Some Historical Questions

[MFS62]

As you get older, the past years often seem to blend. The other day, I was trying to place in time when some small but notable changes took place in MLB. Does anyone have answers to the following:

1. When did the DL change from 30 days to the current 15 & 60 days? (I'd guess the 1970's?)

2. When did the trading deadline change from June 15th to July 31st? (I'd guess 1989)

3. When did the rule end that allowed MLB rosters of 28 players until the end of April when they dropped to 25 players until September 1st? (the late 1960's?)

4. When did the restrictions on interleague trading end? (the 1970's?)

5. When did the All-Star roster for each league expand from 25 to 28 to 30 to 32 players? (mid-1970's to late 1990's ?)

6. When did they add the All-Star rule allowing a catcher to re-enter a game in the event of an injury to the last catcher in the game? (no idea on this one)

7. When did the rule restricting the number of coaches take effect? (Remember the Cubs of the early 1960's?)

8. When they change the rule that allowed three option years (with multiple callups/ sent downs for a player in one year) rather than three options/ recalls total?


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

]2. When did the trading deadline change from June 15th to July 31st? (I'd guess 1989)

I don't know exactly, but we can narrow it down.

It was still June 15 in 1983 when the Mets got Keith Hernandez.

And it was July 31 in 1989, when the Mets got Frank Viola.

I would assume that the change would be part of a new Basic Agreement. A new agreement was settled on after the two-day strike of 1985, so my guess would be that the first July 31 deadline was 1986. But it's just a guess.

[MFS62]

Thanks, Yancy.
Good insight about the CBA and a good start.
Let's see what others can come up with.

Later

[Guest getalife]

I've seen timelines on the internet with the answers to most of these questions.
Today's Lazy Daisy Award goes out to MFS62 ... let's give it up for 62 ... everybody!!!

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

No. 3 was mid-60s, not late 60s, I'd guess. 65 was the last... maybe?

[Guest Edgy DC]

I grew up (a suburban Torre-era childhood) with two potential disabled-list tenures. The 15-day and the 21-day.

[MFS62]

getalife wrote: I've seen timelines on the internet with the answers to most of these questions.

Can you give me some f'rinstances?
I asked for some help as to where I might find the answers. If I knew where to find them, I wouldn't have asked the questions.

Later

[Guest getalife]

>>>Can you give me some f'rinstances?<<<

No, I'm too busy banning people and running a forum where people can't
post their opinions and other anti-Mets propoganda.

[G-Fafif]

]6. When did they add the All-Star rule allowing a catcher to re-enter a game in the event of an injury to the last catcher in the game? (no idea on this one)

I semi-remember this as a response to the 1981 All-Star Game when Jim Frey wound up using Dave Stieb to bat with two outs in the ninth because he ran out of players, though the two circumstances wouldn't necessarily jibe.

A few years ago, when players were jetting off to the ESPYs or their vacation homes as soon as they were taken out of the ASG, it might have been interesting to see this rule put into play, only for the manager to find Mike or Pudge or whoever had already left the building.

[soupcan]

G-Fafif wrote: I semi-remember this as a response to the 1981 All-Star Game when Jim Frey wound up using Dave Stieb to bat with two outs in the ninth because he ran out of players, though the two circumstances wouldn't necessarily jibe.

Off the subject a bit (does anybody really care though?) I've always thought it completely ridiculous that pitchers bat in the All-Star game.

I am vehemently opposed to the DH but the ONE and ONLY place it makes perfect sense IS the All-Star game.

Yet every other year they make the pitchers bat. Incroyable! (I'm practicing my French for next year's Tour)

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

MFS62 wrote: As you get older, the past years often seem to blend. 5. When did the All-Star roster for each league expand from 25 to 28 to 30 to 32 players? (mid-1970's to late 1990's ?) Later

From the book "Mid Summer Classic" an encylopedia of the MLB All Star Game (came out in 2001)

18 1933
20 1934-1935
21 1936
23 1937-1938
25 1939-1968 except for:
28 for the 2nd game in 1959, 1961 and 1962, and 30 for both 1960 games
28 1969-1997
30 1998-2002
32 2003-