I’m kind of surprised that they added this many. I know they had space, but trying to protect so many players can be a double-edged sword, when suddenly you need the space, as you pointed out for trades or free agents. I seem to recall that it’s much easier for a team to grab someone that you have to outright from your 40-man (e.g. Pedro Strop).

My guess is that if they need the space, you will see someone like Quintanilla or Speier get the axe first. If someone else wants them, so what.

Mattheus didn’t play much in any fall league but I was referring to his late season work with Tulsa and side workouts in Tucson, which I have heard about. I will correct the implication that Gomez has done much (but there’s been some positive word on his recovery so far). I had heard nothing about Deduno recently until yesterday, which has me scrambling to get some info there.

He has limited defensive use, almost no use as a PH in the MLB right now, which leaves as you say his lone utility being his baserunning, and the few NL teams who would be looking for speed (you can forget the AL teams altogether) will probably be able to find an unprotected player from other teams with similar speed but a safer bat or more ability to be a defensive sub late in games.

High school or international signees (as long as they were younger than 19 when they signed) who entered the system in 2004 would be eligible. So while Wimberly, Johnston and Daniel Carte are eligible, Chaz Roe won’t be for another year.

I just spaced about him when I wrote this. The major quality that makes it unlikely he gets picked is that his positional limitation to the corners leaves him in a crowded category that if teams are looking to fill, probably will be looking for a more powerful bat than Colonel provides. That said, he’s a quality contact hitter with some plate discipline and can play all four corners reasonably well. If there’s a bargain-hunting, OBP valuing team out there that has a PH/bench hole to fill, he could be a pretty attractive option.

In the end, I don’t think he gets selected, but his chances are probably higher than Cedeno’s or Rodriguez’s, but maybe not Mayora’s and probably not Johnston’s.

Cedeno I had just forgotten he had signed as a DFE, I had the wrong date listed for Rodriguez.

That individual posters here probably aren’t going to be the best help for. I’d wait for next week when Baseball America should have some article up. Typically, I’d look to the deeper systems right now, Texas, Oakland, Tampa Bay, San Fran, for the most likely candidates, as the curse of depth is always having too many players to protect.

whoever the Twins draft. They’ll make an impact…

That makes it clear why Chacin wouldn’t be eligible. If the Rockies do let him go to protect someone like Deduno, it’s well nigh unforgiveable.

BA’s Rule 5 primer penned by Alan Schwarz. That one isn’t updated, as the new rules (as indicated in BA’s new primer) give teams five years for 18 years and younger and four years for those 19 and older.

Not that that clears Chacin’s status.

are affiliated with the Colorado Rockies farm system..

he wouldn’t have played at all in 2004. I guess he signed a 2005 contract, which may make him eligible starting after next season. Still not sure, though.