Posted on: Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Philadelphia claims Victorino in draft
Advertiser Staff
For the second time in four years, Maui's Shane Victorino has been claimed in Major League Baseball's Rule 5 draft.
Victorino, 24, was drafted in the sixth round by the Dodgers after graduating from St. Anthony High on Maui in 1999. The San Diego Padres claimed him in the 2002 Rule 5 draft. After playing briefly with the Padres at the start of the 2003 season, he was returned to Los Angeles in May 2003. Victorino played last year at Triple-A Las Vegas, but finished at Double-A Jacksonville (Fla.).
He was the only player with ties to Hawai'i taken in the Rule 5 draft. The Rule 5 draft allows teams to draft players not protected on 40-man rosters. Depending on the player's age when he first signed his pro contract, he is eligible for the Rule 5 draft after three or four years from that point if not placed on the 40-man roster. There also are minor league phases of the Rule 5 draft that do not require players to be placed on 25-man rosters.
As he was with the Padres, Victorino must remain on the big league 25-man roster for the entire 2005 season or be returned to the Dodgers. The Phillies paid the $50,000 fee for the pick, but Victorino can be offered back to the Dodgers for $25,000. According to a MLB.com, it appears Victorino will have a chance to stick longer with the Phillies than he did with the Padres.
"We wouldn't have taken him if we weren't going to give him every opportunity to make the team," Phillies general manager Ed Wade told MLB.com.
Victorino could not be reached for comment. He is playing for Zulia of the Venezuelan Winter League. He was hitting .278 with seven doubles and leads the team with seven triples and nine home runs. He also leads the team with seven steals without getting caught.
The Philadelphia Phillies chose the outfielder seventh overall from the Los Angeles Dodgers in round one of the Major League phase of the Rule 5 draft yesterday at the winter baseball meetings in Anaheim, Calif.
