The trials and tribulations of being a Cubs fan...

 
I read today, in Baseball America, that the Detroit Tigers have four Rule V players on their 25-man roster: third baseman Travis Chapman, lefthander Wil Ledezma, righty Matt Roney, and Chris Spurling, for whom they just traded.

I'm not sure exactly how a player becomes Rule V eligible, but the basic thing to know in this case is that a Rule V player cannot be sent to the minors by the club that selected him. He must first be offered back to the original club, and then he must pass through waivers -- or something along those lines. Rule V players are generally players who are not ready to be on major league rosters. Jason Dubois, a decent enough outfielder in teh Cubs system, was selected in this draft by the Blue Jays. He played last year in high-A Daytona. The Cubs recently got him back from the Blue Jays.

Anyway, having 4 Rule V picks on a major league roster is basically fielding a minor league team. These players will have to play at some point, assuming they stay on the Tigers 25-man roster, or are hurt (a team can keep a Rule V pick on the DL, however, the player must still spend a certain number of consecutive days on the active roster, or be offered back to the original club). I'm not sure that has ever happened before in the majors.

The Tigers will also have a starting rotation that will feature 20 year old Jeremy Bonderman, a player they traded Jeff Weaver for last year. Also, it'll have Nate Cornejo, who was considered one of their top prospects.

Of course their manager is Alan Tramell, with both Kirk Gibson and Lance Parrish on the coaching staff. I'm sure Chet Lemon and Wille Hernandez are hanging around somewhere.

I'm not sure if the Tigers will be any good...strike that, I am sure they won't be very good. But they may be fun to watch. It all depends on how you look at it.

I also noticed this story in Baseball America.

It seems that Josh Hamilton, a top draft pick, has left the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The dude has 26 tatoos!!!
posted by Oleg at 9:00 PM