Playoff Roster rules change....

I've heard a lot of confused discussion over the play-off roster, that has included myself and I think part of that is because the rules have changed several times over the years.

A few years ago it was simple the 25 players you ended August with was the 25 players you brought to the playoffs. If you had 12 pitchers and 13 position players on Aug. 31 then that was the ratio you maintained in the playoffs. If a player was on the disabled list at roster expansion then both him and his replacement were eligible for the playoffs but they had to be the same type of player ( pitcher/position). If a player went down in Sept. he was replaced by the same type of player from the 40 man roster who was probably already called up. As any time in the year a player on the 60 day DL could be replaced on the 40 man roster, which was a way to add an extra eligible player...

For Example, in 2006 the Mets on August 31st recalled Anderson Hernandez and sent down Heath Bell so that they would have the proper ratio for the playoff roster.

The first rule change was for the 2007 playoffs in which there were no longer ratio, any player from the 40 man roster could replace an eligible player placed on the DL. So last year when Carlos Delgado broke his hand on the last day of the season if the Mets had made the playoffs they could have replaced him with Philip Humber if they want to.

This year the players no longer have to be on the active 25 man roster as of Aug. 31, all they need to be is on the 40 man roster. As of this year a playoff team can select any 25 players regardless of the ratio or time spent in the majors for the playoffs. This rule change is why four players went on the 60-day DL on Aug. 31 and were replaced on the 40 man roster but those players weren't brought up. In 2006 Al Reyes or Ricardo Rincon could have only made the playoff roster if a pitcher went on the DL, now Jerry and Omar can simply pick them.

The Cliff Floyd rule is still in effect, rem. Floyd made the roster but was injured in the first game and spent the series on the bench. Now a player can be DLed and replaced by another player on the 40 man roster.

After each series the team can completely restock the roster with any players from the 40 man roster. A player that makes the NLDS may not make the NLCS if the team chooses another player.

I've been asked about the K-Rod clause, as I understand it the Angels had a rash of injuries in Sept. of 2002 when ratios were still the rule. They ran out of pitchers on the 40 man roster and had to use a player from IN the organization. While that rule is still in-effect I believe it would be harder to do today, the rule changes were made to be more lenient but for this particular clause it made things harder. For example, in 2006 if the Mets decided late to use F-Mart in the playoffs they would have to DL the extra position players ( approx. 4-5 players) now they would have to go through the entire extra 15 men on the 40 man since ratios are no longer relevant. But still the clause is in-effect if the team doesn't have an eligible player available due to injuries they can use a player from In the organization as long as that player was in the organization on Aug. 31.

The Brewers just signed reliever Todd Coffey who was released by the Reds, while he may help them make the playoffs, I don't see anyway he can be placed on the playoff roster there aren't loopholes for that type of situation because the league tries to avoid hired gun situations.......