So, it used to be the roster was 25 players, expanding to 40 on September 1, which is tomorrow.
Unfair to hitters in recent decades...why? Well, in Seaver's day, there were 15 hitters and 10 pitchers, which changed to 13 hitters and 12 pitchers. Lots of talented hitters on the outside looking in because the teams kept fewer hitters on the 25 man.
Magnanimously, the mighty Lords of the MLB universe fairly recently extended the roster size to 26.
But the Lords giveth, the Lords taketh away, as Lords tend to do, so the old rule allowing rosters to expand up to 40? Well they cut that by TWELVE, from a max of 40 to 28.
A mere, stinking 2 player expansion come September 1. SMH.
I asked Rodney Dangerfield about it, just expanding by 2 players, and he said, "It's UNFAIR, I tell ya. No respect at all!"
Many guys who have gotten oh-so close to a major league call up for perhaps their one and only time? Well, nothing to tell the grandkids about their time in the majors - because the Lords disallowed it. They...never...made...it.
If it is the extra money to be paid out, which the Lords wanteth to keep, I have an idea for you...any September 1 call up who has never played in the majors before?
They get paid half the normal rate, and you up the number back up, to say 32 men. Still an awful lot more dough than they ever made in the minors.
You also work something out with the players, so that September call ups don't start a new guy's clock to free agency. So, if the Mets wanted to call up Francisco Alvarez, let's say, I'm sure he'd be thrilled, and would prefer that. Ronny Mauricio? Mark Vientos? Then, the following year, from March through August, the normal roster rules apply.
Great learning experience for them, too. Invaluable, in fact.
Family and friends, and fans, would see a more player-friendly group of Lords, whether they are Lords...of Flatbush... or somewhere else. You see, benevolent Lords are more appreciated than stingy ones.
Making it 32 instead of 28 would add 120 more guys to the 30 teams, many of whom would find it to be their only time in the bigs.
Billionaires wouldn't miss the money. Mere shekels. A mere bag o' shells, Jackie Gleason told me.
But heck, if they don't want to carry the extra cost, pay for it with something like a 25 cent surcharge on September tickets. I don't think fans would balk.
And, for the good of the goodwill of the game, more players would have more good stories to tell their friends and whoever might listen, about the game they so dearly love.
Whaddya think, folks?
11 comments:
I think those extra players would be all thumbs-up if they got called up to Citifield. I prefer thumbs-up players.
Tom there's one problem with your plan: It makes to much sense so it will never happen.
How's this for dealing with "The mess". We trade Lindor for Rosario and pay his salary and it probably would be a better deal for us long term. After 60 years of Mets baseball this whole thing is really testing my Met Fandom like never before because the stain of Lindor is not going away with an apology and we have him for OMG 10 more years. I really have to think about this for me long term.
When this was about to go down there was a lot of clamoring that Baseball shouldn't have a different set if rules in September than the rest of the year. The biggest thing was how managers would use so many pitchers. I think the 3 batter rule changed that. May the number will go back up one day.
Gary - you called me as soon as the trade was made. I was against it then as we needed a CF and instead got a SS. Then, we gave him $341M instead of seeing if he could handle NY first - another mistake. Then we bring in his buddy with a hot head reputation and 50 more Ks than hits - another mistake. Sandy has to go.
I like the idea of bringing up more players. You are right that it would not be an economic impact, but it is a thrill for the players to "see the show". Also, it is an opportunity to evaluate players at this level in a different environment than spring training. For any teams not in the playoff chase, there are many innings available for evaluation.
It is one thing to stink this year, as Lindor has. It is another to give it back to the fans. Exhibit A against the insanity of very long high $$$ contracts. So much can go wrong. These morons need to walk it back from the brink.
Too bad the Mets have no AAA players we're clamoring to see.
Reese, one AAA guy who we might’ve seen is David Thompson who, after a very cold season start and a very long injury stretch, is hitting well and blasting bombs with regularity. 12 HRs in 153 at bats. Last 2 games, 4 for 7, 2 HRs. But with a 28 man? Not happening.
Nobody was bringing up anyone decent in years because of service time manipulation. This is much ado about nothing.
Take away service time manipulation, and maybe my ideas would be much ado about something.
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