Rule 5 Draft is Coming December 9

With baseball's Rule 5 Draft approaching on December 9, I present to you a rerun. Last December I wrote a Rule 5 primer, which explains some of the basics of this unique event which takes place during the winter meetings.

The Rule 5 Draft order is the reverse order of the 2010 season finish. Based on this criteria, Houston should be selecting fifth (after Seattle, Baltimore, Washington, and the Cubs). Four clubs with worse records than the Astros are ineligible for the draft as they already have 40 players on their 40-man roster.

As best I have been able to determine these are the players in the Astros' organization vulnerable to the Rule 5 Draft.

Clack at THE CRAWFISH BOXES posted this article about some of the players from other organizations who may be available on December 9.

Astros Release 12 Minor Leaguers

The Astros released the following 12 players from the organization:

Frank Almonte, OF
Aaron Bray, 1B
David Duncan, LHP
Rafael Feliz, RHP
John Frawley, RHP
Ricardo Garcia, IF
Justin Harper, RHP
Ricardo Heredia, OF
Ashton Mowdy, RHP
Mark Ori, 1B
Daniel Sarisky, RHP
Mike Schurz, RHP

Here's to You, My Readers

As Alyson Footer blogged today, The Grocery Man's windmills around Minute Maid Park were just a few too numerous for me to make it to the field in time for today's annual softball game. A quick note to the media department in Union Station, if you get my official request to participate in this game, please consider it an early entry for the 2011 contest.

The media softball game was the final event on the Farmstros calendar for 2010, so I will be retreating back to my hiding place in Bobby Heck's office for awhile. For the most part, I will be ignoring baseball, at least until the Rule 5 draft and Jeff Bagwell's Hall of Fame election(?). I will also be thinking about what I want to do with Farmstros in 2011. I am almost certain that I will be following the Astros of the future next season. I'm just not sure how much and where I will be writing about them.

Thanks to all my readers for making 2010 a great season to Follow the Astros of the Future.

Off-Season Transactions

February 2011

David Duncan, LHP re-signed to a minor league contract

James Macdonald, RHP reinstated from restricted list, released

January 2011

Albert Cartwright, 2B traded to Philadelphia for Sergio Escalona, LHP

Koby Clemens, 1B invited to major league Spring Training

Sergio Escalona, LHP acquired from Philadelphia for Albert Cartwright, 2B; added to 40-roster

Rene Garcia, C invited to major league Spring Training

Jon Gaston, OF invited to major league Spring Training

Brian Kemp, OF released

Drew Locke, OF invited to major league Spring Training

Jordan Lyles, RHP invited to major league Spring Training

J.D. Martinez, OF invited to major league Spring Training

Jio Mier, SS invited to major league Spring Training

Philip Rorabaugh, RHP released

J.B. Shuck, OF invited to major league Spring Training

T.J. Steele, OF invited to major league Spring Training

Jose Carlos Thompson, IF signed to a minor league contract and invited to major leage Spring Training

Pat Urckfitz, LHP invited to major league Spring Training

December 2010

Erick Abreu, RHP re-signed as a minor league free agent

Jonnathan Aristil, RHP acquired from Colorado along with Wes Musick for Matt Lindstrom

Chris Blazek, LHP released

Jeiler Castillo, RHP drafted by Oakland in the minor league phase or the Rule 5 Draft

Xavier Cedeno, LHP signed as a minor league free agent

Leandro Cespedes, RHP released

Gustavo Chacin, LHP signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Brian Dopirak, 1B signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

German Duran, 2B released

Pedro Feliz, 2B released

Nelson Figueroa, RHP avoided arbitration by signing a one-year contract

Sammy Gervacio, RHP not tendered a contract; becomes a minor league free agent; signed as a minor league free agent and invited to Major League Spring Training

Angel Gonzalez, LHP released

Bill Hall, IF/OF signed as a free agent

Matt Lindstrom, RHP traded to Colorado for Wes Musick and Jonnathan Aristil

Carlos Mojica, C released

Wes Musick, LHP acquired from Colorado along with Jonnathan Aristil for Matt Lindstrom

Jailen Peguero, RHP re-signed as a minor league free agent

Lance Pendleton, RHP drafted from New York Yankees in Major League phase of Rule 5 Draft

Aneury Rodriguez, RHP drafted from Tampa Bay in Major League phase of Rule 5 Draft

Ryan Rowland-Smith, LHP signed as free agent

Andy Van Hekken, LHP signed as minor league free agent

November 2010

Frank Almonte, OF released

Doug Arguello, LHP re-signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Alberto Arias, RHP activated from 60-day disabled list to 40-man roster

Clint Barmes, IF acquired from Colorado for Felipe Paulino, RHP

Aaron Bray, 1B released

Tim Byrdak, LHP outrighted to AAA; opted to become a minor league free agent

David Carpenter, RHP added to 40-man roster

Gustavo Chacin, LHP outrighted to AAA; opted to become a minor league free agent

Carlos Corporan, C signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Jorge DeLeon, RHP added to 40-man roster

David Duncan, LHP released

Brian Esposito, C re-signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Rafael Feliz, RHP released

Casey Fien, RHP signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

John Frawley, RHP released

Ricardo Garcia, 3B released

Justin Harper, RHP released

Ricardo Heredia, OF released

Anderson Hernandez, IF re-signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Arcenio Leon, RHP added to 40-man roster

Ashton Mowdy, RHP released

Oswaldo Navarro, IF re-signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Matt Nevarez, RHP outrighted to AAA

Mark Ori, 1B released

Jimmy Paredes, IF added to 40-man roster

Felipe Paulino, RHP traded to Colorado for Clint Barmes, IF

Humberto Quintero, C avoided arbitration by signing a one-year contract

Fernando Rodriguez, Jr., RHP signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Daniel Sarisky, RHP released

Mike Schurz, RHP released

Jose Valdez, RHP re-signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Ross Wolf, RHP signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league Spring Training

Sugarland Baseball? Sweet!!

Independent baseball is coming to Sugarland, Texas in April 2012. The song posted above was written in response to the team announcing its nickname this week: The Skeeters.


Nothing could be sweeter than to go to watch the Skeeters
On a starry Texas night
Gather up your family make your way to Sugarland and everything will be all right
Nothing could be sweeter than to go and watch the Skeeters
Flying to the field real soon
Gather up your friends then Make your way to Sugarland
And while you're driving, hum this tune

You can see the Bluefish and then maybe one and two fish
Or come out to see the Bears
Get your tickets now to see the Blue Crabs or the Ducks, we know
That you will have fun there