picked him up in the offseason, then lost him to the Astros in the minor league rule 5.

That's a lot of MLB transactional activity for a guy w/ a 5.00 ERA in Mexico.

Really disappointed no one took Pat Venditte. I know he's not much of a prospect, but his numbers are decent, he's pitched as high as AA, and just the advantage he could create by pitching with both hands would be interesting.

Cubs pick up futbol sensation Ricky Alvarez. I'm not sure if Inter Milan is going to let him go.

Lendy? What kind of name is that?

Lendy Castillo - without looking it up, I'm picturing either a relief pitcher or a middle infielder.

Heh - I looked it up. He's a former middle infielder converted to relief pitcher. Time to go buy a lottery ticket.

Edit: Also, he's never been above A ball. This is kind of a baffling pick.

Lendy Castillo - without looking it up, I'm picturing either a relief pitcher or a middle infielder.

Heh - I looked it up. He's a former middle infielder converted to relief pitcher. Time to go buy a lottery ticket.

Edit: Also, he's never been above A ball. This is kind of a baffling pick.

Well, considering the Cubs have gotten so many useful innings from Wells and Marmol - perhaps they like to fancy themselves the specialists when it comes to converted pitchers.

1.Astros take Rhiner Cruz from Mets.

This guy's a 25-year-old righty with a 5:4 K/BB and a 1.40 WHIP in 2A. I know the Rule 5 crop borders on god-awful these days, but this guy's the No. 1?

Also, can't believe Texas RHRP Johan Yan didn't get picked. He's a misfit, but at 22 and with his track record, I'm baffled he was passed over.

[deleted - double post]

I like Yan a lot too. I love sidearmers. But I guess he is still pretty raw. I read he still doesn't use his legs really well and kinda aims the ball. His control numbers are great though.

I'm still pretty surprised no one picked up Mariners LHP Phillipe Valiquette. Lefty that throw 99 don't grow on trees. Of course, he has no idea where its going and he has a two cent head, but usually teams think they can sort that out.

Edit: Also, he's never been above A ball. This is kind of a baffling pick.

In fairness, neither had Joakim Soria when the Royals selected him.

That's a lot of MLB transactional activity for a guy w/ a 5.00 ERA in Mexico.

In that league, 5.00 at least beats league average.

And best of luck to Charles Cutler in the Pirates' system. Hope he gets a solid opportunity.

Lendy? What kind of name is that?

They picked up a Lendy, but they also dropped a Marwin. So they're even-steven.

They picked up a Lendy, but they also dropped a Marwin. So they're even-steven.

Puns make me ralph.

I've never heard of Rhiner Cruz before, but I'm assuming that this is the next Josh Hamilton or Johan Santana.

EDIT: Eh, he's a crappy reliever.

It was the Astros.

The guys whose non-selection puzzles me are Dae-Eun Rhee and Tommy Pham.

Nunez was a pretty crappy pick by the Pirates.

That's a lot of MLB transactional activity for a guy w/ a 5.00 ERA in Mexico.

Not to mention is he somehow better than Cabral, who the Sox lost?

Puns make me ralph.

Where I am from, Ralphing is praying to the porcelain gods...or throwing up. Somehow, I don't think this is what you meant :)

Kind of intrigued by the Yankee picks, particularly Cabral. Meyers has some decent stats but they really scream "Brian Gordon" to me; he must have really mediocre stuff. Obviously I haven't seen either of these guys pitch, but I'm more optimistic given Cashman's recent success picking up pitching at the dump.

The guys whose non-selection puzzles me are Dae-Eun Rhee and Tommy Pham.

Rhee's results have been pretty meh, haven't they? And he's never pitched above A ball. Great talent, but I'm not too surprised.

I am surprised on Pham. And Jiwan James too. But maybe teams weren't looking for outfielders (Komatsu was taken, although he seems a bit more polished).

Edit: Also, he's never been above A ball. This is kind of a baffling pick.

It's the rule 5. Anyone with any kind of upside available in it is far away from the big leagues. If they had talent and AA experience, they wouldn't be left unprotected for the Rule 5.

Heh - I looked it up. [Castillo is] a former middle infielder converted to relief pitcher. Time to go buy a lottery ticket.

Judging by the K rate, he looks like your standard-issue live arm. Who knows -- as you said, it's like buying a lottery ticket.

As for Flaherty and Gonzalez, I won't be losing any sleep about seeing them go.

If Gonzalez isn't returned, we'll miss out on a potential Marwin-Darwin middle infield on a Castro off day.

As for Flaherty and Gonzalez, I won't be losing any sleep about seeing them go.

I wouldn't be so sure on Flaherty... I've never been one to be all that high on the Cubs system, but I did like Flaherty as a nice sleeper. I think he'll carve out a nice little career for himself in the Tim Teufel mode.

I'd be willing to bet he ends up putting up a solid 3-400 ABs of 15 HR 275/350/425 for someone.

Royals take Cesar Cabral from Red Sox; traded to Yankees for cash.

