RULE 5 & Transitional Players - 4/3/12

This page is dedicated to the controversial yet very valuable Rule 5 selection process.

RULE 5 GUIDELINES

Craig Kilborn is THE MAN Rule 5 Rules, 1999-2011

Written May 1, 2002
By Jess Kryscio with Matt Ostrowitz & Michael Bier

(1) Only a player that meets the eligibility requirements is eligible to be picked and designated a "Rule 5" player. The essence of the Rule 5 is to build a young core, or farm system if you will, of talent. Rule 5 players' rights will span three years only. At no time should any franchise hold any more than three (3) Rule 5 players with remaining eligibility.

(1a) No Hitter can have more than 150 at-bats in the major leagues of the previous season. This rule covers the Major League Baseball 'Rookie' qualification rules. Also, if a player has played in multiple seasons at the major league level, he can not have more than a combined 225 lifetime at-bats.

(1b) No Pitcher can have more than fifty (50) innings pitched in the major leagues or previous season. This rule covers the Major League Baseball 'Rookie' qualification rules. Also, if a player has played in multiple seasons at the major league level, he can not have more than a combined seventy-five (75) lifetime innings pitched.

(2) Each CK draft consists of twenty-six (26) rounds. The first three rounds are reserved for Keepers. Each owner has the ability to choose their Rule 5 player at any time during the draft. If an owner decides not to select his Rule 5 player during the course of the draft, he will then select his Rule 5 in the final (26th) round.

NOTE: Somehow the rest of the rules were lost on 12/25/05.  If you have a previous printout of this page, please notify Commissioner Bier as soon as you can.  Thanks!

CK Transition Player - 2/17/11

1. In addition to each franchises' three (3) "Keepers" and two (2) "Rule 5" players, each franchise can designate one (1) "Transitional" player per year at the cost of a 4th Round pick in the following years' draft.

2. In order to be eligible to be designated a Transitional player, the baseball player can have no more than five (5.000) seasons of Major League Baseball experience.

2a. These seasons are counted by Years and Days (a season is 182 days long) and are kept on the Cot's Baseball Contracts website, found at http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/  To find a player, click on his team on the left-hand side of the page and then click on the *2011-16 payroll obligations link.  The players' service time is kept in the third column and will be updated before March 1 of each new season.

3. Once designated as a Transitional player, the player will no longer be free to be chosen in the upcoming draft by any other team.

4. Transitional player tags can be used only once on each individual player per team.

4a. If a player is designated once and then drafted by another team the following year (and has still played less than five Major League seasons), he is eligible to be tagged with his new franchise once.

5. Each team must submit their intention to use the Transition tag at least two weeks prior to the start of the annual draft, or the same time that the rest of the CK Keepers are due.

6. Each owner is NOT obligated to select a Transitional player, it is merely an option if you have a player from your previous years' frozen roster that qualifys. Each year rosters freeze on Sept. 1 for the following season.

7. Transitional players CAN be traded among teams for the price of the aforementioned 4th Round pick.

 CK 18 Draft of March 24th 2013 (22nd round in 2014, 12th in 2015)

