Over at PB, Jay Jaffe smokes ’em up, Johnny:
The Yankees would do well to take another look at Albaladejo as another middle inning option down the stretch; contrary to what Kevin suggests, he might still find a home on the postseason roster. Even as more of a one-inning proposition than a multi-inning guy, he’d be more valuable than Chad “Second Coming” Gaudin given that he doesn’t have such infernal platoon splits; righties are hitting a microscopic . 105/.179/.124 against him this year, with two measly doubles the only extra base hits in 105 at-bats. Meanwhile, lefties are hitting a still manageable .226/.280/.348. Given that the Yankees now have Javier Vazquez in the bullpen and Ivan Nova in the rotation — a situation that could eventually reverse — they have less need for a craptacular long man than another middle-inning arm.
Furthermore, it’s not as though they can count on Alfredo Aceves to fulfill that role once he returns from his rehab assignment. After allowing just one hit and one run in five innings in his first three rehab appearances, Aceves has been cuffed for nine hits and four runs in 3.2 innings over his last two appearances — against Double-A hitters, mind you. Five of the six hits he allowed on Wednesday night were doubles, not a good sign. At the very least, he’s a ways off from helping the big club.
Do you have to be on the 25 man roster (or DL) before Sept. 1 in order to be eligible for the post season?
[1] I believe so;
THE 'K-ROD' CLAUSE
For a player to be eligible for the postseason, Major League Baseball rules require him be on the team's active 25-man roster or on the disabled, bereavement, suspended or military lists before midnight on Aug. 31 of that season.
Teams have until a day before their first Division Series game to set their playoff rosters, and rosters can be changed for each of the best-of-seven League Championship Series and World Series.
The rules also say that if a player eligible for the postseason is hurt and can't play, the team can request permission from the commissioner's office to replace him with a player from the minor league system, with a few restrictions. The player must be on a minor league roster within the organization as of Aug. 31 and still with the organization at the end of the regular season. Also, an injured pitcher can only be replaced by another pitcher and a position player by another position player, although these positions don't have to match.
Teams can put players on the disabled list to give them more options for their postseason roster. The most famous example of a team taking advantage of this loophole was the 2002 Angels, who put fireballing right-hander Francisco Rodriguez on their postseason roster even though he didn't play for them until Sept. 15 of that year.
The Angels asked the commissioner's office to allow Rodriguez to replace Steve Green on their postseason roster. Green had pitched one big-league game in April of 2001 before a shoulder injury sidelined him throughout the 2002 season. "K-Rod," as he's now known around the major leagues, wound up winning five postseason games that season for the World Series champion Angels.
-- Mel Antonen