I thought if you took someone in the Rule 5 draft, you have to keep him on your major league roster all year, or else offer him back to the team you took him from. But you can trade him?

Do the rules carry over after the trade? That is, do the Yankees have to keep him on the major league roster all year, presuming they want to keep him?

And, uh, I assume this is the Cesar Cabral in the Red Sox organization who does not have a lifetime minor league ERA of 16.20, right?

Do the rules carry over after the trade? That is, do the Yankees have to keep him on the major league roster all year, presuming they want to keep him?

And, uh, I assume this is the Cesar Cabral in the Red Sox organization who does not have a lifetime minor league ERA of 16.20, right?

Yes to both.

22.Cardinals take Erik Komatsu from Nationals

I don't know about real life, but in my OOTP simulated leagues, Komatsu is an MVP candidate by the year 2017.

I thought if you took someone in the Rule 5 draft, you have to keep him on your major league roster all year, or else offer him back to the team you took him from. But you can trade him?

Johan Santana was originally drafted by the Marlins in the Rule 5, and traded to the Twins for the immortal Jared Camp.

After being selected in the Rule 5 draft, Jose Bautista was on four different major league rosters before the Pirates got him back.

Another example was Josh Hamilton - taken by the Cubs and traded to the Reds.

If Gonzalez isn't returned, we'll miss out on a potential Marwin-Darwin middle infield on a Castro off day.

I would have given good money to have Harry broadcast that game.

I'm still pretty surprised no one picked up Mariners LHP Phillipe Valiquette. Lefty that throw 99 don't grow on trees. Of course, he has no idea where its going and he has a two cent head, but usually teams think they can sort that out.

Valiquette was hurt and didn't pitch at all last year, plus he doesn't have anything useful other than the fastball. Then when you add in the wildness and the off-the-field stuff...

-- MWE

From BA's John Manuel:

The hard-throwing Cabral, whose fastball has touched 93, was selected in last year's Rule 5 as well, so he does not have to be offered back to Boston if he fails to make New York's bullpen.

Is that true? Seems like that would make those players nice pickups then.

No kidding. An enterprising team with a weak farm system could just pick up all of those 10 or so guys that got drafted and returned the year before for $50K each and stash them at AA or AAA. None of them would be can't miss prospects, but odds are that one of them would go to contribute and be worth the overall cost.

No kidding. An enterprising team with a weak farm system could just pick up all of those 10 or so guys that got drafted and returned the year before for $50K each and stash them at AA or AAA. None of them would be can't miss prospects, but odds are that one of them would go to contribute and be worth the overall cost.

Brad Emaus was left unprotected again. He'd be sorta useful as AAA depth for someone.

35/36: He does have to first clear waivers - and want to stay with NYY (he'd have the option to become an FA, as it would be his second outright). Same for Fish, picked by Atlanta.

It's the rule 5. Anyone with any kind of upside available in it is far away from the big leagues. If they had talent and AA experience, they wouldn't be left unprotected for the Rule 5.

Johan Yan would like a word with you.

Johan Yan would like a word with you.

Yes, I am sure there isn't any reason at all that every team in baseball decided he wasn't worth 50k.

Is that true?

Yes. When a Rule 5 pick's original team takes him off the 40-man roster after he clears waivers, that's an outright assignment, and a player can declare FA after his second outright assignment.

Thus, if you take a player as a R5 pick who's been outrighted off a 40-man roster before under other circumstances, then the same thing would be true there.

Johan Yan's delivery. Looks like he's barely throwing hard at all, rather just flicking the ball towards the plate. He's a Chad Bradford-wannabe.

Yes. When a Rule 5 pick's original team takes him off the 40-man roster after he clears waivers, that's an outright assignment, and a player can declare FA after his second outright assignment.

The original team.....you mean the team that selected him in the draft? The original team didn't have him on the 40 man roster at all.

Here's how I understand it....player is not on 40 man roster. He gets select in the Rule 5 draft, placed on 40 man roster of new team. They waive him before returning him to his original team, but 28 teams would have to keep him on the 40 man roster to claim him, so they don't. The next year, the same thing happens, so he has been waived twice, and is a free agent if he wants to be. No team wants him on the 40 man roster, and you have to talk him into signing with you like any other free agent.

What would it take to convince an average player to stay with the selecting team, I wonder? A $10K salary increase/signing bonus and good marketing jobs about how much better his chances are in the new organization? For $60K, you've added some depth. If one in ten contribute anything in the Majors, that's still a good deal. Teams make trades to keep those players often enough that you'd think there would be a little more opportunity to take advantage of.

What happens to the $25K that you would get from the original team if they took him back? I assume they off the hook, since you can't offer to return a free agent? So drafting those guys is more risky on that side?

Johan Yan's delivery. Looks like he's barely throwing hard at all, rather just flicking the ball towards the plate. He's a Chad Bradford-wannabe.

I admitted right upfront that Yan is a misfit, but at age 22 and with his track record through 2A (and in the Fall League), I can't believe he's not worth a $50,000 gamble.