Question on optional assignment (Patterson)

[wilk]

Patterson's waiver expires July 31, but he is on an optional assignment. My question is - if we decided to keep Patterson in the minors for the rest of the season, would he have to pass through waivers on Aug. 1 after the expiration of his current waiver? I know we'd need new waivers to trade him after the deadline, of course, but if we simply keep him in AAA? Or if we want to call him up mid-August, would he need to clear waivers then? Hopefully I'll get this cleared up this time... Thanks in advance.

[biittner77]

I'm not positive but I think I can answer these questions:

 

Patterson did not have enough service time so his assignment was not optional in the sense that he didn't have the right to refuse.

 

Patterson would not have to clear waivers to be recalled regardless of when that happens.

 

The Cubs can keep Patterson at AAA the rest of the season without having to expose him to waivers. If the Cubs recalled Patterson and then tried to send him down again after JUly 31 then he would have to clear waivers again- an extremely unlikely event.

[wilk]

Thanks biittner. Like you I'm "pretty sure" he would not have to clear waivers again, but I want to be positive. ;)

 

Patterson is on an optional assignment because he had 2 options left (only used in option in 2001). His option CLOCK expired on September 18, 2003, and since then he'd have to clear waivers to use an option. He does not have 5 ML service years, so he could not refuse the optional assignment - that's what you are referring to - but it's still an optional assignment opposed to an outright assignment. This aspect I am pretty clear on, I'm just not quite sure what happens when his waiver expires. You have to call up all optional assignments by Oct. 1, but I'm not sure if your guy who needed a waiver is safe in the minors even without a waiver once put there. If he were to be called up before July 31, he'd definitely not have to hit the waiver wire again.

 

But - if called up after July 31, or if we wanted him to stay on optional assignment beyond July 31 - I'm trying to clarify how that works. If only "the book" were available to the public. :(

[wilk]

So, no one knows for sure?

[JeffH]

My question is - if we decided to keep Patterson in the minors for the rest of the season, would he have to pass through waivers on Aug. 1 after the expiration of his current waiver?

 

No. Suppose the Cubs had passed him through waivers but had not sent him to Iowa when they did. They continued trying to coax him through his struggles, with no success. Now, suppose that on August 2nd, they want to send him to Iowa. They would have to pass him through waivers again, because the previous waiver would have expired.

 

I know we'd need new waivers to trade him after the deadline, of course, but if we simply keep him in AAA? Or if we want to call him up mid-August, would he need to clear waivers then?

 

First question - see above. Second question - no (you never need to place someone on waivers to bring them UP).

 

If only "the book" were available to the public.

 

It is. It can be kind of confusing, but here:

 

http://roadsidephotos.com/baseball/BasicAgreement.pdf#search='MLB%20collective%20bargaining%20agreement%20pdf'

[wilk]

Thank you Jeff. That's what I had gathered, but I wanted someone to verify it for me. ;)

 

As far as the book - I was referring to "The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book" not the CBA. It's the book that covers waivers, options, Rule 5, June draft, etc. From everything I've heard, and all searching I've done, it's not attainable outside an ML front office.

 

Thanks again.