OnlyBucs

537F77707B5C6B7D6D1E0 wrote: And, right now, with Kang in a 0 - 23 slump, the Bucs are effectively playing with a 2 man bench.



Kang should go to AAA to try and get his timing down.  At present, he is of no value to the team, and it is hard for me to see him getting his swing back if he is not playing.



With respect to Liriano, I keep him right where he is at.  He is experiencing success and he has been one of the few dependable arms in the pen.  Why mess with something that is going well.    



Good win yesterday; and on Saturday and Friday.  Always nice to beat the Cards. 
Kang definitely needs to be batting everyday in AAA. If he gets his timing and pitch recognition back, he can be a big help to the Pirates. But as it is, he's of no value and is taking up a roster spot instead of a more useful player. Keeping him around for an infrequent AB isn't doing him or the team any good. I wonder what they're waiting for. This organization has a tendency to make very odd decisions regarding the roster.

Does he have options remaining?

5A58424452370 wrote: Does he have options remaining?
He was only optioned to the minors twice: when he began his career with the Pirates in 2016 and last season when he returned and was sent to the minors. So he should have 1 option remaining. I've also heard the Pirate broadcasters talking about him going down to AAA so they must believe he has an option.



EDIT: Come to think of it, he probably has 2 options left. He made the team out of ST in 2015. the time he spent in the majors at the beginning of 2016 was injury related because of the severe knee injury he suffered in Sept 2015. That was probably a rehab and not an assignment too AAA. So the only option used would have been last year when he returned.



The only "clock" for options is that after a player accrues more than 5 years of service time, he can't be optioned without his permission. Even counting his AWOL time (which I doubt counts) he wouldn't exceed 5 years.

Does his seasons AWOL count against his Option Clock?



EDIT--meaning . . . I have heard that the option years are not exactly as you hear them explained.  Basically you have three seasons after the first option season when you run out of options.  So if that is correct, it could depend on how MLB views his vacation year.  That certainly doesn't sound fair but it seems possible.

60525E5E4A785B525F5A5552330 wrote: Does his seasons AWOL count against his Option Clock?
I doubt it. The clock for options is that a player with more than five years of service time must consent to being optioned. I don't think his absent seasons count as service time but even if they did he would not have more than 5 years.



http://m.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/ ... ue-options