Since baseball is going to 15 in each league

[CameronFrye]

How long will it be before Major League baseball asks/forces the NL to adopt the Designated Hitter? With an inter league matchup every day, it seems the reasons for not having the DH are pretty much gone.

 

[calsnowskier]

Neg!

A thousand times neg!

 

[CameronFrye]

Neg!

A thousand times neg!

I don't want to see it happen either, but next year the leagues are not going to be separated any longer. In fact, if MLB can get the NL to adopt the DH rule, I would venture a guess that there will be a much more integrated schedule in a few years where every team plays the other at least once every year.

The only way I see the NL holding off a move for the DH is if the game expands to 32 teams and each league has 16. I highly doubt that will happen, so I am preparing myself for the DH in the NL soon. Maybe not in 2013, but within a few years - 5 at most is my guess.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I don't understand why you think that having 15 teams in each league makes it inevitable for the DH to appear in the NL. But I didn't follow the news about any differences in interleague play for next year.

Are there going to be MORE NL-AL games next year?

Or are they just getting rid of the "interleague period" where most teams play interleague games on the same days, so they'll be playing the same # of games but spread out over the entire season?

 

[tzill]

I don't want to see it happen either, but next year the leagues are not going to be separated any longer. In fact, if MLB can get the NL to adopt the DH rule, I would venture a guess that there will be a much more integrated schedule in a few years where every team plays the other at least once every year.

The only way I see the NL holding off a move for the DH is if the game expands to 32 teams and each league has 16. I highly doubt that will happen, so I am preparing myself for the DH in the NL soon. Maybe not in 2013, but within a few years - 5 at most is my guess.

I'm concerned about that as well, but here's a thought to counter that: there has been talk over the years of eliminating the DH in the AL as part of an agreement with the MLBPA to expand rosters to 26 players. That would mean that 15 DH (often a highly paid guy who should be retired) positions would be lost, but 30 new dues paying positions would be gained.

Seems like a win/win, unless you're an AL owner who relies to some extent on your over-the-hill fat fuck hitter to put butts in the seats. I'd have to presume all 15 NL owners would go for it, so you'd need 8 AL owners to get 3/4 majority.

 

[Giantsmojo]

I'm concerned about that as well, but here's a thought to counter that: there has been talk over the years of eliminating the DH in the AL as part of an agreement with the MLBPA to expand rosters to 26 players. That would mean that 15 DH (often a highly paid guy who should be retired) positions would be lost, but 30 new dues paying positions would be gained.

Seems like a win/win, unless you're an AL owner who relies to some extent on your over-the-hill fat fuck hitter to put butts in the seats. I'd have to presume all 15 NL owners would go for it, so you'd need 8 AL owners to get 3/4 majority.

Teams are going to spend the money, if it's not for a DH it's going to be for upgrading their middle relief and bench.

 

[CameronFrye]

I don't understand why you think that having 15 teams in each league makes it inevitable for the DH to appear in the NL. But I didn't follow the news about any differences in interleague play for next year.

Are there going to be MORE NL-AL games next year?

Or are they just getting rid of the "interleague period" where most teams play interleague games on the same days, so they'll be playing the same # of games but spread out over the entire season?

Marco - with 15 teams in each league, there will always be one team in each league without a league team to play, so there will be an interleague game every day of the season. While there will still be periods specifically set aside for interleague, it won't be exclusive to those periods.

Sure, a case can be made that the leagues are still different; but those lines are blurring more and more every day. It's not hard to envision a more NFL-like schedule where "interleague play" doesn't exist in a few years. The easiest way for that to happen is for the NL to adopt the DH or for the AL to get rid of it. I don't see the latter happening, so the former becomes the top idea.

 

[CameronFrye]

I'm concerned about that as well, but here's a thought to counter that: there has been talk over the years of eliminating the DH in the AL as part of an agreement with the MLBPA to expand rosters to 26 players. That would mean that 15 DH (often a highly paid guy who should be retired) positions would be lost, but 30 new dues paying positions would be gained.

Seems like a win/win, unless you're an AL owner who relies to some extent on your over-the-hill fat fuck hitter to put butts in the seats. I'd have to presume all 15 NL owners would go for it, so you'd need 8 AL owners to get 3/4 majority.

But if you look at the game right now, most of the top hitters in the league are in the AL. The reason is because of the DH. The position is no longer for the aging slugger. Guys like Poo-Holes and Teixeira and Fielder and Cabrera can all take a day off from the field and just swing the bat.

Demon Young in Detroit; Kendry Morales in Anaheim, Seth Smith in Oakland and Eddie Encarnacion in Toronto are all uner 30; Jesus Montero in Seattle is 23.

As much as I want to see it disappear, I don't think the DH is going away. I hope I am wrong.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Marco - with 15 teams in each league, there will always be one team in each league without a league team to play, so there will be an interleague game every day of the season. While there will still be periods specifically set aside for interleague, it won't be exclusive to those periods.

Sure, a case can be made that the leagues are still different; but those lines are blurring more and more every day. It's not hard to envision a more NFL-like schedule where "interleague play" doesn't exist in a few years. The easiest way for that to happen is for the NL to adopt the DH or for the AL to get rid of it. I don't see the latter happening, so the former becomes the top idea.

I still don't see how it has anything to do with parity of teams in each league. So there's an "off day" for each team every 14 games - or every one or two of those "off days" they play an interleague game. I think that the whole "we are doomed to the DH" is a reach.

 

[CameronFrye]

I still don't see how it has anything to do with parity of teams in each league. So there's an "off day" for each team every 14 games - or every one or two of those "off days" they play an interleague game. I think that the whole "we are doomed to the DH" is a reach.

