The Expansion Draft

* When: Nov. 17 in New York.

* Protected Lists: Each of the 26 existing teams must submit a list of 15 players who cannot be drafted to the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies 16 days after the conclusion of the World Series.

* Must Be Protected: Players with no-trade clauses. Players who have spent 10 years in the major leagues, the last five with the same team, although they can waive the right to be protected.

* Not Eligible: Players with no major league experience who have less than three years of professional service if they signed at 19 or older, or have less than four years of service if signed at 18 or younger cannot be drafted and do not have to be protected.

* Free Agents: Players filing for free agency in the 15-day period following the World Series do not have to be protected. They can sign with either of the expansion teams, or they can sign with any of the existing 26 teams in the period between the end of the filing period and the draft and not have to be protected.

* The Draft: The Marlins and Rockies will each draft 36 players. Each National League team will lose three players, as will eight American League teams. The other six American League teams will lose two players. In the first of three rounds, the Rockies and Marlins will select a total of 13 players each, one player from each of the 26 existing teams. American League clubs can then protect four more players, and National League clubs protect three more. The Rockies and Marlins will each select 13 more players in the second round, one from each of the 26 existing teams. American League teams then protect four more players, and NL teams protect three more. The Rockies and Marlins will then select one player from each National League team and one from eight AL teams in the final round.