Hardball talk: Pitchers batting is dumb and the DH should be universal

[calsnowskier]

lol! Just put 'em in a cage or use a pitching machine!

And diving in the OF should be against the rules as well. We all missed out on a HOF career because Eric Davis made a diving catch in the '89 World Series.

And ALL pitchers should be on a STRICT 50-pitch per game for starters, and 50-pitch per week for relievers. Imagine what we could have seen from Robb Nen if he had not sacrificed his arm in 2002.

 

[podsox]

Bernstein: Experts Ready For DH In National League CBS Local Sports

 

[DHoey]

The analogy of the DH compared the forward pass isn't a very good one. It would be more like having the quarterback playing "two hand touch" and everyone else playing tackle.

 

[DHoey]

Bernstein: Experts Ready For DH In National League CBS Local Sports

The author quotes a TV voice and an online columnist/blogger. If those are "experts" than I'm pretty sure anybody can find "experts" to support any opinion.

 

[calsnowskier]

The analogy of the DH compared the forward pass isn't a very good one. It would be more like having the quarterback playing "two hand touch" and everyone else playing tackle.

So like the NFL today??

 

[moxie]

The author quotes a TV voice and an online columnist/blogger. If those are "experts" than I'm pretty sure anybody can find "experts" to support any opinion.

I also can't take a guy seriously that can't even be bothered to use spell check. All his words are hereby invalid. Off with his head!

one that requires a placekicker to take a snap from center four times per game or for the punter to recieve a handoff and charge downfield.

 

[Erie Warrior]

I just wish the DH would go away. I have never understood how one player gets to sit on his ass for 90% of the game, but is in the "starting lineup" .

 

[podsox]

I also can't take a guy seriously that can't even be bothered to use spell check. All his words are hereby invalid. Off with his head!

Bernstein is probably the smartest guy covering sports in Chicago. he is an asshole but is usually right.

 

[moxie]

Bernstein is probably the smartest guy covering sports in Chicago. he is an asshole but is usually right.

That smart guy never heard of "I before E except after C"?! Eff him! And I don't care if Jesus Christ himself comes from wherever he's hiding and says the DH should be in both leagues, I ain't having it!

Spoiler

btw- there is no rationalizing with me over the DH. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

 

[calsnowskier]

Baseball is 9 men vs 9 men. If one of those 9 men cannot fulfill one of the aspects of the game (or the manager chooses to make the replacement), he must come out of the game and be replaced with another, so it is still 9 men vs 9 men.

Football does not require that a player is ineligible for the remainder of the game when he is taken out. If this were the case than Joe Montana would have had to play DB and Ronnie Lott would have had to play TE.

Comparing roster management in baseball to roster management in football is even more illogical than comparing apples to oranges.

As for not wanting to see the pitcher hit, than why not abolish the batting order all together? Why do we only get to see Mike Trout every 9th hitter? Wouldn't it be a better spectacle if Scioscia were able to bat Trout whenever he wanted to? Why have the SS who is batting .225 come up with the bases loaded in the 8th inning when the slugger with 35 jacks and an OPS of .995 sitting on the pine? Getting rid of the batting order would create soooo many more key battles.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Baseball is 9 men vs 9 men. If one of those 9 men cannot fulfill one of the aspects of the game (or the manager chooses to make the replacement), he must come out of the game and be replaced with another, so it is still 9 men vs 9 men.

Football does not require that a player is ineligible for the remainder of the game when he is taken out. If this were the case than Joe Montana would have had to play DB and Ronnie Lott would have had to play TE.

Comparing roster management in baseball to roster management in football is even more illogical than comparing apples to oranges.

As for not wanting to see the pitcher hit, than why not abolish the batting order all together? Why do we only get to see Mike Trout every 9th hitter? Wouldn't it be a better spectacle if Scioscia were able to bat Trout whenever he wanted to? Why have the SS who is batting .225 come up with the bases loaded in the 8th inning when the slugger with 35 jacks and an OPS of .995 sitting on the pine? Getting rid of the batting order would create soooo many more key battles.

Because lazy entitlement-mentality Tee-baller American League types demand more home runs

 

[WizardHawk]

I love the NL homers who claim the DH is just a way to keep washed up players in the game and that going to it for them would remove 3/4 of the strategy when the strategy they are talking about is how to make up for the shitty free out teams are forced to put up every 2-3 innings.

The substitutions and swaps are all a way to avoid as many of those shitty at bats as humanly possible so why not just do the smart thing and be done with all of them?

 

[calsnowskier]

I love the NL homers who claim the DH is just a way to keep washed up players in the game and that going to it for them would remove 3/4 of the strategy when the strategy they are talking about is how to make up for the shitty free out teams are forced to put up every 2-3 innings.

The substitutions and swaps are all a way to avoid as many of those shitty at bats as humanly possible so why not just do the smart thing and be done with all of them?

And anything ruled an error should be changed to assume the error was not committed. If a SS overthrows the 1B, but the throw was in time, the runner should be out. the incompetence of the SS should not detract from the team.

 

[WizardHawk]

And anything ruled an error should be changed to assume the error was not committed. If a SS overthrows the 1B, but the throw was in time, the runner should be out. the incompetence of the SS should not detract from the team.

Non sequitur

Entirely.

No one is saying ignore any existing rules. This is a simple question of whether or not you enjoy watching shitty pitchers hacking at balls and the many decisions managers make to minimize how many of those they will have per game or the system that does away with that which most of the leagues world wide already employ. Neither choice has anything to do with ignoring rules.

 

[calsnowskier]

9 men vs 9 men is a rule

 

[WizardHawk]

And a DH is the 9th man. How is that not obvious?

 

[DHoey]

And a DH is the 9th man. How is that not obvious?

Only half the time

 

[WizardHawk]

No, it's 9 men batting every single time.

It works in little league. Works in highschool. Works in college. Works in most foreign leagues. Works well in the AL.

If you want to hold onto the past then so be it. All I said was I laugh at the argument presented. Only thing I questioned was the notion that the DL was only there to prop up old fucks that can't field anymore. NL has to keep guys who can't play every day to sub in for those shitty pitchers. I understand that some like that back and forth and why would I try to change that? I do prefer AL rules and so do most fans of AL teams, at least those raised on the DH. That means if pitchers hitting were ever entirely removed eventually all fans would be fine with it. But I don't care if things stay as they are. Just don't force me to have to watch pitchers hit and I'm fine. I fucking hate interleague play with a passion just for that reason. Can't stand watching that garbage.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Non sequitur

Entirely.

No one is saying ignore any existing rules. This is a simple question of whether or not you enjoy watching shitty pitchers hacking at balls and the many decisions managers make to minimize how many of those they will have per game or the system that does away with that which most of the leagues world wide already employ. Neither choice has anything to do with ignoring rules.

There are fewer plays, in any sport, that are as exciting as the suicide squeeze.

But no, you'd rather have some burley mercenary come strike out or pop up with a runner on third, two out in the ninth.

 

[WizardHawk]

How is having a DH related to a squeeze play? There is nothing that requires you to only run that play if you have a shitty hitting pitcher is there? That's more team philosophy. I've seen it now and then in AL games.

You aren't going to convince people who like the DH that your brand of baseball is better. It may be more interesting/better for you, but that's not a universal thing. And I'm not suggesting the DH is better either. Just don't give shitty excuses for why it should be the only way in MLB and I'm fine.