Kyle McClellan has been released and C Rob Johnson signed to a minors deal with spring training invite.

Somewhere Easton is estatic about the release of KMac ;-)

Where is Easton?

My article on the changes is posted here. The Roster Matrix on the blog is also updated.

UncleDenny wrote: Where is Easton?

Not around these parts any longer.

With an open roster spot now. Siegrist will likely be added in order to be protected being eligible for the rule 5 draft.

My guess is Siegrist, Fornataro, Audry Perez, and Starlin Rodriguez will be added. Strauss indicated another release is coming within the week. That would put the roster at 39.

UncleDenny wrote: My guess is Siegrist, Fornataro, Audry Perez, and Starlin Rodriguez will be added. Strauss indicated another release is coming within the week. That would put the roster at 39.

If Rodriguez is added it will just waste a roster spot and waste an option for him.   No way he makes a 25 man roster all year.

I think we are essentially replacing Brian Anderson with Rob Johnson.  He surely won't be any worse... and he could very easily be better.

UncleDenny wrote: Where is Easton?

Got shown the door for no reason.

CariocaCardinal wrote:

UncleDenny wrote: My guess is Siegrist, Fornataro, Audry Perez, and Starlin Rodriguez will be added. Strauss indicated another release is coming within the week. That would put the roster at 39.

If Rodriguez is added it will just waste a roster spot and waste an option for him.   No way he makes a 25 man roster all year.

wouldnt be the first time a 40 man spot used to protect a AA prospect. and i dont know how it'd waste an option on him either if in AA all yr...assuming he didnt progress enough to get promoted to AAA.

Carioca: You don't think Luhnow would be all over Starlin Rodriguez if we don't protect him? Records indicate he was signed at 19 in 2009 originally by the Rays, dropped, then signed by Cards. I sure wouldn't take the chance of losing him.

UncleDenny wrote: Carioca: You don't think Luhnow would be all over Starlin Rodriguez if we don't protect him? Records indicate he was signed at 19 in 2009 originally by the Rays, dropped, then signed by Cards. I sure wouldn't take the chance of losing him.

Not for the major league roster.   He's got a lot of  talent but I doubt he's near major league ready.   Not the type of talent that a team would stick on a major league bench all year just to get access to him.   

The number of position players that stick all year from the Rule 5 draft is probably less than one a year.   Among those who didn't previously play in at least AA is almost non-existent.   Pitchers are different.  Easier to hide on the roster and more likely to have talent that can jump several levels.

rule 5 is not major league only. there are minor league portions too. if he assigned to AA, then he is open to AAA portion. but if put on 40 man roster, he is protected even from that.

cardzZilla wrote: rule 5 is not major league only. there are minor league portions too. if he assigned to AA, then he is open to AAA portion. but if put on 40 man roster, he is protected even from that.

Then all the Cardinals have to do is place him on the AAA roster before the rule 5 draft.  My understanding is that he can still play at lower levels than AAA in 2013 but he is not eligible to be drafted by anything but the ML phase of the draft if he is on the AAA roster.

cardzZilla wrote: rule 5 is not major league only. there are minor league portions too. if he assigned to AA, then he is open to AAA portion. but if put on 40 man roster, he is protected even from that.

We are obviously talking about the major league portion.

A player is only not protected at the AAA level if the team doesn't care if they lose him.   The Cards have left empty spots at that level the last couple of years.

Players aren't just protected because there is a chance to make the 25 man roster. You have to consider how valued the prospect is. If not for Wong being at Springfield, I'm sure Rodriguez would have moved there sometime during the summer. It wouldn't be a total shock, if Wong stuck with the Cards, then Starlin could jump to Memphis next yr.

UncleDenny wrote: Players aren't just protected because there is a chance to make the 25 man roster. You have to consider how valued the prospect is. If not for Wong being at Springfield, I'm sure Rodriguez would have moved there sometime during the summer. It wouldn't be a total shock, if Wong stuck with the Cards, then Starlin could jump to Memphis next yr.

Sure you have to look at the chance of them making someone's 25 man roster - otherwise there is absolutely no need to protect them.     And I'm saying history shows almost no position players that have never played above A ball are lost in the rule 5 draft.   While Rodriguez seems talented, i dont see him to be so special as to buck that trend.

CariocaCardinal wrote:

UncleDenny wrote: Players aren't just protected because there is a chance to make the 25 man roster. You have to consider how valued the prospect is. If not for Wong being at Springfield, I'm sure Rodriguez would have moved there sometime during the summer. It wouldn't be a total shock, if Wong stuck with the Cards, then Starlin could jump to Memphis next yr.

Sure you have to look at the chance of them making someone's 25 man roster - otherwise there is absolutely no need to protect them.     And I'm saying history shows almost no position players that have never played above A ball are lost in the rule 5 draft.   While Rodriguez seems talented, i dont see him to be so special as to buck that trend.

given that the marlin franchise exists, i would say that it was a pretty good move.

i'm worried about losing him in the AAA portion and only real protection for that is putting him on the 40man. not sure if can jump from A+ to AAA to protect him from that as could be a rule preventing such (i have no idea if there is one, but i wouldnt doubt it)