Should MLB September roster rules be changed?

[Pere]

There seems to be real talk about the possibility. I'm not entirely sure what to make of this.

I never really embraced the ballooning of September rosters. I know minor league players want to get their taste of the bigs whenever they can get it, but I don't like minor league teams and leagues being stripped of their best in their final games and playoffs, so that those guys can, maybe, pinch-hit or run or sub on defense a time or two.

I know one thing I really don't like is the notion that there could be different rules for teams in mathematical contention versus those that are not. For statistical integrity and aesthetic purity, surely the rules of the regular season should be fixed, for every team and throughout the schedule, from each Opening Day.

What do you think?

[Rich the Giants fan]

I don't get the complaining about things not being equal, or fair. Every team has the same rules to play by, if they choose to play with fewer players than the other team, that's their issue to deal with, IMO. I like the September call-ups getting a taste of the big leagues, especially in a pennant race, and it affords the teams the luxury of adding a few extra bullpen arms at a time when the pen is likely getting run down, and a few more players off the bench to give a manager more flexibility for pinch-hitting, pinch-running and defensive substitutions. I think the real reason behind the griping is that teams (especially smaller market teams) don't want to have to pay extra players the ML minimum.

[ipitch]

I like the September call-ups getting a taste of the big leagues, especially in a pennant race, and it affords the teams the luxury of adding a few extra bullpen arms at a time when the pen is likely getting run down, and a few more players off the bench to give a manager more flexibility for pinch-hitting, pinch-running and defensive substitutions.

You can still have all that if the teams have to designate 30 players for each game, like the article suggests.

[dgarza]

But teams could still have a roster of only 29 players.

[drdg]

There seems to be real talk about the possibility. I'm not entirely sure what to make of this.

I never really embraced the ballooning of September rosters. I know minor league players want to get their taste of the bigs whenever they can get it, but I don't like minor league teams and leagues being stripped of their best in their final games and playoffs, so that those guys can, maybe, pinch-hit or run or sub on defense a time or two.

I know one thing I really don't like is the notion that there could be different rules for teams in mathematical contention versus those that are not. For statistical integrity and aesthetic purity, surely the rules of the regular season should be fixed, for every team and throughout the schedule, from each Opening Day.

What do you think?

I think the author needs to take a course in baseball (like baseball 101) or do some more research
before he compares baseball to other sports or say that the system is unfair or will affect the
outcome of the playoff race.

it reminds me of an article in the NY Daily News last year,
that said that gas prices were going to hit an ALL TIME HIGH AT $4.00 per gallon
LMAO
as gas prices were already more than $4.00 in CA and has been way higher than $4.00 before
and in the 1970's they were as high as $12.00 per gallon in today's scale
I wrote an e-mail to the editor,highlighting the article
it just so happen that he was new to the USA coming from the UK
and the person that wrote the article was an intern, that has never pay for gas in her life.

to answer your question
the minor league season is over by sept 1, when the players/coaches get the callup to the majors
and if they miss the playoffs, SO WHAT
the Milb is use to delovelop players/coaches for the MLB club, and NOT to win rings in the Milb

with the Yankees, being the exception, as their goal is to win at all levels
since 2000 their short-season A ball team (Staten Island Yankees) has won 6 championships
including last year 2011

The baseball rules in Sept. is the same for all teams

[Rich the Giants fan]

You can still have all that if the teams have to designate 30 players for each game, like the article suggests.

I don't understand the need for change. I prefer it as it is.

[drstrangelove]

I think it's important to fix things that work and have worked for generations and that actually doesn't affect anyone before I fix things that are broken (replay, teams intentionally under spending, revenue sharing, player aggression towards umpires, steroid use, HGH use, Oakland's need for a new ballpark, the All-star game continuing to exist, ball and strike calls, etc.)

This is a non issue. September call ups is a tradition in baseball and helps excite fans for teams that have no real shot at the playoffs. And I can't think of anything more artificial and contrived than forcing one team to have 30 or less players and another allowed to have 40 because one team is in the hunt for a playoff spot, while the other isn't.

Next we'll be hearing about the unfairness of some teams scoring more runs than others, quickly followed by the fix of giving non playoff teams an extra 2 runs to start each game against a playoff team.

[Bulldog19]

Is a small-market team complaining about another small-market team again this year? Milwaukee's GM complained last year because the Cardinals had like one or two more players in the dugout than the Brewers did and he remarked how "unfair it was" because apparently the Cardinals elected to afford the extra players while the Brewers did not.

You see this kind of move made at all levels. FCS Football will often take its entire roster to a game at an BCS school (ie: Southeast Missouri playing at Mizzou). High school coaches will often bring up underclassmen near the end of the season.

I know some teams will choose to leave players at the minor league level if that particular team is in their league's playoffs and I have no problem with that. I think each organization should be allowed to make that choice for themselves..

[Pere]

the minor league season is over by sept 1, when the players/coaches get the callup to the majors
and if they miss the playoffs, SO WHAT
the Milb is use to delovelop players/coaches for the MLB club, and NOT to win rings in the Milb

Strictly speaking, the MiLB schedule this year was not over until the PCL Reno Aces beat the IL Pawtucket Red Sox in the Triple-A Championship on Sept. 18.

I have always felt that it was better for fans if each minor league and each of their teams had some meaning unto itself. Also, that the long-term cause of player development is best-served by giving young players the experience of winning, or trying to win down the stretch. Organizations that carelessly use their affiliates as spare-parts bags generally don't do as well.

with the Yankees, being the exception, as their goal is to win at all levels
since 2000 their short-season A ball team (Staten Island Yankees) has won 6 championships
including last year 2011

Is that a fact.

September call ups is a tradition in baseball and helps excite fans for teams that have no real shot at the playoffs.

Oh, sure. And there's nothing wrong with that. I've just never been convinced that it's necessary or desirable to have such huge rosters to do it.

[dgarza]

I've just never been convinced that it's necessary or desirable to have such huge rosters to do it.

Expanding a roster by 60% is rather a lot. You would think a 30-35 man roster would be enough by Sept.

But really, what ever number of players are allowed on a roster, they should all be available to play any game at any time. If MLB wants to shrink rosters, fine, just let all players be available still.