Expanding Rosters - Yuk

[AndrewG]

I expect an interesting thread hopefully..

I am not a fan of late season roster expansion in OOTP, I dont use it.

Yes I understand you can give younger guys soem playing time, but why at this important time of the year? While its true the majority of teams are out of playoff race by this time of the year, I just dont have use for this rule.

I feel if a player deserves playing time at the bigs, well let them earn it during any part of the season, when the numbers are smaller, not just in a loophole type scenario where you allow extra bodies.

[TribeFanInNC]

There are other reasons to use it, even if you are in contention and not trying to give next year's players a chance to perform. It gives you an extra arm or two in the bullpen to match up with batters late and avoid burning out the top guys. It can give you an exclusive pinch runner to use late if needed. More PH selections. Ability to pinch hit for a catcher. Basically more options in general.

Plus the obvious use for giving young players experience for teams out of the race.

[silvam14]

I don't like it in the respect that when watching real games on TV, they seem to take infinitely longer because of the constant pitching changes for the L/R matchups

[Cryomaniac]

Originally Posted by silvam14

I don't like it in the respect that when watching real games on TV, they seem to take infinitely longer because of the constant pitching changes for the L/R matchups

*Advocates switch pitching as a solution*

[UWHabs]

I like giving my players a quick tryout at the end of the year. Also useful to bring up that extra PH, that extra defensive sub, and that extra reliever just to keep your main guys fresh heading to the post-season.

[Stu]

I usually only call up a few players. My primary use for it is when I have a comfortable lead in the division/wildcard. I've been burned a couple times with key players getting injured at the end of the year so I'll call up replacements to give my starters some extra days off.

[BMW]

I like using it to stave off injuries.

Plus, I think the flavor of baseball is enhanced by the failed prospects and career minor leaguers that get their cup of coffee at the end of the year. Sometimes their names would be lost to history to the average fan. With a Mets fan, I can reminisce about the existence of former pitching prospect Blaine Beatty, just as much as Dwight Gooden. Sure, there's not that much to say about Beatty, but the fact that he got up to the majors puts him into a class shared by only several thousand other people in sports history. Phil Lombardi, Lou Thorton, Doug Simons, Kelvin Torve. I never forget them.

About the only time that it isn't useful is in a highly contested pennant race, unless your organization is so deep that you have very effective major leaguers stashed in the minors. In general, unless that is the case, everybody comes up to the majors for me.

Another thing to note, and OOTP does do this correctly, if you put a guy on the 40 Man and on the Active Roster at the end of the season, it doesn't use up an option year. I will sometimes do this with players who are Rule 5 eligible the following season.

[ike121212]

I use it, but cut the expanded roster size down to only allow 2-4 additions.

[clamel]

How do you think the AI is using this expanded roster in playing dynastys ??

I don´t think it uses it to have "a good look" at a player for next year or likewise.

Whatever you guys have "seen" about the AI using the expanded roster would be great.
I have thought on having changes to the Game Setups coming into September. Giving position players a higher fatigue. Changing normal to high.
Perhaps the AI is then forced to do something (and even yourself)
However it has a lot of backend stuffs...

[Le Grande Orange]

It would be interesting to know just how much MLB clubs actually expand their rosters during September as opposed to how much they could expand them if they wanted to.

[AirmenSmith]

I use it mostly for keeping my starters fresh and not get injured. Also it's nice to see if anyone in minors are good enough for next year.

[BBallfreaKman21]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

It would be interesting to know just how much MLB clubs actually expand their rosters during September as opposed to how much they could expand them if they wanted to.

MLB.com my friend. Has the current active rosters for each team including the september callups. The max is 40 guys, but it varies from team to team. I would say anywhere from 32-38 is what most teams do. The Yankees for example have 38 I think, but they obviously want to rest their starters because of their division lead so its understandable why they called so many guys up. Other teams like the Twins only have 31 right now since they are fighting to win their division and my guess is they probably want their best guys in there and don't want to screw up the team chemistry.

[Hazza]

This may be a silly question, but can we assume most people promoted are (Aside from a spare utility or two) relievers or starters?

[Kelric]

I use it, but I only expand my rosters to 30 guys.

[BMW]

Originally Posted by Hazza

This may be a silly question, but can we assume most people promoted are (Aside from a spare utility or two) relievers or starters?

I bring up everyone on the 40 man with the exception of guys who are on a minor league team in the playoffs and with the rare exception of guys who are still in A ball or lower (occasionally I'll have a guy like that on my 40 man).

I just don't see the downside from the whole 25-30 days of service time. Bringing someone up doesn't use up an option year.

[Nutlaw]

Roster expansion is my favorite time of year! I tend to play in non-DH leagues, so pinch hitting opportunities are greater, but I'll still call up a number of guys no matter what the league setting. An extra 2-4 pitchers are useful, especially if one can serve as a spot starter. I'll call up as many position players as deserve to be on a major league roster, but I'll also call up anyone who might be useful as a platoon starter, a defensive replacement, a pinch runner, or purely as a pinch hitter. Oh, and a third catcher is a no brainer.

[Sweed]

I love the call up time too. I enjoy getting a look at my "up and comers", getting a good idea if they just might be ready for the show next season.

It's the same reason I play out all of my spring training games. Get a good look at players playing games. Old versions of OOTP in spring training you had to decide by looking at ratings and ML stats, no game time. Calling up a guy in September meant the guy was given a full year of MLB service time (days of service were not tracked) Much more realistic and fun to be able to see these guys in action.

[conception]

For me, roster expansion is like a second ST in that it is an open audition to be on my playoff roster. The difference between it and ST is that with my younger players, I'm going to be choosing which guys are on the roster based entirely on what they can do to help my team win. For the regular season, I have to take into consideration to where player A and player B are in their careers, as if one of them could possibly benefit from more minor league time they will be the ones sent down, even if that guy is more talented. Playoffs are the only time I will say, what can you do for me now instead of doing what is better for the career of all of my players.

Roster expansion is one of my favorite parts of the OOTP season.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by BMW

I bring up everyone on the 40 man with the exception of guys who are on a minor league team in the playoffs and with the rare exception of guys who are still in A ball or lower (occasionally I'll have a guy like that on my 40 man).

I just don't see the downside from the whole 25-30 days of service time. Bringing someone up doesn't use up an option year.

I think it does. How else would players be out of options?

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by RchW

I think it does. How else would players be out of options?

For a player already on the 40-man roster it would. But if the player was not on the 40-man roster, and was added to it in September and added to the 25-man active roster at the same time, and remained on the active roster through the end of the season, then the player wouldn't use an option since he spent no time in the minors after being added to the 40-man roster. (Assuming such a player had options remaining, that is.)