Rule #17: The Introduction of Player Options
This could’ve been posted already, I’m not sure. Rich A first mentioned this during the season, and I liked it so I thought I’d post it.
Similar to MLB, I propose we incorporate player options on guys who are rookie eligible (…or maybe open it up to players with less than 3 years of service time?). As it stands now, we have a rule in place that allows teams to reserve players on draft day with less than 6 years of service time. The one player that still isn’t protected in my opinion is the rookie. Once you activate a rookie, he’s on your roster all year, unless the MLB team sends him back down or he’s injured. This discourages teams from activating young pitchers because they’re afraid of poor results without the option of sending him down to your farm. The other fear is having the player get shut down in Sept, and you’re now stuck. Lastly, if you activate a young player during the regular season, and he gets sent down, but called up during Sept roster expansion, you’re screwed. Player options could eliminate these problems. I propose three total player options per player.
I don’t fully understand the MLB current system of options. It always seems like some guys are being sent back and forth from MLB to AAA an unlimited number of ties during the season. If SOT adopted an options rule would it carry over year to year or would it just be 3 times up and down and that is it?
My preference would be 3 times up and down, and that’s it.
Passed!!