Everyone seems to be talking about the Expanded September rosters (or maybe I just think that because I listened to the Yankees’radio broadcast team complain about the expanded roster for most of 3 games with the Jays, since I was in a car, and subjected to XM Radio giving me the home broadcast team. If you dislike Buck and Pat, listen to the Yankee radio broadcasts, it will give you a whole new appreciation for how bad broadcasters can be. The intentional mispronunciation of Jose Bowtista was almost enough to make me drive off the road).
And John Lott talked to Gibby about it, and posted his opinions about it today, he's not a fan of the it.
I'll admit, I've always liked the expanded rosters.
As a fan of a team that was rarely in the playoff race, I liked the idea of seeing some prospects, it gave me a reason to watch September baseball and allows teams to take a look at some of their prospects. This year, well we are in a playoff race (though someone ought to tell the players), and we get to see Danny Barnes and Matt Dermody pitch and also see Dalton Pompey ride the pines. Unfortunately, most of our best prospects aren't quite ready for a September call up.
And I like the extra strategies allowed by the extra players (not that we've really used much). I like the idea of having pinch-hitters and pinch-runners.
I guess the biggest reason for expanding the roster, is that by the end of the season, most pitching staffs are beaten down to where it is tough to get much more than 5 innings out of a starter. The guys in the bullpen have been equally over worked. Having a few extra arms likely laves us some injuries.
The expanded roster came about because the minor leagues seasons end around the start of September, so teams don't have minor league players keeping themselves ready for call up to the majors. If a player were to get injured, without the expanded rosters, the team would have to call up someone that might not have played competitive ball for a couple of weeks.
I understand that we don't like longer games. Course, if Gibby doesn't like longer games, maybe he shouldn't send relievers out there to face just one batter.
And I understand the argument that it we are playing with different rules for that last month, when games seem more important. Five months under one set of rules and then a month under slightly different of rules is tough to understand. But then, this is a sport that has one set of rules for the National League and a different set for the American League.
Gibby, in Lott's post suggests the idea of a taxi squad, allowing players to be moved onto and off the active roster when the team desires. I not sure how much that will help. Teams would just take the starting pitchers, who aren't being used that day, and the bullpen pitchers that pitched the day before, and take them off the roster. I don't think it would change things all that much.
Lott also suggested that MLB could expand rosters to 27 for the full season to make it easier to sell the idea of getting rid of roster expansion to the Players Association. Any change would have to be negotiated with the players.
Anyway let's have a poll.