Option plays

The Wild Things recently made their first moves toward putting a roster together for 2011 by picking up the contract options on 20 players. Some of the 20 didn't play in a game last year for Washington but were on the Wild Things' retired list. The players whose rights the Wild Things retained are:

OF Chris Sidick, RHP Billy Muldowney, RHP Chris Bennett, LHP Kevin Hammons, RHP Eryk McConnell, catcher Billy O'Conner, UT Wilson Matos, OF Luis Rivera, 1B Eric Stephens, RHP Jeff Sonnenberg, RHP Sean Keeler, OF Joel Hartman, RHP Steve MacFarland, RHP Zach Groh, RHP Justin Edwards, LHP Jason Neitz, OF Matt Cotellese, catcher Alan Robbins, INF Jacob Dempsey, and INF Paul Chmiel.

Options were not picked up on 3B John Delaney, OF Mark McGonigle, RHP Tim Smith, SS Denny Duron, RHP Zach Rosenbaum, RHP Matt Rossignol, catcher Matt Rigoli, catcher Scott Clement, catcher Jared Dyer, RHP Ben Rodewald, and RHP Quinn Bright. These players are now free agents.

Second baseman Michael Parker did not have an option in his 2010 contract.

The players the Wild Things retained do not have to be signed by Washington. The Wild Things simply have their rights and can either release, re-sign or trade the player, or they can put him on the retired list.

None of the moves were major surprises, though I expected Duron to be retained because he seemed to be a favorite of manager Darin Everson. Also, despite his 1-9 record, Rosenbaum is one player I would have retained because he pitched much better than his record indicates. Rosenbaum finished 2010 strong (two earned runs allowed in his last 18 2/3 innings) and he was the victim of bad luck as the Wild Things scored two runs or less in 11 of his 16 starts. The thinking here is there would be a market for Rosenbaum, either in this league or another indy circuit.