Oddities In Baseball Call-Ups

[mattynokes]

While doing my Twins dynasty I came across something interesting. In the dynasty I'm linking any real player still in the game to their baseball-reference profile. No real rhyme or why, it's just something I wanted to do, but it's led me to a unique find.

Mark Kiger formerly of the A's, now in the Mets' system (at least as of last season) appeared in two playoff games as a defensive sub without ever playing a single regular season game in his entire career. Also it odd as how he was allowed to be eligible for the playoff roster. Here's a look back at the A's 2006 October Transactions. It's to my understanding that the only way a player can be made eligible for the playoffs while not being on the 25-man roster as of August 31st is if there's an injury. Seeing Sauerbeck released, maybe removing someone from the 25-man roster also allows for a team to call-up a player of their choice, even one without any MLB experience.

Here's his two games of fame:
Game 3: http://www.baseball-reference.com/bo...00610130.shtml
Game 4: http://www.baseball-reference.com/bo...00610140.shtml

So, do you guys know of any other unique findings?

I do have one more, but not of a player getting on the field. A local product, Brad Snyder, was called up by the Indians April 27th and then sent back down the very next day. He gets credit for one day of MLB service time and from the rumors back home, he nearly got in the game. Below is the boxscore and it was likely that if Victor Martinez or Ryan Garko got on base Snyder would have pinch ran for either of them.

The boxscore:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bo...00804270.shtml

[haveacigar]

I wouldn't think that major league regular season playing time is a pre-requisite. I think that you just have to be on the 40-man roster by September 1st to be eligible for post-season play.

[HoustonGM]

I wouldn't think that major league regular season playing time is a pre-requisite. I think that you just have to be on the 40-man roster by September 1st to be eligible for post-season play.

Yes, this or the injury exception as mattynokes mentioned.

[mattynokes]

It's very possible that there's no pre-req for having played in the majors, but I always thought the player had to be on the 25-man roster as of August 31 to be eligible with the only way to get added is if you're on the DL at the time or an injury occurs at your "position" listed on the team sites. Also there's the placing a minor leaguer on the 60-day DL that makes him eligible for the post-season (I believe). But have a look at Kriger's transaction line. It lists his contract as being purchased in October, so he wasn't added to the 40-man roster until well after the regular season ended, let alone August.

[haveacigar]

It's very possible that there's no pre-req for having played in the majors, but I always thought the player had to be on the 25-man roster as of August 31 to be eligible with the only way to get added is if you're on the DL at the time or an injury occurs at your "position" listed on the team sites. Also there's the placing a minor leaguer on the 60-day DL that makes him eligible for the post-season (I believe). But have a look at Kriger's transaction line. It lists his contract as being purchased in October, so he wasn't added to the 40-man roster until well after the regular season ended, let alone August.

I'm almost positive that the restriction is 40-man, not 25-man roster.

Now, if his contract was purchased in october then obviously he wasn't on the 40-man. I would think that a guy getting released from the 25 man would invoke the same rule as an injury though.

[ewing6]

freddy guzman was similar for the Yankees this year he was used as a pinch runner

[oriole^]

Yes, this or the injury exception as mattynokes mentioned.

That appears to have been the case. Mark Ellis was injured, allowing the A's to call up Kiger.