Brad with the 70th overall pick:  Oscar Taveras OF St Louis Cardinals

Trainor with the 78th overall pick:  Wil Myers OF Tampa Bay Rays

Swids with the 90th overall pick:  Dylan Bundy SP Baltimore Orioles

Adam with the 100th overall pick:  Jurickson Profar SS Texas Rangers

Sly with the 109th overall pick:  Yaisel Puig OF Los Angeles Dodgers

Heller with the 145th overall pick:  Jedd Gyorko 2B/3B San Diego Padres

Fagan with the 147th overall pick:  Zack Wheeler SP New York Mets 

Bier with the 171st overall pick:  Gerrit Cole SP Pittsburgh Pirates

Billy with the 202nd overall pick:  Taijuan Walker SP Seatle Mariners

Kyle with the 226th overall pick:  Travis d'Arnaud C New York Mets 

CK 17 Draft of March 2012 (22nd Round in 2013, 12th in 2014)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Swids	18	Matt Moore	SP	TB
Adam	42	Yu Darvish	SP	TEX
Fagan	103	Yoenis Cespedes	OF	OAK
Bier	136	Mike Trout	OF	LAA
Heller	149	Addison Reed	RP	CWS
Jess	165	Julio Teheran	SP	ATL
Trainor	172	Shelby Miller	SP	STL
Sly	187	Devin Mesoraco	C	CIN
Brad	221	Billy Hamilton	SS	CIN
Billy	225	Trevor Bauer	SP	ARZ
CK 16 Draft of March 2011 (22nd Round in 2012, 12th in 2013)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Fagan	88	Craig Kimbrel	RP	ATL	2011 NL ROY; t-23rd NL MVP voting
Swids	96	Mitch Moreland	1B	TEX
Adam	140	Bryce Harper	OF	WAS
Jess	152	Domonic Brown	OF	PHI
Brad	163	Dustin Ackley	OF-2B	SEA	6th AL ROY voting 2011
Bier	165	Brandon Belt	1B-OF	SF
Trainor	169	Mike Moustakas	3B	KC
Sly	175	Chris Sale	P-RP	CWS
Heller	197	J.P. Arencebia	C	TOR
Billy	227	Michael Pineda	SP	SEA-NYY	5th AL ROY voting 2011
CK 15 Draft of March 2010 (22nd Round in 2011, 12th in 2012)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Bier	29	Jason Heyward	OF	ATL	2nd NL ROY, 20th NL MVP voting
Jess	72	Stephen Strasburg	SP	WAS
Swids	87	Alcides Escobar	SS	MIL-KC
Trainor	121	Michael Stanton	OF	FLA	t-23rd NL MVP voting 2011
Brad	182	Scott Sizemore	2B	DET-OAK
Heller	184	Aroldis Chapman	RP	CIN	Clocked at 105 mph in SD on 9/25/10
Adam	186	Desmond Jennings	OF	TB	T-7th AL ROY voting 2011
Sly	188	Carlos Santana	C	CLE
Billy	196	Jesus Montero	C	NYY-SEA
Fagan	210	Pedro Alvarez	3B	PIT
CK 14 Draft of March 2009 (22nd Round in 2010, 12th in 2011)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Jess	64	David Price	SP	TB	2nd '10 AL CY voting
Brad	80	Matt Wieters	C	BAL
Adam	109	Pablo Sandoval	C-1B-3B	SF	7th NL MVP voting
Bier	157	Travis Snider	OF	TOR
Fagan	186	Matt LaPorta	OF-1B	MIL-CLE
Sly	198	Andrew McCutchen	OF	PIT	4th NL ROY voting
Swids	210	Jordan Zimmermann	SP	WAS
Trainor	216	Colby Rasmus	OF	STL-TOR	t-8th NL ROY voting
Heller	222	Jeff Samardzija	RP	CHC
