Orioles add Drake to 40-man roster, no one else
In preparation for next month's Rule 5 draft, the Orioles set their 40-man roster, adding just one minor leaguer to the list of protected players.
The club added pitcher Oliver Drake (Navy), who was a combined 11-8 with a 3.32 ERA at High-A Frederick, Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk last year. The 6-foot-4, 24-year-old right-hander was a 43rd-round draft pick in 2008.
The 40-man roster is at 39. After today, they cannot put anyone currently in the organization onto the 40-man roster.
That leaves a chunk of upper-level minor leaguers susceptible to the Rule 5 draft, but the club is gambling that those players won't be claimed by other teams or won't be kept on the claiming team's big league roster all next season.
Last year, the New York Mets grabbed reliever Pedro Beato and were able to keep him all year, so he has remained part of the Mets' organization. The Milwaukee Brewers, however, selected pitcher Pat Egan but returned him at the end of spring training.
In 2010, the San Francisco Giants selected pitcher Steve Johnson in the Rule 5 draft but returned him in March.
Johnson (St. Paul's) is one of the more notable players who could be selected in the Rule 5 draft, which occurs during the winter meetings next month.
Others include pitchers Cole McCurry and Wynn Pelzer, catchers John Hester and Caleb Joseph, infielders Greg Miclat and Brandon Waring and 2006 first-round pick Billy Rowell.
Top prospects such as Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop have not accrued enough time in the minors and therefore do not have to be protected on the 40-man roster.
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
Dan, don't you think we should protect Steve Johnson?
Thanks.
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I think Johnson is one of those bubble guys. He was selected in Rule 5 in 2010 and didnt stick with the Giants. I assume the Orioles feel like they have better pitchers on the 40-man ahead of him, but would like to keep him in the organization if possible. But I've learned over the years that very rarely does losing a guy to Rule 5 end up being a disaster (although there are the Sorias, Hamiltons and Santanas of the world).
Posted by: john from kensington | November 18, 2011 5:53 PM
Whew!
At first I thought the Orioles signed free agent Sir Francis Drake. He'd be about the right age.
Posted by: waspman | November 18, 2011 7:41 PM
Does it surprise you that Tim Bascom wasnt added?
Posted by: bri | November 18, 2011 8:36 PM
IMO, McCurry (a lefthanded pitcher with decent stuff), Joseph (a decent AA catcher with an above average bat) and Miclat (a good defensive middle infielder who stole 50 of 52 last year) will all get consideration. Of the 3, McCurry is most at risk as a dude who could fit as the 11 or 12 pitcher on some team's staff.
Posted by: johnny c | November 18, 2011 8:49 PM
Well the Mets were pleased as punch to take Beato off the Orioles hands last year and they'll be just as pleased to take Johnson, who was one of the better pitchers in the AFL this year. I guess if Blake Davis is still around he'll finally get paroled. I think someone will also give McCurry a look see. All this while the Orioles continue on their never ending quest to find fielders who can't hit.
Posted by: John K | November 18, 2011 10:19 PM
"Jonathan Schoop don't have not accrued enough time"
Hey Dan, did your typing get ahead of you on that one?
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That or my double negative mind. Sorry
Posted by: Nic | November 18, 2011 10:19 PM
Well the Mets were pleased as punch to take Beato off the Orioles hands last year and they'll be just as pleased to take Johnson, who was one of the better pitchers in the AFL this year. They can definitely kiss Tim Bascom goodbye I guess if Blake Davis is still around he'll finally get paroled. I think someone will also give McCurry a look see. All this while the Orioles continue on their never ending quest to find fielders who can't hit. God help us.
Posted by: John K | November 18, 2011 10:24 PM
Let me get this straight. The O's only have 39 players on their 40-man protected roster going into the Rule 5 draft?
I guess that about sums up Duquette's evaluation of the Orioles' farm system.
Posted by: Dennis in WV | November 19, 2011 7:15 AM
So why didn't the O's fill out their 40 man roster? Are things so bad they really didn't have one other player they thought worth protecting? Is there some downside to having all 40 places filled this early? I understand that there is little risk losing a player as you explained, but why not avoid that small risk all together for as many as they can, why leave a vacant slot?
Posted by: Roy | November 19, 2011 12:42 PM
You need a spot open to draft someone.
Posted by: NHDadUmp | November 20, 2011 8:20 AM
Thanks NHDadUmp; I see the O's plan to fill that final slot with Antonelli today.
Posted by: Roy | November 21, 2011 2:29 PM
Am ignorant about Drake. Does he have a service commitment to the Navy?
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No, he got out of it without penalty when he left after year 2.
Posted by: maumau | November 21, 2011 5:31 PM