Padres Rule V selection, make trade

The San Diego Padres picked up Rich Thompson from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the rule V Draft conducted on Monday. Five of the first six picks were prospects in the Pirates organization. The Padres then traded Thompson to the Kansas City Royals for Jason Szuminski and cash. No Padres were taken in the draft. The skinny on Szuminski as well as a scouting report from our friends over at CubsTalk.com and the complete list of players taken:

The Padres traded Rich Thompson to the Royals for Jason Szuminski and cash in the Rule V Draft on Monday.

Szuminski is a right-hander, formerly of the Chicago Cubs. He has a mid-90's fastball to go with a slider and changeup. He projects as a middle reliever.

A player drafted in the Rule 5 draft must remain in the majors, be it on the 25-man roster or the disabled list, for all of the following season, or the club that drafted him must return him to his original club. Since a player to is returned must first be place on waivers, a third club can claim the player. The claiming club would then be responsible to the same rules placed upon the team that drafted him in the Rule 5 draft.

CubsTalk.com offers up their take on Jason Szuminski

Players selected in the Rule 5 Draft held this morning at the Winter Meetings in New Orleans.

First Round

Team	Player	Position	Organization
Detroit	Chris Shelton	c/1b	Pittsburgh
San Diego	Rich Thompson	of	Pittsburgh*
Tampa Bay	Alec Zumwalt	rhp	Atlanta
New York	(NL) Frank Brooks	lhp	Pittsburgh**
Milwaukee	Jeff Bennett	rhp	Pittsburgh
Baltimore	Jose Bautista	3b	Pittsburgh
Cincinnati	David Mattox	rhp	New York (NL)
Texas	Chris Mabeus	rhp	Oakland
Colorado	Matt White	lhp	Cleveland
Kansas City	Jason Szuminski	rhp	Chicago (NL)*
Montreal	Andy Fox	if	Texas
Toronto	Talley Haines	rhp	Tampa Bay
Chicago (AL)	Jason Grilli	rhp	Florida
St. Louis	Hector Luna	ss	Cleveland
Boston	Lenny Dinardo	lhp	New York (NL)
Houston	Willy Taveras	of	Cleveland

Second Round

Team	Player	Position	Organization
Detroit	Mike Bumatay	lhp	Colorado
Colorado	Luis Gonzalez	if/of	Cleveland
Boston	Colter Bean	rhp	New York (AL)

Third Round

Team	Player	Position	Organization
Detroit	Lino Urdaneta	rhp	Cleveland

* The Padres traded Rich Thompson to the Royals for Jason Szuminski and cash.

** The Mets traded Frank Brooks to the A's for a player to be named. The A's are looking to make Brooks their closer this season.