Didn't ESPN.com run an article the other day about MLB teams using the DL creatively to keep from having to released high priced players that haven't been living up to their contract? We could do that for Patton if they're so worried about losing him. There's a minimum # of days he has to be on the active roster in order to be able to send him down next year. If memory serves, it's all of them. Basically, any time he spends on the DL this year, he would have to make up on the active roster next year before we would be able to send him down. If you trust Wikipedia as a source, it's only 90 days.