If a team drafts players in the rule 5 draft but doesn't actually want them and places them on waivers why doesn't the original team get a chance to accept that player back?  It appears I can't even place a claim to get my original player back?  Can someone clarify?

All the other teams have a chance to claim him before he's offered back to you.  Kanekoa Texeira was drafted in the Rule 5 by Seattle, but they decided they weren't going to keep him on the roster, but the Royals claimed him off waivers.  They had to keep him on the ML roster the entire year after the claim, as he was still classified as a Rule 5 guy.

gotcha - so if any team decides including the team that selected him decides to try and demote him to the minors then he gets offered back?  If you accept him back can you return him to the minors or do you have to keep him on your ML roster?

If he clears waivers from the other 30 teams and you accept him back, then he loses his R5 designation and can be treated like any other player.  Which means yes, you can demote him.

yes, but if IRC he'll maintain the 327k salary. 

Posted by nymetman on 12/9/2010 12:03:00 AM (view original):
yes, but if IRC he'll maintain the 327k salary. 

This is correct.