Rob Manfred: BLASPHEMER!

[kroywen]

I'm an AL fan and much prefer the game with the DH, but I've always liked how the DH is the one remaining difference between the two leagues. There's a long history of the AL and NL being truly different leagues - having different styles of play, different style stadiums (the AL having way fewer cookie-cutters), two separate league office, cities being considered "AL" or "NL" towns, etc.

 

Most of that is long gone now, but the DH rule still provides a really distinct difference in gameplay and strategy between the two leagues. It's always fun (for me, at least) to watch a game in an NL park and see the difference in play from what I'm used to. I remember going to a Mets game with my wife last year, and the concept of the double switch blew her mind, as someone who had pretty much exclusively watched AL baseball her entire life (except for interleague games here and there). The difference in strategy makes having different DH rules in each league immeasurably worth it, IMO.

 

That said, I'd hate to watch the pitcher bat all the time. To me, it's a novelty, and almost somewhat of a joke. It was always nice for a laugh when a Yankees pitcher would get an at bat and flail at a couple pitches during an interleague game (brief aside: I should mention I'm a Yankees fan), but I much prefer the more consistent offense and fewer weak spots that the AL game provides. AL lineups are inherently tougher for pitchers to get through - a pitcher trying to work out of a jam isn't going to get a reprieve thanks to the opposing pitcher's spot coming up. I also much prefer having more flexibility with pitcher changes, without having to worry about pinch hitting for the pitcher. And there's few things more frustrating then when your team is in the middle of a rally, and it gets blown to hell thanks to the pitcher's spot coming up. I suppose that's just part of the game to you if you're an NL fan, but as an AL fan, it feels like a gimmick getting in the way of the actual game.

 

Reality is, I'm sure the main impetus for this is to increase the anemic level of offense right now. Well, that, and placating the union in advance of the CBA negotiations without making any real concessions. Manfred undoubtedly sees this as a win-win for the owners and players in the negotiations - the union would love an MLB-wide DH for obvious reasons, while the owners have to be concerned about the "Era of the Pitcher" putting a dent in fan interest in the game right now.

 

As much as I (and most fans, I think) would love to keep the one last real distinction between the two leagues, this would make sense financially. In spite of any financial benefits, I don't think it'll happen - all you need are a handful of prominent NL owners to dig their feet in, and any DH-in-the-NL proposal is dead in the water.

[sc49erfan15]

NL fan, so it should be no surprise that I'm anti-DH in the NL. I'm far from a Baseball Purist™, but I like having the differences between the leagues.

[cmm]

If they hit regularly and are taught how to run the bases (and that head-first slides can be dangerous to all players, not just pitchers), then they won't get hurt.

[IceCap]

56 minutes ago, kroywen said:

I'm an AL fan and much prefer the game with the DH, but I've always liked how the DH is the one remaining difference between the two leagues. There's a long history of the AL and NL being truly different leagues - having different styles of play, different style stadiums (the AL having way fewer cookie-cutters), two separate league office, cities being considered "AL" or "NL" towns, etc.

 

21 minutes ago, sc49erfan15 said:

NL fan, so it should be no surprise that I'm anti-DH in the NL. I'm far from a Baseball Purist™, but I like having the differences between the leagues.

 

That's my stance as well. It's the last remaining distinction between the AL and NL. I'd rather not see that lost.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

When I was in peak baseball fandom -- the summer of 98 -- I found myself watching far more Mets games than Yankees games. Those late 90s Mets had more personality than the Yankees (who were great but a team basically full of Russell Wilsons and a post-cocaine, cancer patient Darryl Strawberry), but the pace of play in the National League was just better and more fun.

 

So this move saddens me

[AnPheitseog]

I like the fact that seeing my two favourite teams(Pirates and Orioles), I'm seeing teams in two different leagues under two different rule sets, and enjoy going to both. 

 

Between the two choices, I would rather see the DH removed, but not necessarily the pitcher hit. 

 

Between what we have now, I prefer NL ball, but AL(and especially the Oriole Way) ball is also really fun.

 

I just hate the idea of players like Ortiz, Martinez(now), A Rod(now) just contributing 3-5 plays a game, rather than the pitcher being involved 5 innings. 

 

8 man batting order I'm good with, the proposal I'm good with. Anything to get rid of the pure DH. That said, I'm not too opposed to a platoon DH or use it to rest players, or having three catchers and rotate. I'm also okay with a cap of 40 games DHing, or requiring a player to field more than DH. 

 

Also don't forget, the NL has the advantage of attracting pitchers. 

[Almighty]

On 22/1/2016 at 7:36 PM, Bucfan56 said:

The pitch is that idea, and Bumgarner's response is what I think of this idea.

 

 

This is professional baseball, not Rec league softball. Let the pitchers hit.

 

the American League for bringing us to this. 

Yeah, but  Bumgarner is basicly the only pitcher that can hit

[Dynasty]

I've never been a fan of the DH, so obviously, I'd like to see it removed completely.

 

LOL like that'll ever happen...

[Magnus]

On 1/23/2016 at 1:42 AM, 2001mark said:

Also shorten the season to 150 games, stats could align historically enough, voila.

This calls for a reel-line-mint cheer!

[cmm]

8 hours ago, Almighty said:

Yeah, but  Bumgarner is basicly the only pitcher that can hit

If this was the case, which it isn't as other pitchers can also hit (the Mets have 3 decent hitting pitchers), it doesn't matter. Bumgarner would deserve to be rewarded for his skill. He should get to face a lineup of 8 hitters and an easy out while his opponent has to face a lineup with 9 hitters. He should get the opportunity to stay in games longer because the Giants don't have to pinch hit for him, while his opponent gets penalized for sucking.

