DH to the NL??

[D.P.Johnson]

Never liked the DH; never will. I vote NO.

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by D.P.Johnson

Never liked the DH; never will. I vote NO.

Me too. Love NL style of ball-- double switches, cat and mouse between managers, well executed bunts, or better yet-well executed butcher plays, and the occasional pitcher who can absolutely rake (see MadBum).

Will be sad to see pitchers hitting go away completely.

[RTK]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

Me too. Love NL style of ball-- double switches, cat and mouse between managers, well executed bunts, or better yet-well executed butcher plays, and the occasional pitcher who can absolutely rake (see MadBum).

Will be sad to see pitchers hitting go away completely.

Amen. I love the the late inning strategy involved in the NL.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

Me too. Love NL style of ball-- double switches, cat and mouse between managers, well executed bunts, or better yet-well executed butcher plays, and the occasional pitcher who can absolutely rake (see MadBum).

Yeah, I like 'baseball' too

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Yeah, I like 'baseball' too

You figure if there was a DH in babe ruth's time he would of had some more homers......I think a DH will be in the NL eventually...though I am against it but I think im the minority on that.

still I do think for all time home run leaders I would want to know how many of the homers were as a DH...its a lot easier to hit homers late in the career as DH than at 1b or OF..

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

You figure if there was a DH in babe ruth's time he would of had some more homers......I think a DH will be in the NL eventually...though I am against it but I think im the minority on that.

still I do think for all time home run leaders I would want to know how many of the homers were as a DH...its a lot easier to hit homers late in the career as DH than at 1b or OF..

Those are good points - kind of like how many HR's Ted would have hit if he had not fought in WWII and Korea. Baseball history lovers are very tied to the numbers, sometimes to the exclusion of other very relevant input.

When I read discussions about whether or not a DH should be in the HOF, the points that various members make will often make me change my mind. But in the purest sense of the argument, if you can put someone in the HOF because they were a great manager or a great executive or a great umpire, why not just recognize that a DH is not a 'normal' player and just put them in because they were a great DH? But today I am still against putting Edgar in, as much as I like him.

Another thought about Ruth - if they had had DH's in his time, perhaps he would have eaten even more hot dogs and drank even more, thinking he could hit just as well but not have to worry about fielding. Then he wears out even quicker.

[chaddurbin]

this is an easy decision. more jobs for the mlbpa, less exposure to injuries for your 25mil/yr pitchers. win win for players and clubs, the sooner the better.

[dgo71]

At $25M/year for a pitcher, I want him to pitch. Not only that, I don't want to worry about him getting lifted in the 4th inning because I need a pinch hitter. I want him pitching and giving me 6-7 innings. I'd also rather see a competent hitter in the 9-hole as opposed to some sure out flailing helplessly at 3 straight pitchers. I'm as nostalgic as the next guy but I'm not so rooted in tradition that I expect bread to still be a nickel, and I don't expect baseball to never change just to placate the purists.

[clydepepper]

Well, it sure would make managing a team in the late innings a lot less challenging. But boring as heLL!

While I personally don't believe in using the beanball (and never did when I pitched), the adoption of the DH in the NL would take any accountability away from pitchers. Hence, more 'scrums' in the middle of the field - which would actually lengthen the games at a time when attention is focused on shortening them.

This will also lead to more antsy and unruly fans - tossing 'god-knows-what' onto the field at the players and/or umpires.

Then dogs and cats would start sleeping together...

I say, discussion is fine and even healthy, but don't go down this path - for the sake of the GAME itself.
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[Mountaineer1999]

I could manage in the American League

[Mountaineer1999]

And...... I DO NOT understand why pitchers do not work on their hitting and bunting more than they do. These are good athletes! With a little cage time and working with the hitting coach you know they could be .200 - .220 hitters!