Manfred May Push Back Trade Deadline

glennhoffmania

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"I think that the July 31st deadline is something that we may want to revisit in the context of the revised playoff format," Manfred said Wednesday. "Obviously when you have two additional opportunities to be in the playoffs, you have more teams in the hunt and they may want to wait a little longer before they make decisions.
 
"On the other hand, you've got to remember, we want teams that the core of which have been together for the year playing in the postseason," he said. "So you have to just balance those two issues, I think.
 
 
 
I would be in favor of this.  Give teams a little more time to make some decisions and work out some deals.
 
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Saints Rest

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It seems to me that the simple thing would be to move the July 31 deadline to Aug 31 and basically eliminate the Waiver-trades in August.  That would still mean that teams need to make their playoff-based decisions before rosters expand on September 1 and would eliminate the weird (arcane?) distinction made between the two deadlines.
 
In a related bit of tinkering, I would like them to change the roster expansion such that, like the NHL or NFL, a team could only suit up 25 players even after rosters expand.  Maybe make it so that the starting pitchers from the previous 3 or 4 games must always be counted, but you could move relief pitchers on and off freely as well as position players.    It seems to me that this would still allow teams to see more players get some time in the Show, while preventing some late-season games from turning into stupidly long slogs with 9 pitchers and 6 position player subs.
 

IdiotKicker

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Saints Rest said:
It seems to me that the simple thing would be to move the July 31 deadline to Aug 31 and basically eliminate the Waiver-trades in August.  That would still mean that teams need to make their playoff-based decisions before rosters expand on September 1 and would eliminate the weird (arcane?) distinction made between the two deadlines.
 
In a related bit of tinkering, I would like them to change the roster expansion such that, like the NHL or NFL, a team could only suit up 25 players even after rosters expand.  Maybe make it so that the starting pitchers from the previous 3 or 4 games must always be counted, but you could move relief pitchers on and off freely as well as position players.    It seems to me that this would still allow teams to see more players get some time in the Show, while preventing some late-season games from turning into stupidly long slogs with 9 pitchers and 6 position player subs.
This all makes perfect sense.
 

MuzzyField

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I'd add two weeks and move the deadline to mid-August.

A month seems too long. Also, if the season were to shrink to 154 with added playoffs the amount of season left on 8/31 might be a problem.

I'm totally in favor of fixing the roster expansion system. All players would need to get credit on nights they aren't on the playing roster for the MLBPA to approve, but it worth it to keep the game consistent all season.
 

Hee Sox Choi

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September call-ups are awesome.  I love the larger rosters.  Gets some kids some extra money and time to be in a major league clubhouse.  Plus, the player's union is probably strongly for it.  
 

MuzzyField

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Hee Sox Choi said:
September call-ups are awesome.  I love the larger rosters.  Gets some kids some extra money and time to be in a major league clubhouse.  Plus, the player's union is probably strongly for it.  
I'd like it too, it's an important part of development. However, the game shouldn't be played with teams sporting 35 actives they can use during a game. Give each team 28 per game for September.

They'd still get paid, they'd just watch games they weren't active for in street clothes.
 

Saints Rest

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Hee Sox Choi said:
September call-ups are awesome.  I love the larger rosters.  Gets some kids some extra money and time to be in a major league clubhouse.  Plus, the player's union is probably strongly for it.  
I don't disagree with that.  My point is that the call-ups would be the same in all aspects except for the number of game-day actives.  Again, think of it like the 45 game-day actives compared to the 53 on the roster of an NFL team every Sunday.
 

glennhoffmania

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The problem I have with the expanded rosters is you have teams competing for playoff spots and depending on the schedule one of them could be playing what's essentially a AAA lineup.  I understand the positives to it that HSC and others have pointed out.  But the downside of unfair competition should be considered.  So I think I like Muzzy's idea which, while not solving the problem, at least somewhat addresses it.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

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Is it just me or is Manfred saying they want teams that have had the same core since the start of the season in the playoffs a bit odd? Why does the commissioner's office have a vested interest in how playoff teams stew constructed to the degree that it would impact policy?
 

getfoul

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If the season remains 26 weeks and ends on a Sunday, the trade deadline should always be a Wednesday night at 9pm with 8.5 weeks left in the season.  Make a TV show out of it.
 
That would leave about 54 games left. 
 
After that, you can make waiver deals the next 4.5 weeks. 
 
The final 4 weeks of the season, expanded rosters still exist, but you have to turn in a 25-man roster each day that must include your last three starting pitchers.  That would eliminate the possibility of 9 and 10-man bullpens.
 

mauf

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We're stuck with expanded rosters. It's good for young guys, as even a cup of coffee entitles you (I think) to some benefits for life; meanwhile, it gives cover to veterans who want to rest for the playoffs or just mail in the last week or two of the season. The owners don't care enough to offer the players something in exchange for those benefits.
 

DJnVa

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Snodgrass'Muff said:
Is it just me or is Manfred saying they want teams that have had the same core since the start of the season in the playoffs a bit odd? Why does the commissioner's office have a vested interest in how playoff teams stew constructed to the degree that it would impact policy?
 
I think you're reading more into it than is in there, but first, why wouldn't they have a vested interest? There's a deadline for a player to be on a team's roster to make him eligible for postseason play. That's the commissioner's office having an interest in a team's roster construction and making policy. The same with injury replacements during the postseason.
 
In this case, the very reason all sports have a trading deadline/postseason roster deadline is so that the teams competing for the title are, more or less, similar to the teams that competed during the season. We wouldn't want the Yankees trading for Cole Hamels on September 25th and having him eligible. Or the Colts trading for some running back after week 15.
 
So Manfred is trying to balance the reality of 2 more playoff teams meaning more teams in it for longer, with the need to not push the deadline back so far that teams can radically reshape their roster just weeks before the postseason.
 

kieckeredinthehead

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Although it would be pretty interesting to see free agents traded right before the postseason. Or, better, from the ALDS loser to the ALDS winner. One wonders how much they could get.