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The MLB Daily Dish is a daily feature we're running here at MLBDD and rounds up roster-impacting news, rumors, and analysis. Have feedback or have something that should be shared? Hit us at @mlbdailydish on Twitter or @MLBDailyDish on Instagram.
Rise and shine baseball fans, we have officially begun the postseason.
Here’s a roundup of news around the American League Central.
Is your team in contention for the World Series? Has your anxiety simmered down lately? Sorry, we’re here to ruin that.
With the first postseason game over and the Blue Jays crowned the AL Wild Card winner, October baseball is upon us.
Even though the game has come and gone, let’s take a look at how the Orioles and Blue Jays came together in what many people felt was an unlikely matchup.
“The Orioles already had an impressive murderers row of sluggers last offseason with Manny Machado, Adam Jones, and Jonathan Schoop when Dan Duquette re-signed Chris Davisand picked Pedro Alvarez off of the scrap heap. But his masterstroke was adding Mark Trumbo from the Mariners for backup catcher Steve Clevenger. Trumbo, freed from the homer-suppressing Safeco Field reinvigorated his career in Baltimore, who embraced his free swinging ways...
The overwhelming majority of the work the Jays did to put together a winning team was done by Alex Anthopoulos, the GM Mark Shapiro harangued out of town when he took over as the Jays’ president at the start of the last offseason. Anthopoulos drafted Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez and Kevin Pillar. He signed Roberto Osuna and Russell Martin. He traded for Josh Donaldson, Michael Saunders, Troy Tulowitzki, Devon Travis, and Marco Estrada...”
Speaking of the game, Hyun-soo Kim almost got take out by a rough beer can. Pro tip: Don’t throw things at people.
Here's that fan in Toronto tossing a can of beer at Hyun-soo Kim (via @FanSportsClips) pic.twitter.com/FTlRvsRmXd
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) October 5, 2016
Fall is a time of transformation, of shedding what’s old and done and preparing to grow something better for the spring. Changes of all sorts are in store for the next few weeks, some affecting the MLB on a much larger scale than just managerial musical chairs.
Rob Manfred want to alter September roster rules come next season.
Teams are allowed to expand their active rosters to 40-members, and fill their dugouts and bullpens with extra help. Suddenly, players who were deemed not good enough for the Major Leagues between April 1st and August 31st are thrust into late September games in meaningful situations.
It’s a time honored process that nobody seems to enjoy, yet has continued year after year. While it’s great to see rookies and grizzled vets finally get a shot at playing in the big leagues, nobody wants to watch a game where managers trot out to the field more often than their own players.
Fortunately, it seems that we might be headed for change. While discussing a number of topics with reporters in Toronto, Rob Manfred said that he’s in favor of altering the rules of roster-expansion.
Important Links:
Are all these managerial changes making your head spin? Don’t worry, we put them all in one place for you.
Everyone wants to be famous, right? While we can’t guarantee you a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we can offer a consolation prize: a feature on our Instagram, @MLBDailyDish. Send us your best stadium shots and you could be chosen as our next Field Crush Friday.
Today in baseball: On October 5th, 2001, 38-year-old Jamie Moyer (20-6) becomes the oldest first-time 20-game winner when the Mariners beat Texas at Safeco Field.