What is the difference between "optioned" and "outrighted"?

**DrJones** · 09-01-2011, 01:18 AM

Re: What is the difference between "optioned" and "outrighted"?

Originally posted by philliesfan136

I've seen these terms used on transaction sites, such as this one:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/m...112&ymd=201109

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Here's an example of what I'm talking about:

<table style="width: 510px; height: 125px;" class="dataTableClass" id="table_0" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr class="dataRow odd"><td id="cell_423" class="currSortDataCell" style="width:50px;" align="left">08/30/2011</td><td id="cell_423" class="dataCell" style="width:70px;" align="left">Outrighted</td><td id="cell_423" class="dataCell" style="width:110px;" align="left">Sacramento River Cats</td><td id="cell_423" class="dataCell" style="width:90px;" align="left">Bruce Billings</td><td id="cell_423" class="dataCell" style="width:240px;" align="left">Oakland Athletics outrighted Bruce Billings to Sacramento River Cats.</td></tr></tbody></table>
This one is the A's "outrighting" pitcher Bruce Billings to their AAA team.
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<table style="width: 493px; height: 144px;" class="dataTableClass" id="table_0" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">
</td><td valign="top">
</td><td valign="top">
</td><td valign="top">
</td><td valign="top">
</td></tr><tr class="dataRow even"><td id="cell_411" class="currSortDataCell" style="width:50px;" align="left">08/29/2011</td><td id="cell_411" class="dataCell" style="width:70px;" align="left">Optioned</td><td id="cell_411" class="dataCell" style="width:110px;" align="left">Sacramento River Cats</td><td id="cell_411" class="dataCell" style="width:90px;" align="left">Graham Godfrey</td><td id="cell_411" class="dataCell" style="width:240px;" align="left">Oakland Athletics optioned RHP Graham Godfrey to Sacramento River Cats.</td></tr></tbody></table>This one shows the A's "optioning" pitcher Graham Godfrey to their AAA team.
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I understand they both mean sending someone back down to the minors, but I've been wondering, what's the difference?

Condensed version:

Optioned = player sent to the minors but still on 40-man roster.

Outrighted = player sent to the minors and removed from the 40-man roster. This is often the end result of a young player being designated for assignment (outrighted players must pass through waivers, thus the player involved is usually a marginal prospect at best, anybody valuable would be kept on the 40-man roster). A veteran (5+ years of service time) who is DFA'd and clears waivers usually chooses to become a free agent rather than report to a minor league team.

**philliesfan136** · 09-01-2011, 06:14 AM

Re: What is the difference between "optioned" and "outrighted"?

Originally posted by DrJones

Condensed version:

Optioned = player sent to the minors but still on 40-man roster.

Outrighted = player sent to the minors and removed from the 40-man roster. This is often the end result of a young player being designated for assignment (outrighted players must pass through waivers, thus the player involved is usually a marginal prospect at best, anybody valuable would be kept on the 40-man roster). A veteran (5+ years of service time) who is DFA'd and clears waivers usually chooses to become a free agent rather than report to a minor league team.

Thanks for clearing this up.

What is the difference between "optioned" and "outrighted"?

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What is the difference between "optioned" and "outrighted"?

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