OT: Will the NL adopt the DH soon?

[Jim65]

I'm not in favor of the DH in the the NL but I believe its inevitable. If they want more offense, then ban the damn shifts.

When I saw the new proposals, the only one that made no sense was giving a draft advantage to winning teams over losing teams, how does that help competitive balance?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Maybe baseball can become football -- one team for batting and another for defense. I don't like the DH, and baseball was and is just fine without it.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Maybe baseball can become football -- one team for batting and another for defense. I don't like the DH, and baseball was and is just fine without it.

Great idea Peter

Works in basketball too

You have two seven footers on your team.

Put one under your defensive basket - the shot blocker

And the other under your offensive basket - the dunker

Why should those big boys have to run?

[BearBailey]

This is long over due, I have seen pitcher only start as early as 12u baseball and the next time they bat Would be if they made it to the National League. Dh starts in high school but can be used for any position if your pitcher is such a good hitter just dont use the Dh there is no penalty.

[KCRfan1]

Originally Posted by Jim65

I'm not in favor of the DH in the the NL but I believe its inevitable. If they want more offense, then ban the damn shifts.

When I saw the new proposals, the only one that made no sense was giving a draft advantage to winning teams over losing teams, how does that help competitive balance?

Maybe they should learn to hit to the opposite field instead of bellyaching about it.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

Maybe they should learn to hit to the opposite field instead of bellyaching about it.

+1 billion!

[Bigdaddy]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

Maybe they should learn to hit to the opposite field instead of bellyaching about it.

One word, three letters: E-G-O. Can you see Bryce Harper giving in to the shift and laying a bunt down the third base line instead of trying to punch one through the right side?? I agree with KCR.

And as far as the union goes, I would imagine that the average salary for a DH is higher than that of the last man off the bench who is used to pinch hit. A lot of the DHs are higher paid veterans who can't field a lick, but can still hit the big fly.

Like it or not (and generally I'm against the DH), the NL is the last holdout in the universe that has not embraced the DH. Any change going forward will be the NL letting go and joining all the other baseball leagues in existence. Not the other way around.

ps. One good thing about the DH at younger levels is that it gets one more kid off the bench and on the field in a game. Yes, their PT is limited, but their name is in the lineup.

[packs]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

One word, three letters: E-G-O. Can you see Bryce Harper giving in to the shift and laying a bunt down the third base line instead of trying to punch one through the right side?? I agree with KCR.

And as far as the union goes, I would imagine that the average salary for a DH is higher than that of the last man off the bench who is used to pinch hit. A lot of the DHs are higher paid veterans who can't field a lick, but can still hit the big fly.

Like it or not (and generally I'm against the DH), the NL is the last holdout in the universe that has not embraced the DH. Any change going forward will be the NL letting go and joining all the other baseball leagues in existence. Not the other way around.

ps. One good thing about the DH at younger levels is that it gets one more kid off the bench and on the field in a game. Yes, their PT is limited, but their name is in the lineup.

That's assuming a lot. What if the last guy cut is in the bullpen? I don't see the union being in favor of prospective salary over salary that exists. Just seems like they're advocating for someone losing their job. I'm not saying the times don't change, just that it's an unusual thing for the union to support.

[MartyFromCANADA]

The strategy argument is complete BS. 99% of the time, the pinch hitter is a better batter than the pitcher. So if it seems the pitcher is weakening, you pinch hit, and if the pitcher is dominating, he stays in. NO strategy there. And the double-switch, really.

I look at it this way: If a position player is out a few games, clubs send him to the minors to get in a few AB's. If this is the case, all NL starting pitchers should be sent to their minor league clubs to see live pitching on their days off.

The game is too specialized, and watching a pitcher's at bat is one of the worst, and most embarrassing parts of baseball. The only players who truly like this archaic rule are the NL starters themselves. (for easy outs)

LONG LIVE THE DH!

