OUT OF OPTIONS?

The terminology for following what major-league clubs do with their talent can be daunting. Here's a handy-dandy tutorial courtesy of ESPN as to what it means to be 'designated for assignment', or 'out of options', etc.

Speaking of out of options, here's a quick list of some guys who truly are 'out of options'. They've been on a 40-man roster for each of the last three years, but haven't been able to win any kind of regular playing time on the 25-man major-league roster. So, if that doesn't happen this spring, their clubs will have to try to clear them through waivers, or perhaps lose them. So there's a strong tendency for these guys to finally make the big leagues to stay, if only for one year.

Two of the guys on this list are highlighted, as they are Finches. One is on the Arizona roster! A fourth guy (Dan Johnson) is also highlighted, but since (tsk tsk) Oakeyland has never made a blog, we have no link.

1. Andy Marte, Cleveland Indians
   
2. Mike Morse, Seattle Mariners
   
3. Hong-Chih Kuo, LA Dodgers
   
4. Delwyn Young, LA Dodgers
   
5. Scott Thorman, Atlanta Braves
   
6. Jimmy Gobble, KC Royals
   
7. Garrett Jones, Minnesota Twins
   
8. Jeff Keppinger, Cincinnati Reds
   
9. Dan Johnson, Oakland A's
   
10. Brandon Medders, Arizona D'backs
    
11. Dustin Nippert, Arizona D'backs
    
12. Fred Lewis, SF Giants
    
13. Rajai Davis, SF Giants
    
14. Dan Ortmeier, SF Giants
    
15. Clint Barmes, Colorado Rockies
    
16. Nick Masset, CHi White Sox
    
17. Jason Botts, Texas Rangers
    
18. Nelson Cruz, Texas Cruz

Note: LHP Jimmy Gobble is a former BARB player not resigned last season and they are back in the BARB Draft pool. Some of the others are also not only draft eligible, but even prospects, if not big names. I'll let you figure out which ones!