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Thread: 20-Man Practice Squad?

  1. #1
    Member Bourgeois Zee's Avatar
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    20-Man Practice Squad?

    Let's talk some actual baseball.

    The MLB owners are proposing that each team be allowed 30-man rosters and an extra 20-man "practice squad".

    We've already talked around the 30-man roster, but the 20-man practice squad could be really interesting.

    Who you got? What's your philosophy? How about development?

    Here's mine:

    Philosophy: Partially development and partially injury protection for main roster. Heavy on former MLB pitchers, especially relief arms and place-holders that aren't complete zeroes.

    Starters
    Brooks Raley
    Jose De Leon
    Tejay Antone
    Nick Lodolo
    Hunter Greene
    Comment: Raley becomes the de facto seventh starter, and I feel good about De Leon in the 8th spot as well. (Mahle makes my 26-man roster.) Antone gets work because he hit 95 in Spring Training and has shown great control in the past. I like him as a swing man, if need be. Lodolo and Greene are here for development only, though I wouldn't rule out Lodolo as a late-season relief arm if he showed aptitude.

    Relief Arms
    Joel Kuhnel
    Vlad Gutierrez
    Justin Shafer
    Josh D. Smith
    Tyler Thornburg
    Jesse Biddle
    David Carpenter
    Comment: My 30-man roster has 15 pitchers, with Nate Jones, Matt Bowman, and Mahle as the last three. Heavy emphasis on been-there, done-that arms. Gutierrez begins his shift to the pen on the taxi squad. He's the only kid who'd be considered a development arm. The rest should be on strict throwing regimens. This might really benefit guys like Thornburg and Carpenter, who struggle to stay healthy.

    Offensive Players
    Tyler Stephenson, C
    Francisco Pena, C
    Matt Davidson, 1B/ 3B
    Jose Garcia, SS
    Jonathan India, 3B
    Stuart Fairchild, OF
    Aristides Aquino, OF
    Travis Jankowski, OF
    Comment: Payton made the 30-man roster, as did Dietrich and Blandino. Had a hard time deciding between Schebler and Pena for the last spot on the taxi squad. Went with Pena due to fear of losing a catcher. Stephenson should be next in line either way. Davidson's a great fit here, IMO, as an 800 MLB bat at the corners. Garcia, Fairchild, and India are developmental, but close. Aquino gets called up if any injury to an OF, but there's so many on the roster who can play there. Jankowski's an adept CF who can be a pinch runner if they get to the playoffs.


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  3. #2
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    Re: 20-Man Practice Squad?

    I understand that ML teams would be limited to recalling only those on the practice squad. Are there any limitations on the number of additional players that can be brought in for developmental purposes? Would practice squad players automatically be added to an expanded (50) 40 man roster?

  4. #3
    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
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    Re: 20-Man Practice Squad?

    It's an interesting subject to consider. However I'm more interested in the logistics than the players involved. Are they going going to stay at the spring training sites to keep in shape? Would they play intrasquad games or games against other minor league teams? If they do that, Arizona is pretty hot in the summer. Would they just stick around Cincinnati and sit idle while waiting for a chance to play? Maybe they go to Dayton or Louisville and play intrasquad games? I think they actually have to have some kind of activity. If they would be called up they can't just sit around and do nothing.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    I was wrong
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    Chip is right

  5. #4
    Member EnglishRed's Avatar
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    Re: 20-Man Practice Squad?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chip R View Post
    It's an interesting subject to consider. However I'm more interested in the logistics than the players involved. Are they going going to stay at the spring training sites to keep in shape? Would they play intrasquad games or games against other minor league teams? If they do that, Arizona is pretty hot in the summer. Would they just stick around Cincinnati and sit idle while waiting for a chance to play? Maybe they go to Dayton or Louisville and play intrasquad games? I think they actually have to have some kind of activity. If they would be called up they can't just sit around and do nothing.
    I don't know how feasible this is but wouldn't it be better to play the games themselves at the Spring Training venues? or at least neutral ones. Given that there will be no fans anyway, I guess it won't matter as much if they install the right TV equipment.

  6. #5
    he/him *BaseClogger*'s Avatar
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    Re: 20-Man Practice Squad?

    Quote Originally Posted by EnglishRed View Post
    I don't know how feasible this is but wouldn't it be better to play the games themselves at the Spring Training venues? or at least neutral ones. Given that there will be no fans anyway, I guess it won't matter as much if they install the right TV equipment.
    A lot of the players/coaches/staff have families in their hometowns that they want to be able to see over the course of the three month season...

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    EnglishRed (05-13-2020)

  8. #6
    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
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    Re: 20-Man Practice Squad?

    Quote Originally Posted by EnglishRed View Post
    I don't know how feasible this is but wouldn't it be better to play the games themselves at the Spring Training venues? or at least neutral ones. Given that there will be no fans anyway, I guess it won't matter as much if they install the right TV equipment.
    Ideally it would. But a lot of teams train in Arizona and it's not known for pleasant temperatures in the summer. Plus the clubs would have to pay for the facilities to operate at full capacity.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    I was wrong
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    Chip is right

  9. #7
    Member Ron Madden's Avatar
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    Re: 20-Man Practice Squad?

    Wrong thread
    Last edited by Ron Madden; 05-14-2020 at 11:08 AM.


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