By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
While Major League Baseball ponders many rule changes for the upcoming season, including implementation of a designated hitter in the National League, the league announced on Thursday that it will rename the disabled list (DL) as the "injured list," according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The renaming follows a suggestion of advocacy groups for the disabled — including the Link20 Network — and concern that the term "falsely conflates disabilities with injuries and an inability to participate in sports," according to Passan, who writes:
The rules of the DL will remain the same. The list has gone through different incarnations since its institution in 1966 and today includes a 10-day version for short-term injuries and a 60-day version for more severe ailments.
MLB and the players' association continue to discuss possible amendments to the usage of the list itself, as a number of teams have been accused of using a shorter DL — it was changed from 15 days to 10 days in 2017 — to manipulate their rosters, sources told ESPN.
During recent negotiations with the union, MLB asked to re-establish the 15-day version of the list. The union has expressed interest in 15 days for pitchers — who are typically the subject of roster manipulation — and 10 days for position players
MLB changing name of 'disabled list' to 'injured list' @davebriggstv @ChristineRomans pic.twitter.com/dIU5ibkdml
— Early Start (@EarlyStart) February 8, 2019
Jeff Pfeifer, MLB's senior director of league economics and operations, wrote in a memo sent to teams that in recent years, the commissioner has received "several inquiries" regarding the name of the Disabled List:
"The principal concern is that using the term 'disabled' for players who are injured supports the misconception that people with disabilities are injured and therefore are not able to participate or compete in sports. As a result, Major League Baseball has agreed to change the name 'Disabled List' to be the 'Injured List' at both the major and minor league levels.
All standards and requirements for placement, reinstatement, etc., shall remain unchanged. This change, which is only a rebranding of the name itself, is effective immediately.''
Friday marks "Truck Day" for the Philadelphia Phillies, a symbolization nonetheless that "pitchers and catchers" and spring training are just days away. Also, the start to the season marks a reset, with no players on the formerly titled DL, but now rather IL.
