It's September now and that means it's time for the playoff push and expanded rosters.
But first some Orioles history. Do you remember Sept. 2, 1999 when Cal Ripken hit his 400th home run.
The push for the postseason enters the final month. The Sun had a good breakdown of each team in the wild American League playoff chase during the final four weeks of the season.
While many look at the Orioles remaining schedule and say it's one of the most difficult, they really can control their own destiny. With six of their final nine series against the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers and Blue Jays the O's hold their playoff hopes in their hands.
The other feature of September baseball is expanded rosters. Teams can activate players that are on the 40-man roster. But it dramatically changes the game for the final month of the season. It seems odd that after five months the game is played with a different set of rules for the final month.
Teams out of the playoff chase can get a look at some of their prospects and begin planning for next season. Those still in the playoff hunt can add depth to the roster.
The biggest impact is in the bullpens where managers can begin playing matchups earlier in a game. The added depth in the bullpens often extends the game, a bit odd given that the time of game is supposed to be a big issue for major league baseball.
The Orioles called up three players today, including two pitchers, but will almost certainly be adding more in the coming days. The ability for the Orioles to add depth to the pitching staff for the stretch run may play a key role as the team makes a playoff push.
I understand the expanded rosters. With the minor league seasons finished in early September, it allows teams a way to have players continue to get work. But is it really fair that teams can have a different number of available players in the same game? Teams should be allowed to set a 25-man active roster for each game or each series.
This is actually an idea baseball should consider throughout the season. Given the concern for injuries, teams should be allowed a taxi-squad of sorts, but prior to each series they have to declare which players are available. In a typical three-game series, there are at least two starting pitchers that most likely won't play, so in reality teams are playing with a 23-man roster for each game.
There are rumors that their are discussions about this idea, or at least some form of it, in the current labor negotiations taking place. But who knows what the sides will agree too.
September can produce some wild memories, both for teams in the playoff hunt and those out of it. Just remember the wild finish to the 2011 season?
But the rules should be equal for each team and as close to the rules from the first five months of the season.
