DFA Games, Starring Adam Rosales

This has nothing to do with the Cubs, but I thought you'd find it amusing. Or horrifying, depending on your viewpoint.

Adam Rosales is a utility player who has about 900 career major-league plate appearances; you probably remember seeing him play for the Reds against the Cubs in 2008 or 2009.

But recently, he's been on an odyssey that can only be described as ... weird. A's beat writer Susan Slusser has the details:

Adam Rosales was claimed by the Rangers on Monday.

This is not a repeat.

Texas really did snag the infielder away from the A’s again for the second time in 10 days. Oakland had snatched Rosales back when the Rangers waived him on Aug. 5, but the A’s kept Rosales only one day before designating him for assignment again on Saturday. The good news for Rosales – the A’s did not arrange to have his car shipped back from Arlington when they picked him up last Wednesday – they wanted to make sure that he stayed with the team and cleared waivers.

I had speculated on Twitter that this might happen when Rosales was let go on Saturday; the Rangers told him they’d only designated him in the first place because they called up two outfielders to platoon when Nelson Cruz was suspended. Once Texas acquired Alex Rios, there was no need for an extra outfielder, and more reason for a utility player such as Rosales.

So to recap: four DFA’s in 13 days, claimed twice by the Rangers and once by his original team. I’d advise Texas to hang onto Rosales this time, or this is just going to continue; both teams appear completely comfortable shelling out the $20,000 waiver claim fee each time he bounces back and forth.

But wait, Slusser has more:

Adam Rosales tells me by phone, "I can't wait for September." That's when rosters expand. #Athletics #Rangers

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) August 12, 2013

Rosales says, "This could easily happen again," re: getting DFA'd; he had a feeling Texas wanted him back, though. #Rangers #Athletics

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) August 12, 2013

Rosales says, "At least my car is still in Texas, my Western Michigan education came into play." He'd requested it stay there thru waivers.

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) August 12, 2013

Through all of this, Rosales has yet to actually play in a game for the Rangers, though he has now been on their 25-man roster twice in the last two weeks. Craig Calcaterra sums it all up:

Cut it out, Jon Daniels and Billy Beane. Leave Adam Rosales alone.

And please, cut it out before Theo and Jed get wind of this. They do, after all, seem to be in the habit of rostering miscellaneous reserve infielders like Rosales.