[Almighty]

But doesn't the pitchers use their arms enough as is it ? they have huge ice bags on them after games, and tommy john surgery is now more the norm then something rare. Not having the pitchers come to bat, would get them that more rest and in theory improve their pitching performance. Does that not sound like a pretty reasonable argument ?

[FiddySicks]

20 minutes ago, Almighty said:

But doesn't the pitchers use their arms enough as is it ? they have huge ice bags on them after games, and tommy john surgery is now more the norm then something rare. Not having the pitchers come to bat, would get them that more rest and in theory improve their pitching performance. Does that not sound like a pretty reasonable argument ?

 

No. 

[Sykotyk]

1 hour ago, Bucfan56 said:

 

No. 

I think it's a very good argument. And if you want MLB-quality pitching, it's the tradeoff the NL-backers are going to have to accept. Just as aging hitters are going to the AL to avoid fielding, so too might we see aging pitchers head to the AL to avoid hitting and to get more innings out of their arms.

[AnPheitseog]

16 minutes ago, Sykotyk said:

I think it's a very good argument. And if you want MLB-quality pitching, it's the tradeoff the NL-backers are going to have to accept. Just as aging hitters are going to the AL to avoid fielding, so too might we see aging pitchers head to the AL to avoid hitting and to get more innings out of their arms.

UCL injuries mostly result from throwing, rather than batting, which is why mostly pitchers, and a few catchers, need the surgery.

 

Aging pitchers go to the NL to lower their ERAs

[infrared41]

3 hours ago, Almighty said:

But doesn't the pitchers use their arms enough as is it ? they have huge ice bags on them after games, and tommy john surgery is now more the norm then something rare. Not having the pitchers come to bat, would get them that more rest and in theory improve their pitching performance. Does that not sound like a pretty reasonable argument ?

 

No, I think they doesn't use their arms too much to , hit . I also doesn't think swinging, a bat a couple times a , game takes up much of their energy. So no I,  doesn't think it's a reasonable argument   .

[Almighty]

4 hours ago, infrared41 said:

 

No, I think they doesn't use their arms too much to , hit . I also doesn't think swinging, a bat a couple times a , game takes up much of their energy. So no I,  doesn't think it's a reasonable argument   .

Right, it does not use a lot of energy to swing, but it is a very different motion then pitching, so you can easily hurt a muscle, getting hit with the ball is also a possibly.  And if your highly overpaid  pitcher goes down in any of those ways, i think it´s very bitter. They are called pitchers for a reason.

[cmm]

99.9% of the time, pitchers survive their at-bats unscathed. Are we not going to allow pitchers to field their positions next so they won't get hurt doing that? Kris Bryant hurt himself sliding last year, should there be designated runners so sluggers don't risk injury on the basepaths? Bryant gets paid to hit home runs, not stretch singles into doubles!

 

They're baseball players. Baseball players hit and play defense. If you're so brittle that you can't swing a bat or run the bases without hurting yourself or if your defense is so bad that teams can't find a position for your .300 average and 20 home runs then you shouldn't be playing baseball.

 

If you like AL-style baseball and the DH, fine. If you want both leagues to play by the same rules and so you want the NL to adopt the DH, fine. But saying there should be a DH because pitchers might get hurt batting is nonsense.

[NJTank]

Sadly this is inevitable.

 

Pitchers getting hurt running the bases and swinging the bat and older players wanting to extend their careers have owners and players both wanting it. As much as it sucks.

[OnWis97]

56 minutes ago, NJTank said:

Sadly this is inevitable.

 

Pitchers getting hurt running the bases and swinging the bat and older players wanting to extend their careers have owners and players both wanting it. As much as it sucks.

You are pretty much right.  Add post-steroid era run production is down and 7-5 scores attract casual fans more than 3-2 scores.  

 

In the long run, the DH may hurt MLB.  They need these games to be shorter.  But the desire for "more offense," the problems of having two completely different sets of rules for two conferences (which is essentially what they are now), the need to give 38-year-old fat guys a job, and irrational fears about professional athletes getting hurt while running are tipping the scales toward the DH.

 

The AL added the DH in the early '70s for one reason; to increase the number of runs.  The League was concerned with fan interest in low-scoring games.  There was no sense that it would make the game "better" just more attractive to casual fans that can be pulled in by larger numbers in the final score.  

 

But you know what?  Fans like it.  They like offense.  They don't like watching .180 hitters flail away at pitches.  I do.  I think it's more interesting and more fun, frankly.  What makes baseball great is that you can enter the game with the hopes of something amazing happening (the Cycle, a no-hitter, etc.) and seeing a pitcher get a couple of hits is one of those things.  When Steve Matz debuted with three base hits, that was fun.  It's a shame that quirky things like that will just be off the table because "more offense."

 

I am a lifelong fan of an AL team, and I think this sucks.

[TheOldRoman]

As much as I prefer watching the American League game and my team (White Sox) use a DH, I also was happy to see the difference between the leagues. It didn't make sense, but at least it was a slight nod to the long history of both leagues being separate legal entities. When the NL gets into the 21st century, there won't be a bit of difference between the leagues, and we're only a stones throw from the combining of leagues into Eastern and Western conferences, which Selig supposedly pushed for several years ago. No, I don't want the Sox to play the Cubs 19 times a year. And I don't want them to play the Mets as much as they play the Yankees.