Billy	228	Tommy Hanson	SP	ATL	3rd NL ROY voting
CK 13 Draft of March 2008 (22nd Round in 2009, 12th in 2010)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Jess	60	Joba Chamberlain	RP	NYY	8th AL ROY voting
Bier	83	Evan Longoria	3B	TB	2008 AL ROY
Langan	92	Joey Votto	1B	CIN	2nd NL ROY voting; 2010 NL MVP
Brad	93	Jay Bruce	OF	CIN	5th NL ROY voting
Sly	94	Clay Buchholtz	SP	BOS
Sadowski	97	Cameron Maybin	OF	DET-FLA-SD
Swids	100	Jacoby Ellsbury	OF	BOS	3rd AL ROY voting
Trainor	184	Ian Kennedy	SP	NYY-ARZ
Billy	205	Johnny Cueto	SP	CIN
Fagan	226	Clayton Kershaw	SP	LAD
CK 12 Draft of March 2007 (22nd Round in 2008, 12th in 2009)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
*Swids	42	Daisuke Matsuzaka	SP	BOS	4th AL ROY voting
Trainor	77	Alex Gordon	3B-1B-OF	KC
Langan	120	Chris B. Young	OF	ARZ	4th NL ROY voting
Bier	136	Phil Hughes	SP	NYY
Sadowski	143	Troy Tulowitzki	SS	COL	2nd NL ROY voting
Billy	188	Akinori Iwamura	3B-2B	TB-PIT-OAK-JAPAN	Returned to Japan on 11/13/10
Brad	195	Homer Bailey	SP	CIN
Jess	210	Brandon Wood	SS-3B	LAA-PIT-COL
Sly	227	Hunter Pence	OF	HOU-PHI	3rd NL ROY voting
Fagan	229	James Loney	1B	LAD	6th NL ROY voting
*The rights to Matsuzaka were traded to Jess on July 8, 2008
CK 11 Draft of March 2006 (22nd Round in 2007, 12th in 2008)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Osty	38	Bobby Jenks	CL	CWS-BOS
Bier	82	Delmon Young	OF	TB-MIN-DET	2nd 07 AL ROY voting
Jess	88	Chris Ray	CL	BAL-TEX-SF-SEA-CLE
Swids	91	Josh Barfield	2B	SD-CLE-PHI
Sly	92	Jeremy Hermida	OF	FLA-BOS-OAK-CIN-SD
Billy	113	Francisco Liriano	RP-SP	MIN	3rd AL ROY voting
Yip	137	Prince Fielder	1B	MIL-DET	t7th NL ROY voting
Trainor	140	Carlos Quentin	OF	ARZ-CWS-SD
Lee	195	Stephen Drew	SS	ARZ
Fagan	202	Joel Zumaya	RP	DET-MIN
CK 10 Draft of March 2005 (22nd Round in 2006, 12th in 2007)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Osty	139	Dallas McPherson	3B	LAA-FLA-CWS
Swids	151	Huston Street	RP-CL	OAK-COL-SD	2005 AL ROY
Lee	153	Jeremy Reed	OF	CWS-SEA-NYM-TOR-CWS-MIL-MIN
Jess	162	Nick Swisher	OF-1B	OAK-CWS-NYY	t6th AL ROY voting
Bier	171	Andy Marte	3B	ATL-BOS-CLE-PIT
Yip	180	Joe Blanton	SP	OAK-PHI	t6th AL ROY voting
Sly	185	Joey Gathright	OF	TB-KC-CHC-TOR-BOS-BAL-BOS
Trainor	202	Jason Bartlett	2B-SS	MIN-TB-SD
Fagan	209	Felix Hernandez	SP	SEA
Bill	217	Chris Burke	2B-OF	HOU-ARZ-ATL-CIN	Released by CIN 6/28/11
CK 9 Draft of March 2004 (22nd Round in 2005, 12th in 2006)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Jess	43	Kaz Matsui	SS-2B	NYM-COL-HOU-COL-JAPAN	6th NL ROY voting
Swids	96	B.J. Upton	SS-OF	TB
Bier	109	Rickie Weeks	2B	MIL	6th NL ROY 2005
Osty	126	Edwin Jackson	SP	LAD-TB-DET-ARZ-CWS-STL-WAS	NO-HIT TB (w/ARZ) on 6/25/10
