Rasner placed on 40-man roster

While it would have made perfect sense for the Washington Expos to place Darrell Rasner on their 40-man roster, anyone familiar with what happens knows that Major League Baseball teams don't always do what's expected.

But the Expos made the expected move on Tuesday when they purchased the contract of Rasner from their Double A affiliate in Harrisburg, Pa., and placed them on their 40-man roster. The Expos are making the transition from Montreal or Puerto Rico or wherever they were playing to the Washington, D.C., area where they will begin play in the 2005 season.

The Expos were faced with having to place Rasner on their 40-man roster or leaving him unprotected in which he could have been picked up by another team. Next for Rasner is reporting to the Expos spring training camp in mid-February.

Rasner graduated from Carson High in 1999 and went on to become the all-time wins leader at the University of Nevada before being drafted in the second round by the Expos in 2002.

"I'm pretty excited," Rasner said. "I'm real honored to have the opportunity. I'm real happy about it."

While Rasner was expecting to be placed on the 40-man roster, he didn't expect it to be done this soon.

"I wasn't worrying about it," he said. "I thought it was going to happen later. It kind of caught me off guard. It was a good day."

Another advantage for Rasner is the Expos hold spring training in Brevard County, Fla., the complex where the Expos Class A team plays. Rasner began last season in Brevard County. "That will make it a little easier," he said.

Rasner should receive the chance to pitch against Major League hitters for the first time this spring.

"If anything I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "It will be a good chance to see how ready I am."

The ultimate goal is to make the opening day Major League roster. "I want to set my goals high," he said. "I don't know what the chances are but that's going to be my goal. I'm just going to work hard and see what happens."

Rasner should at least have an excellent chance to start out with the Expos Triple A affiliate in New Orleans and move up to the Major League team by the end of the season.

During the second half of last year, Rasner was outstanding. He finished with a 6-5 mark with a 3.14 earned run average at Brevard County and was even better at Harrisburg where in five starts he posted 1-1 mark with a 1.21 earned run average.