by Mike » Thu Mar 30, 2017 7:45 pm
Kevin,
Thanks for your reply. I do appreciate that perspective on it.
Here's the key takeaway from that ESPN article:
"To recap: It is now easier to get placed on the DL but no more restrictive to come off of it.
The end result will be an increase in the number of players who will be placed on the DL, and likely the number of DL days overall. It is possible that we might see last year's record total eclipsed and perhaps push 35,000 days, or even more. While the shorter 10-day minimum, as opposed to 15, will reduce these numbers somewhat, the odds are against it since there is no incentive for a team to adhere to "just 10 days."
...
It will increase the number of players who spend time on an MLB roster, though their respective tenures could be even shorter than they have been in the past. It splinters playing-time expectations. The total of all the available plate appearances and innings will remain fixed within a narrow band -- last I checked, the season is still 162 games long -- but more players will be trying to claim a piece of that pie ... many more.
Good luck projecting playing time this year!"