Trainor	160	Ryan Wagner	RP	CIN-WAS
Yip	162	Joe Mauer	C	MIN
Lee	164	Jason Bay	OF	SD-PIT-BOS-NYM	2004 NL ROY
Bill	227	Jason Lane	OF	HOU-NYY-BOS-FLA
Sly	228	Alex Rios	OF	TOR-CWS	5th AL ROY voting
Fagan	230	Scott Kazmir	SP	NYM-TB-LAA	9th AL ROY 2005
CK 8 Draft of March 2003 (22nd Round in 2004, 12th in 2005)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Bier	49	Mark Teixeira	3B-1B	TEX-ATL-LAA-NYY	5th AL ROY voting
Yip	60	Hideki Matsui	OF	NYY-LAA-OAK	2nd AL ROY voting
Fagan	148	Francisco Rodriguez	RP-CL	LAA-NYM-MIL
Osty	158	Travis Hafner	1B	TEX-CLE
Jess	172	Marlon Byrd	OF	PHI-WAS-TEX-CHC	4th NL ROY voting
Sly	194	Victor Martinez	C-1B	CLE-BOS-DET
Trainor	206	Brandon Phillips	2B	MON-CLE-CIN
Lee	222	Rocco Baldelli	OF	TB-BOS-TB-retired	3rd AL ROY voting; Retired 1/26/11
Swids	225	Jesse Foppert	SP	SF-SEA-SF
Bill	230	Brandon Larson	3B	CIN-TB-TEX-WAS
No Rule 5 Draft in 2002, but it was reinstated for 2003
CK 6 Draft of March 2001 (22nd Round in 2002, 12th in 2003)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Fagan	89	Ichiro Suzuki	OF	SEA	2001 AL ROY & MVP
Osty	115	Ben Sheets	SP	MIL-OAK
Bill	162	Jimmy Rollins	SS	PHI	3rd NL ROY voting
Jess	171	Bud Smith	SP	STL-PHI-MIN	No-Hit SD 9/3/01
Lee	176	Josh Hamilton	OF	TB-CIN-TEX
Trainor	178	C.C. Sabathia	SP	CLE-MIL-NYY	2nd AL ROY voting
Sly	184	Sean Burroughs	3B	SD-TB-SEA-ARZ
Yip	187	Vicente Padilla	SP	ARZ-PHI-TEX-LAD-BOS
Bier	208	Drew Henson	3B	NYY-NFL
Swids	221	Alex Escobar	OF	NYM-CLE-CWS-WAS
CK 5 Draft of March 2000 (22nd Round in 2001, 12th in 2002)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Fagan		Ben Petrick	C	COL-DET-SD	Retired May 21, 2005
Swids		Eric Gagne	SP-CL-RP	LAD-TEX-BOS-MIL-LAD-retired	2003 NL CY; Retired 4/19/10
Lee		Nick Johnson	1B	NYY-MON/WAS-NYY-CLE
Trainor		Ed Yarnall	SP	NYM-FLA-CIN-OAK-BOS-PHI-WAS-KC
Bier		Kip Wells	SP	CWS-PIT-TEX-STL-COL-KC-CIN
Sly		Rafeal Furcal	SS	ATL-LAD-STL	2000 NL ROY
Bill		Chad Hermansen	OF	PIT-CHC-LAD-TOR-FLA-NYM-LAA
Yip		Robert Fick	C-1B	DET-ATL-TB-SD-WAS-SD
Jess		Corey Patterson	OF	CHC-BAL-CIN-MIL-BAL-TOR-STL-MIL
CK 4 Draft of March 1999 (22nd Round in 2000, 12th in 2001)
Owner	Pick	Player	Pos	Team(s)	Notes
Bier		Gabe Kapler	OF	DET-TEX-COL-BOS-MIL-TB-LAD
Trainor		Jose Jiminez	SP-CL	STL-COL-CLE-ARZ	No-Hit ARZ 6/25/99
Sly		Pat Purrell	OF	PHI-TB-SF	4th NL ROY 2000
Osty		Trot Nixon	OF	BOS-CLE-ARZ-NYM-MIL
Swids		Braden Looper	RP-CL-SP	STL-FLA-NYM-STL-CHC	Retired on 3/25/2011
Fagan		Lance Berkman	OF-1B	HOU-NYY-STL	6th NL ROY 2000
Jess		Matt Clement	SP	SD-FLA-CHC-BOS-STL-TOR
Bill		Alex Gonzalez	SS	FLA-BOS-CIN-BOS-TOR-ATL
Lee		Ryan Anderson	SP	SEA-MIL
Yip		Carlos Lee	OF	CWS-MIL-HOU	7th AL ROY voting