soxprospects wrote:

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According to Ken Rosenthal:

Red Sox sign reliever Scott Atchison, who spent last two years in Japan. One year deal with two club options.

The Sox previously signed Atchison in Deceber 2007, only to sell his rights to Hanshin of the Japanese League within a few weeks.

Is this a major league contract?

amfox1 wrote:

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Atchison chronology:

7/31/04 - major league debut with SEA
4/3/05 - placed on 60 day DL with a strained elbow
9/5/05 - activated from 60 day DL
1/17/06 - DFA'd
(spends 2006 in the SEA minors, released after the season)
1/9/07 - invited to SF spring training as NRI
7/4/07 - called up from SF AAA
7/8/07 - sent back to AAA (option used)
8/7/07 - called up from AAA
11/28/07 - outrighted, declines and becomes a FA
12/13/07 - invited to BOS spring training as NRI
1/7/08 - sold to Hanshin

Ha. I was working on the same thing; yours is more complete. I found:

July 30, 2004 Recalled (purchased?) by Mariners.
April 3, 2005 Placed on 60-day DL by Mariners.
September 4, 2005 Activated from 60-day DL by Mariners.
January 17, 2006 Outrighted off 40-man roster by Mariners.
July 4, 2007 Contract purchased by Giants.
July 8, 2007 Optioned by Giants.
August 6, 2007 Recalled by Giants.
November 28, 2007 Outrighted off 40-man roster by Giants.

Assuming that he wasn't on the 40-man until July 2004, he should have 2 options left, right?

amfox1 wrote:

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Yes, although I do not profess to be an expert on the use of options.

In 2006, he played 30 games in the minors, but wasn't on a 40-man roster at all that year, so no option used. And in 2005, he played 19 games in the minors, but that appears to be a rehab assignment, so no option used... But I see his 7/30/04 transaction is listed as "recalled" by ESPN and rotoworld, so it's possible he was already on the 40-man at that point, perhaps to protect him from the rule 5 draft.