With the influx of prospects from various trades and the news that Julio Borbon is going to be getting a major league deal, I thought it would be worthwhile to look at how the 40 man roster is going to be shaking out this offseason.
The current denizens:
Joaquin Benoit
Willie Eyre
Scott Feldman
Frankie Francisco
Kason Gabbard
Armando Galarraga
Wes Littleton
Kam Loe
Brandon McCarthy
Kevin Millwood
A.J. Murray
Akinori Otsuka
Vicente Padilla
John Rheinecker
Josh Rupe
Robinson Tejeda
Edinson Volquez
C.J. Wilson
Mike Wood
Jamey Wright
Gerald Laird
Adam Melhuse
Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Chris Stewart
Joaquin Arias
Hank Blalock
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Ian Kinsler
Travis Metcalf
Ramon Vazquez
Michael Young
Marlon Byrd
Frank Catalanotto
Nelson Cruz
Victor Diaz
Freddy Guzman
Kevin Mahar
David Murphy
Brad Wilkerson
Jason Botts
Sammy Sosa
Although that totals 41 players, Blalock, Arias, and Rupe are all on the 60 day d.l., so there are 2 vacant 40 man spots. When Borbon signs and Blalock is activated, the roster will be filled up at 40, with 2 extra guys on the 60 day disabled list.
There are four minor leaguers who I identify as likely candidates to be added to the 40 man this offseason -- Thomas Diamond, Brandon Boggs, and two recent additions to the organization, Max Ramirez and Matt Harrison. Diamond would seem to be the only real question mark, but I think he'd be added, since otherwise a team like the D-Rays could grab him, stick him on the d.l. at the start of the season and let him work at extended, let him spend 30 days rehabbing his elbow in late June and early July in the minors, then come up and pitch long relief the rest of the year.
So, Diamond, Boggs, Ramirez and Harrison being added would get the roster to 46 players. Who are the roster casualties?
Immediately, you can point to several players who will be free agents, and aren't going to be re-signed before they declare free agency -- Sammy Sosa, Jamey Wright, Jerry Hairston, and Brad Wilkerson.
I think Ramon Vazquez and Adam Melhuse are both arbitration eligible, but they'll likely be non-tendered. That gets us down to 40.
Assuming no members of the 40 man roster are traded, though, that still presents a problem, since presumably, the team is going to sign a few free agents, and will need roster spots for them.
Looking through the list, the likely casualties there are Freddy Guzman, Kevin Mahar, and Mike Wood, with Chris Stewart and Victor Diaz being guys who could end up traded if a roster spot is needed.