Why is MLB roster expansion still happening?
Every year it Joe Maddon Youth Jersey seems like people around baseball have the same discussion in September: why does the MLB still have roster expansion? It’s a fair question, given that September is make-or-break for most teams in the playoff hunt. So why does baseball still allow teams to expand their rosters? For the first five months Carlos Zambrano Jersey of the regular season, teams are allowed to have a 25-man roster on a given night. Teams will generally carry 12 or 13 pitchers, which makes bullpen management very important over the course of the season. The dynamics Ben Zobrist Youth Jersey of managing the bench each night can also be a challenge, especially in the National League. Those challenges are all but eliminated in September, when teams can expand their rosters to anywhere from 25 to 40. That kind Andre Dawson Kids Jersey of increase in player availability gives managers the freedom to make thoughtless substitutions, bring in countless relief pitchers, and play platoon advantages over multiple innings. The ability for managers to Addison Russell Jersey manipulate their bullpens with seemingly unlimited resources is not only an assault on the strategic integrity of the game, but also on the timing of the game.