Post by AthleticsGM (Mike) on Nov 11, 2024 14:44:05 GMT -5
2025 Issue #3 - Playoff Roster Rules
Example: Didi Gregorius is not signed to an MLB team but does not have option. Under the old set of rules, the GM was forced to include him on the playoff roster effectively resulting in a dead roster spot.
Example: Clayton Kershaw is eligible to be activated from the IL during the scoring period. The GM is forced to include him on the playoff roster, because if he doesn't and he is activated, the GM will have an illegal roster since Kershaw is only eligible to be moved to the Active roster (having no MiLB options). If Kershaw is not activated during the scoring period, then the GM has effectively wasted a roster spot during a critical match up.
Example: Joe Ryan SP, MIN makes his last start of the season on Thursday. GM demotes Ryan to the Reserves roster and calls up a pitcher to replace him for the remainder of the scoring period to gain extra volume pitching stats.
Options for the Future (need to vote on one or the other):
1. Continue the regular season rules in the playoffs - language would be added to the constitution
2. Adopt rules approximating MLB's playoff roster rules. The rule would read as follows:
Playoff Rosters (Constitution Language)
a. At the beginning of each playoff round, each team must post a 27-man roster to their team transaction thread.
i. Roster can consist of any player on the 40-man roster.
ii. Player option rules do not apply during the playoffs.
a) Veteran MLB players not selected for the playoff roster may be moved to the Reserves (Minors) roster in Fantrax.
b) Players moved to the Reserves roster during the playoffs do not use an option.
iii. Roster must be posted before the start of the first game.
b. No free agent signings, trades, promotions, or demotions are allowed during the scoring period with the following exceptions.
i. GMs may replace an injured player with another player during the scoring period if the following criteria is met:
a) The injured player is officially posted to the MLB injured list.
b) Pitchers must be replaced by a pitcher and position players must be replaced by a position player.
c) The injured player is ineligible to participate in the next round.
ii. GMs may also replace a player who is demoted to the Minors and is able to provide proof that such a transaction occurred. Pitchers must be replace by pitchers and position players must be replaced by position players.
Example: Bobby Miller SP, LAD is listed as part of the GM's 27-man playoff roster but he is officially demoted to AAA during the scoring period, which is announced via the team's official Twitter account. The GM is allowed to replace Miller with another pitcher.
- The original league rules for playoff rosters were abandoned in 2023 due to ambiguity in the constitution and controversy surrounding injured players and veteran players without options.
- GMs were forced to include players on their rosters who weren't signed to MLB teams because there was no mechanism for excluding them from their playoff rosters.
Example: Didi Gregorius is not signed to an MLB team but does not have option. Under the old set of rules, the GM was forced to include him on the playoff roster effectively resulting in a dead roster spot.
- Injured players were forced to be added to playoff rosters because if they were activated during the playoff scoring period and weren't declared as part of the playoff roster, the GM would be forced into having an illegal roster.
Example: Clayton Kershaw is eligible to be activated from the IL during the scoring period. The GM is forced to include him on the playoff roster, because if he doesn't and he is activated, the GM will have an illegal roster since Kershaw is only eligible to be moved to the Active roster (having no MiLB options). If Kershaw is not activated during the scoring period, then the GM has effectively wasted a roster spot during a critical match up.
- Without specific playoff rules in place, the league has extended the regular season rules into the playoffs, which allow for promotions/demotions/activations/etc at any point during the scoring period. But a loophole with continuing the regular season rules in the playoffs is that GMs can load up on pitching stats by making promotions/demotions at the beginning or end or the period. This is especially true in the first and last rounds of the playoffs.
Example: Joe Ryan SP, MIN makes his last start of the season on Thursday. GM demotes Ryan to the Reserves roster and calls up a pitcher to replace him for the remainder of the scoring period to gain extra volume pitching stats.
Options for the Future (need to vote on one or the other):
1. Continue the regular season rules in the playoffs - language would be added to the constitution
2. Adopt rules approximating MLB's playoff roster rules. The rule would read as follows:
Playoff Rosters (Constitution Language)
a. At the beginning of each playoff round, each team must post a 27-man roster to their team transaction thread.
i. Roster can consist of any player on the 40-man roster.
ii. Player option rules do not apply during the playoffs.
a) Veteran MLB players not selected for the playoff roster may be moved to the Reserves (Minors) roster in Fantrax.
b) Players moved to the Reserves roster during the playoffs do not use an option.
iii. Roster must be posted before the start of the first game.
b. No free agent signings, trades, promotions, or demotions are allowed during the scoring period with the following exceptions.
i. GMs may replace an injured player with another player during the scoring period if the following criteria is met:
a) The injured player is officially posted to the MLB injured list.
b) Pitchers must be replaced by a pitcher and position players must be replaced by a position player.
c) The injured player is ineligible to participate in the next round.
ii. GMs may also replace a player who is demoted to the Minors and is able to provide proof that such a transaction occurred. Pitchers must be replace by pitchers and position players must be replaced by position players.
Example: Bobby Miller SP, LAD is listed as part of the GM's 27-man playoff roster but he is officially demoted to AAA during the scoring period, which is announced via the team's official Twitter account. The GM is allowed to replace Miller with another pitcher.