NL going to add DH?

[saevel25]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/the-national-league-is-getting-closer-to-adding-dhs--maybe-in-2017-194448854.html

Honestly I think they should go the other direction. Get rid of the DH in the AL. 

[mcanadiens]

Since only four men can possibly run the bases anyway, why not just get rid of the five weakest hitters in the lineup? 

 

[iacas]

Ugh.

[jamo]

I, personally, can't wait.

[mcanadiens]

Another great idea: How about substituting the standard baseball for something more like a tennis ball. Think of the home runs all those non-pitchers would hit. 

 

[mcanadiens]

Oh, oh, oh. I've got another.

You know how they talk about lowering the pitcher's mound. Forget that. Let's have the bastards throw out of a pitcher's hole. Kind of like a baseball pot bunker.

[Wally Fairway]

Baseball is a bit of an odd sport in that one position (pitching) has such a disproportionate impact on the contest; and by going to the DH it changes the decision process of having to go to the bullpen. To me it is a sad decision because it is really about nothing more than money, more money for the players (or at least a player per team), more revenue from advertising (because advertisers (like chicks) dig the long ball, and it makes for a longer game. To me there is a certain balance to the game with no DH, much more on the manager to make pitching change decisions, or to play small ball at the bottom of the order to advance a runner.

I've often wondered what the other sports would look like if there was something similar to DH'ing?

- basketball, I think, could allow designated free throw shooters

- golf you could choose either a designated driver (long drive contestants) or maybe designated putters. Think of ZJ with a designated driver.

 

[boogielicious]

16 hours ago, jamo said:

I, personally, can't wait.

Me too. Not because I like the DH. But because it will infuriate the baseball "purists". You know those whiney old guys who complain the game isn't the same two centuries after it was invented.

But the reason they'll do it is economics. With starting pitchers costing $30MM per year, it is a lot harder to justify them batting and running bases when their primary purpose is slinging a 95MPH fastball at the corners of the plate. You can plug in a bench guy to bat.

[billchao]

2 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Me too. Not because I like the DH.

Me, three, but I support the reasons for it. NL already is the only major league in the world without a DH and most pitchers suck at hitting and baserunning because they spend most of their time (rightfully so) practicing pitching. It lengthens the lineup and reduces the chance of injuries. Plus, dingers. Who wants to see some dingers?

8 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

But because it will infuriate the baseball "purists". You know those whiney old guys who complain the game isn't the same two centuries after it was invented.

They ruined the game when they lowered the mound. Oh and fences. What's up with that? I want to see 420' homeruns actually fly 420'. Those outfielders need more exercise. 

[iacas]

I hope the DH never comes to the NL. I still wish it'd go away in the AL.

[tristanhilton85]

I hope that it happens. It makes no sense to me that the two leagues operate under different rules.

That being said, if for some reason they decided to eliminate the DH from the AL, that would be fine with me too. That's never going to happen though. What I want to see is consistency between the two leagues.

 

*Poll added

[jbishop15]

Should've done this years ago.

[newtogolf]

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

I hope the DH never comes to the NL. I still wish it'd go away in the AL.

I agree, DH simplifies the game from a strategic and management stand point.  Some of the toughest decisions a NL manager has to make is to pinch hit or run for a pitcher who's doing well, or doing a double swap to optimize the batting lineup for the rest of the game.  I also like that the NL rewards pitchers who try to be complete players and can contribute to their own victories with a bat in their hand.

[Rip62]

I hope they do it. I've never been a fan of watching a pitcher hit and even less of a fan watching star pitchers get hurt batting or running the bases. 

[jamo]

Taking the managers further out of the game is completely fine by me. They already don't do a whole lot compared to football or basketball. I couldn't care much less if they were marginalized further. 

[Golfingdad]

On 1/23/2016 at 11:06 AM, iacas said:

I hope the DH never comes to the NL. I still wish it'd go away in the AL.

This has always been my position as well partially because ...

On 1/23/2016 at 11:10 AM, tristanhilton85 said:

It makes no sense to me that the two leagues operate under different rules.

And mainly because the DH always felt, just, I don't know, wrong.

On 1/23/2016 at 11:10 AM, tristanhilton85 said:

That being said, if for some reason they decided to eliminate the DH from the AL, that would be fine with me too. That's never going to happen though. What I want to see is consistency between the two leagues.

And I feel the same way about this.  If I had my druthers, I'd still prefer pitchers hit in both leagues.  But if they go to the DH in both leagues, I would take that over the different sets of rules now.

On 1/23/2016 at 11:13 AM, newtogolf said:

I agree, DH simplifies the game from a strategic and management stand point.  Some of the toughest decisions a NL manager has to make is to pinch hit or run for a pitcher who's doing well, or doing a double swap to optimize the batting lineup for the rest of the game.  I also like that the NL rewards pitchers who try to be complete players and can contribute to their own victories with a bat in their hand.

I agree with this as well, although ...

53 minutes ago, jamo said:

Taking the managers further out of the game is completely fine by me. They already don't do a whole lot compared to football or basketball. I couldn't care much less if they were marginalized further. 

This is true too.  They have nothing at all to do between the time they set their lineup and usually around the 5th or 6th inning.  Then it's just 90 minutes worth of which lefty should I put against which righty, etc, until the closer is ready.   (Unless you're one of those control enthusiasts like Mike Scioscia who calls all the pitches all game)

As you can see, I'm not strongly attached to either idea anymore, but if I got to make the decision I'd still stick with 9 players on each team all playing offense AND defense.

---

I also appreciate that adding a DH to the NL creates jobs, whereas removing the DH from the AL eliminates them - they're being good American politicians if they go this way. 

[InTheRough]

On 1/23/2016 at 2:06 PM, iacas said:

I hope the DH never comes to the NL. I still wish it'd go away in the AL.

Agreed.  

I hate the DH with an absolute passion.  It takes all strategy out of the game and just adds another one of these stupid hitters that can't do anything except hit a HR, strikeout, or walk.  Adding a DH also removes the need for depth in a team....having the DH means a manager can stick with their starters all the time instead of needing a couple of solid batters on the bench that can come into the game to pinch hit when the game is on the line.  The DH just cheapens the game.

[natureboy]

On 1/23/2016 at 7:49 AM, billchao said:

Me, three, but I support the reasons for it. NL already is the only major league in the world without a DH and most pitchers suck at hitting and baserunning because they spend most of their time (rightfully so) practicing pitching. It lengthens the lineup and reduces the chance of injuries. Plus, dingers. Who wants to see some dingers?

They ruined the game when they lowered the mound. Oh and fences. What's up with that? I want to see 420' homeruns actually fly 420'. Those outfielders need more exercise. 

I like the tradition aspect and the strategizing for the manager, but there's no reason substitutions still can't come into play with pinch hitters. Admittedly less of a risk/reward scenario though with the pitcher slot out of the lineup. Tougher lineups will likely make for longer games with more pitching changes and middle relievers.

I forgot about the mound. If the NL DH idea goes forward why not give one for one. Fewer automatic outs offset by a bolstered edge for the pitcher so there's still a chance for well pitched complete games and all the good and rare stuff (no hitters) on the pitching side.

 

@Golfingdad - control 'enthusiast' - LOL

Edited January 26, 2016 by natureboy