Oct 16 2020 02:32 PM
MLB seemingly made only modest changes in rookie eligibility,
Thissy time, the only adaptation they made was to remove the September exclusion, since (a) there was no September roster expansion period, and (b) September was half the season. But this means that a player could have played in more than half his team's games, end up finishing high up in the Rookie of the Year race, and still not spent his rookie eligibility.
This affects the Mets. Andres Gimenez finished with under 130 at-bats (and the measurement really should be in plate appearances), but he was with the team the whole foreshortened season, so he certainly exceeded the roster time limit. I don't know how he'll do in RoY voting, but it's his only chance.
But David Peterson's usage was masterly managed, seemingly with foreknowledge of what the eligibility rules would be. With the innings limit remaining at 50, Peterson clocked 49 2/3 innings exactly. And having started the season without the team, and spent some time on the DL, I don't believe (I can't find where to confirm it), that Peterson exceeded the roster time limit.
That means DP gets two really solid shots at the Rookie of the Year Award. Fortunately, for fans of the "spirit of the award," but unfortunately for fans of novelty, the league also put in a rule saying, no repeat winners, so 2020 winners would be ineligible in 2021, but Peterson could conceivably come in second in 2020, make the Topps All-Rookie Team, and still be eligible to come in first next year, and (depending how the bubble gum people handle these things) return as a two-time Topps Teamer!