Options can decide which Royals stay and which ones go
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•A player is subject to three option years in his career. A player can be shuttled back and forth between the majors and minors any number of times in a single year, but it counts as only one option.
•The option years need not be consecutive. If a player spends an entire season in the big leagues, he does not use an option year. But once a player has five or more years of big-league service, he cannot be assigned to the minors without his written consent.
•An option is not used if a player spends less than 20 total days in the minors in the course of a single season. Time spent in the minors on injury rehabilitation assignments does not count.
Players are also subject to one mandatory outright assignment to the minors if they clear waivers and have fewer than three full years of major-league service. This is an asterisk in Gathright’s situation; he has never been outrighted.
Those with three or more years of service, or who have already been outrighted in their career, can choose to become free agents by refusing the assignment.
Whether a player has an outright assignment available often plays a factor in when he is sent through waivers. Players are more likely to clear waivers in the final week of spring training because many clubs are hesitant to alter their own roster.
Since Huber, Nuñez and Gathright have yet to be outrighted and lack three years of service, they are all likely to be in camp right to the end — even if they underperform — in the hope they can be slipped through waivers.
It can make your head spin.
“This out-of-options business,” Huber said, “I didn’t do much thinking about it in this offseason, to be honest. A lot of it is going to be out of my control. I know that if I play well, then I’ve got a chance.
“I feel that at the end of this six-week stretch that something is going to happen. That’s got to be a positive either way. That’s how I’m going to take it, anyway.”
Royals 40-man roster options•Players with options remaining (25): Brian Bannister, Ryan Braun, Billy Butler, Shane Costa, Kyle Davies, David DeJesus, Alex Gordon, Zack Greinke, Mark Grudzielanek*, Luke Hochevar, Mario Lisson, Tyler Lumsden, Mitch Maier, Neal Musser, Miguel Olivo, Joel Peralta, Julio Pimentel, Carlos Rosa, Angel Sanchez, Ryan Shealy, Joakim Soria, Mark Teahen, Brett Tomko*, Matt Tupman and Yasuhiko Yabuta.
*has five or more years of major-league service and may not be assigned to minor leagues with his written consent.
•Players with no options remaining (15): John Bale, John Buck, Alberto Callaspo*, Jorge De La Rosa, Joey Gathright*, Esteban German, Ross Gload, Jimmy Gobble, Jose Guillen, Justin Huber*, Luke Hudson, Ron Mahay, Gil Meche, Leo Nuñez* and Tony Peña*.
*subject to one mandatory outright assignment to minors if they clear waivers.
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KansasCity.com for video from the Royals’ dedication ceremony, plus today’s spring training updates and Sam Mellinger’s “Ball Star” baseball blog.
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To reach Bob Dutton, Royals reporter for The Star, call 816-234-4352 or send e-mail to bdutton@kcstar.com
Bob Dutton's vlog | The day in Royals camp
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