SB Nation - Jairo Cuevas

Royals Select Braves' Osuna In Rule 5 Draft

cbwilk — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:07:57 -0000

In a move that surprises pretty much nobody who's actually paid attention the last few years the Kansas City Royals selected left handed pitcher Edgar Osuna from the Atlanta Braves in the Major League phase of this year's Rule 5 Draft. Since leaving the Braves to become Kansas City's GM Dayton Moore has coveted former Braves prospects, acquiring seemingly every Atlanta castoff he can get his hands on, from Onil Joseph to Jairo Cuevas, often with little to nothing to show for it, but in Osuna he may have actually gotten a steal.

The Mexican lefty is a crafty pitcher and was rated by Baseball America as having the best changeup in the Braves' system. The Royals will pay the Braves $50,000 for Osuna's rights and must keep him on their Major League roster for the entire 2010 season or offer him back to the Braves for $25,000, a price they would surely pay. Osuna will be just 22 in 2010 and had more success this past season after a promotion to AA Mississippi. Given his stuff it seems likely he'll be able to stick as a situational lefty out of the Royals bullpen and given how poorly the team usually performs he may even be given the chance to work as a starter. Unlike many Rule 5 picks, it seems possible that Osuna might stay a Kansas City Royal.

The Braves didn't gain or lose anyone in the Minor League Phase of the Rule 5 draft, which was much quieter in general than previous years. Former farmhand Jake Stevens, a left handed pitcher who was once highly thought of but released several years ago after succumbing to wildness and ineffectiveness, was selected by the Giants from the Orioles. In the Minor League Phase there are no restrictions, so Stevens is now a member of the Giants organization, regardless of where he plays in 2010.

Wrapping up the Braves Wednesday Overnights

gondeee — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:47:19 -0000

Not too much gonig on last night, unless you count the continuing A.J. Burnett bloviating.

K-Ros reports that the Braves talks with Burnett's agents "progressed through the night," but the Braves are still only offering four guaranteed years with an easily attainable vesting option for the fifth year. He says the Yankees are in the same neighborhood... for now.
ESPN is reporting that the Yankees have already gone to five years on Burnett. If that's the case, then why is this thing still going on?
Apparently a bunch of Yankees' players are calling Burnett to try and convince him to join the team. C'mon Chipper, he's your friend, put the full court press on him!
The Braves may be formulating backup plans, and have reportedly expressed some interest in Derek Lowe.
Apparently, the re-claim of Jairo Cuevas by the Royals didn't go over too well in some Braves circles. It is a very odd re-move.
We could be seeing a lot of Mark Teixeira, as the Nationals are actively bidding on his services.
Former Braves farmhand and seventh-round draft pick, Brett Evert, is now the regional scouting supervisor for the Braves in the Northwest.

I'll have a Rule 5 Draft open thread up at 10am, the draft starts at 11:30am.

What's up with Jairo?

gondeee — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:16:17 -0000

The Kansas City Royals re-claimed Jairo Cuevas off outright waivers from the Atlanta Braves.

Cuevas was originally claimed by the Royals on Oct. 24 and then re-claimed by Atlanta on Nov. 26. His name is pronounced "HIGH-row KWAY-vahs".

SOMETHING IS UP FOLKS!!!

That opens up a spot on the Braves 40-man roster, and that means one of two things; the Braves are about to sign a free agent (A.J. Burnett), or the Braves are planning on taking someone in tomorrow's Rule 5 draft.

Mighty fishy....