[Tabe]

I'm in favor of most of these rules. Pitch clocks? Yes, please. Reducing pitching changes by having a minimum number of batters faced? Yes, please. One rule for DH, even if it's not the one I want? Yes, please. Draft penalties for teams that intentionally tank and don't spend money? Yes, please.

[packs]

I find the minimum batters faced rule counter intuitive to the union's cause too. There are lefty's who make their living pitching to one guy. If you force that guy to pitch to 3 batters, it should be assumed effectiveness will drop and that guy will probably be out of a job.

It also seems silly to me that baseball, a sport without a game clock, would be so concerned with a fictional game clock.

[vintagewhitesox]

I hope this happens. At least we can all stop pretending to care about the double switch.

[barrysloate]

When the DH first appeared in 1973, the leagues were separate, so while it was odd for each league to have different rules, it at least didn't cause any problems. Now that we have interleague play, the rules are determined by who is the home team. That's ridiculous.

Either have the DH in both leagues, or get rid of it entirely. Doesn't matter to me which one they utimately choose, but having separate rules makes no sense.

And I agree completely about neutralizing the defensive shifts. If a batter keeps hitting into the shift, he is going to see it for the rest of his career. And his production will be greatly diminished. But if he learns to slap the ball the other way and puts together a few 4 for 5 games, watch how quickly they will end. It seems to me that batters who have seen a shift in the past should be taking a little extra batting practice in spring training to learn how to hit to the opposite field.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

And I agree completely about neutralizing the defensive shifts. If a batter keeps hitting into the shift, he is going to see it for the rest of his career. And his production will be greatly diminished. But if he learns to slap the ball the other way and puts together a few 4 for 5 games, watch how quickly they will end. It seems to me that batters who have seen a shift in the past should be taking a little extra batting practice in spring training to learn how to hit to the opposite field.

It is embarrassing that almost no one tries to beat the shift. My biggest complaint isn't about delays per se, but the lack of any action. Strikeouts are at an all-time high, and stolen bases are nearly forgotten. Get back to basics, and the game would be fine.

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

It is embarrassing that almost no one tries to beat the shift. My biggest complaint isn't about delays per se, but the lack of any action. Strikeouts are at an all-time high, and stolen bases are nearly forgotten. Get back to basics, and the game would be fine.

Absolutely. How many times have you seen a lefthanded hitter line a ball into right field, which is normally a single, only to see the second basemen who is playing in short rightfield throw him out as if it were an infield groundout. Yet if the batter took a simple check swing and tapped the ball toward leftfield, he could trot to first base with a single. If I can figure that out, why can't the team figure it out?

Every team in every sport spends countless hours trying to come up with counters to their opponents offensive and defensive switches, yet baseball hasn't figured how to counter the defensive shift. And it isn't even complicated. I find the whole thing baffling.

[Bill77]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

When the DH first appeared in 1973, the leagues were separate, so while it was odd for each league to have different rules, it at least didn't cause any problems. Now that we have interleague play, the rules are determined by who is the home team. That's ridiculous.

Either have the DH in both leagues, or get rid of it entirely. Doesn't matter to me which one they utimately choose, but having separate rules makes no sense.

I say keep the DH the way it is and reduce interleague play back down to the All-Star game and the World Series.

[insidethewrapper]

If both leagues continue to play each other throughout the season then one rule needs to be in place. My vote is for the "Home Team" to have the option to decide before each game if the game will be played with or without the DH that day. This would increase and not decrease strategy in the game. The manager would have to review both rosters( strenghts vs rh and lh pitchers) and decide that day based on his pitcher (Rh vs LH) and the opposing pitcher if he wanted to use the DH that day or not. Many factors involved( bench, your injuries vs the oppsing team injuries etc). If playing a team with a great DH and you know he may not play if you decide not to use the DH that day then that would be a great strategy ( maybe making the opposing manager put (Pujols or Cruz ) on the bench etc. Pujols has an injury, then no DH that day and that would eliminate the opposing teams DH that day. Endless factors and possibilies . More strategy not less. Would be a lot of discussion and second guessing. Sounds fun to me.