Baseball business question

May 26, 2010 7:15 PM

Baseball biz question: Can you help me decipher the following news item?

Here it is:
"Catcher Paul Hoover, who the Phillies designated for assignment Monday to make room for catcher Brian Schneider on the 25-man roster, cleared waivers. The Phillies outrighted Hoover to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and he accepted the assignment."

Can you help me understand the following:
"designated for assignment"
"cleared waivers"
"outrighted"

Background: Paul Hoover was playing with the Phillies because their other back-up catcher Brian Schneider was hurt, but Schneider has recovered.

posted by Ike_Arumba to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (2 answers total)

Best answer: Designated for assignment means that he's off the major league roster and the team can do 3 things with him, put him on waivers, trade him or release him.

Cleared Waivers means that any team can claim them, if he clears waivers it means that he stays with the team he was with.

Outrighted means that hes sent to the minors but still must be paid his major league contract and he can only be outrighted once without his consent.

You can get a more detailed read here.

So Hoover was designated for assignment (sent down) and placed on waivers but no teams claimed him (cleared waivers) so the Phillies sent him to triple-A (outrighted him) and he accepted. I think that means if he didn't accept the assignment then the Phillies could force outright him (the one time) to the minors, instead when he accepted the Phillies can still for outright him, not totally sure on that one.
posted by lilkeith07 at 7:33 PM on May 26, 2010

Best answer: Transaction Primer

DFA actually takes you off of the 40-man roster, not the major league (i.e. 25-man "playing") roster.

Cleared waivers basically means no team claimed his contract. They would have had to pay his whole salary and keep him in the majors--unlikely for a journeyman backup catcher.
posted by stevis23 at 6:04 AM on May 27, 2010