Florida Marlins remove players from 40-man

As Fishcrazy kinda sorta got right and Jrsyeagle added to the discussion in yesterday's open thread, the Marlins made some roster moves.

For about half the season, reliever Doug Waechter played an important role in the Marlins' bullpen.

The right-hander was bothered by a shoulder problem, and went on the disabled list in August and pitched sparingly down the stretch. On Wednesday, the Marlins outrighted Waechter, along with relievers Lee Gardner and Henry Owens and outfielder Alejandro De Aza, to Triple-A New Orleans.

The moves reduce Florida's 40-man roster to 38.

 

There is always a problem with language when a player is outrighted.  Sometimes it means that the player has been placed on irrevocable outright waivers and we have to wait and see if he clears waivers to know whether he is still in the organization or not.  (Oh, irrevocable waivers means if another team claims him he can't be pulled back.)

Or outrighted could mean he has already cleared irrevocable outright waivers and has been assigned to the minors.

In this case, I'm thinking it is the latter and they have already cleared waivers.  Assuming they have, it speaks volumes for the relative health of the players.  It isn't surprising a team didn't claim De Aza or Gardner.  De Aza hasn't ever made it through a whole month healthy in the majors and Gardner is returning from shoulder surgery and isn't throwing yet.  Or if he is, he is definitely not doing it on a mound.

However, in the case of Waechter and Owens, the two, according to reports, were planning on competing for a bullpen position in spring training.  And maybe they still will.  In the case of Owens, the Marlins could've optioned him but chose instead to let him go through the waiver wire.  Which would lead one to suspect that his recovery from shoulder surgery has been very sub-par since teams don't place young fireballers on the wire if they can avoid it.

But back to the Marlins motives in this action, it was done to clear some room on the 40-man roster.  Which having some room on the 40-man roster is something most clubs like to have heading into the offseason.  Anyone they trade for or sign as a free agent will most likely have to be placed on the 40-man.  Especially if the team trades lower level prospects for a major league ready person.

It is all precautionary move with the thought that the guys may not be ready until later in season, if that.

The other thing it achieves is that it knocks down the  number of arbitration eligible to 15.  

Waechter will become a minor-league free agent making it kinda doubtful he will return to the Fish.