So, like a batted ball finding the weakest link of the defense, what possible “big, breaking news” could the Orioles make March 6 since I wasn’t covering that night’s game against the New York Yankees in Tampa?
At about 2 p.m., I clicked on mlbtraderumors.com to find that indeed the Orioles did make what, for them, is “big breaking news.” They announced they were returning right-handers Brandon Bailey and Michael Rucker — their Rule 5 picks — to the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, respectively.
The Rule 5 has been almost a rite of spring, summer and fall since Dan Duquette first plucked Ryan Flaherty at the Winter Meetings in December 2011. I won’t bore you with the paltry benefits the club obtained through the painstakingly complicated maneuvering to keep Rule 5 picks on the roster. I’m not even sure Baltimore baseball fans know teams can summarily return players without a deke here and sleight of hand over there.