Maybe I am not understanding what you are saying here. The idea that there will be an off day every 14 days is not accurate. Every day of the season, there will be 7 NL matchups and 7 AL matchups. That leaves 1 team from each league with no opponent. So those teams will play each other for 3 games -an interleague series. After those series end, the next 7 NL and the next 7 AL series will begin, leaving another interleague series to be played.

One can argue (and would not be wrong) to point out that the preponderance of the games will still be within the same league. My point, however flimsy, is that because there will be an interleague series every day, the baseball "minds" will eventually start talking about blending the two leagues more. The baseball authorities will give reasons that it makes sense; those reasons will deal with travel, scheduling, fan interest and ticket sales. To make that happen, the rules will have to be the same. That means either getting rid of the DH in the AL or adding it in the NL.

Maybe I am just looking too deeply into this, but every decision Teh Used Car Salesman has made has slowly stripped away the "tradition" of baseball. I believe that the idea of having the DH in only one league is an issue that baseball will try to "resolve" in the next few years.

That is the point of the thread. I hope tzill is right and the DH is eliminated in exchange for two more roster spots. I think the alternate will happen however.

 

[msgkings322]

But if you look at the game right now, most of the top hitters in the league are in the AL. The reason is because of the DH. The position is no longer for the aging slugger. Guys like Poo-Holes and Teixeira and Fielder and Cabrera can all take a day off from the field and just swing the bat.
Demon Young in Detroit; Kendry Morales in Anaheim, Seth Smith in Oakland and Eddie Encarnacion in Toronto are all uner 30; Jesus Montero in Seattle is 23.

As much as I want to see it disappear, I don't think the DH is going away. I hope I am wrong.

This is underappreciated. And if you hate the DH, maybe reason to learn to hate it less? What if Posey (and Belt now that he's arriving) could stay in the lineup every day by DHing 1-2 times a week? Or say Panda could, or Melky could.

 

[filosofy29]

This is underappreciated. And if you hate the DH, maybe reason to learn to hate it less? What if Posey (and Belt now that he's arriving) could stay in the lineup every day by DHing 1-2 times a week? Or say Panda could, or Melky could.

I get what your saying msg.....and it's probably better to go to a DH for "entertainment value/better product" for owners, players and casual fans. I just can't bring myself to EVER like or get used to the DH. To me, it's just not baseball the way I know it/lived it. I love the strategy in the NL. Unfortunately, as sports move more and more towards entertainment and money keeps getting bigger and bigger, the Commissioners have to keep appeasing their audience (most of which are dumb or bandwagon). I could easily see in the near future (in the next 10 years or so) the baseball that I grew up watching and loving to go the way of the dodo (i.e. - DH fully implemented).

 

[msgkings322]

I get what your saying msg.....and it's probably better to go to a DH for "entertainment value/better product" for owners, players and casual fans. I just can't bring myself to EVER like or get used to the DH. To me, it's just not baseball the way I know it/lived it. I love the strategy in the NL. Unfortunately, as sports move more and more towards entertainment and money keeps getting bigger and bigger, the Commissioners have to keep appeasing their audience (most of which are dumb or bandwagon). I could easily see in the near future (in the next 10 years or so) the baseball that I grew up watching and loving to go the way of the dodo (i.e. - DH fully implemented).

I feel ya, but change is the only constant. The game is really really different in many ways than the game of the past, the DH is only part of it. And I think we'd be bored with the old version.

 

[calsnowskier]

This is underappreciated. And if you hate the DH, maybe reason to learn to hate it less? What if Posey (and Belt now that he's arriving) could stay in the lineup every day by DHing 1-2 times a week? Or say Panda could, or Melky could.

There is very little in this world that is 100% good or 100% bad. This is a good aspect to the DH.

However, the fact that drunk driving tends to thin the herd and kills off the more stupid segment of our society does not mean that I am in favor of it.

 

[msgkings322]

There is very little in this world that is 100% good or 100% bad. This is a good aspect to the DH.

However, the fact that drunk driving tends to thin the herd and kills off the more stupid segment of our society does not mean that I am in favor of it.

Bad example. I bet drunk drivers kill more innocents than their own selves.

 

[CameronFrye]

I get what your saying msg.....and it's probably better to go to a DH for "entertainment value/better product" for owners, players and casual fans. I just can't bring myself to EVER like or get used to the DH. To me, it's just not baseball the way I know it/lived it. I love the strategy in the NL. Unfortunately, as sports move more and more towards entertainment and money keeps getting bigger and bigger, the Commissioners have to keep appeasing their audience (most of which are dumb or bandwagon). I could easily see in the near future (in the next 10 years or so) the baseball that I grew up watching and loving to go the way of the dodo (i.e. - DH fully implemented).

This. Most of the reason I have disdain for the AL is because there is very little thought that is required to run an AL team. Most of the strategy that makes the NL so great is missing from the AL. The AL is like an idiot's guide to baseball while the NL is the thinking man's guide to the game.

I know that eventually it will happen and I am preparing myself for that fact. But it doesn't mean that I have to like it.

 

[Stokes1931]

This. Most of the reason I have disdain for the AL is because there is very little thought that is required to run an AL team. Most of the strategy that makes the NL so great is missing from the AL. The AL is like an idiot's guide to baseball while the NL is the thinking man's guide to the game.

I know that eventually it will happen and I am preparing myself for that fact. But it doesn't mean that I have to like it.

AB: DAMN RIGHT! THE NL IS THE MENSA LEAGUE. THE AL IS THE KINDERGARTEN LEAGUE. I HAVE A WS RING TO PROVE IT! AND THAT'S WHY THE DODGERS WILL NOT WIN ANYTHING WITH THAT AL PUKE MATTINGLY AS THEIR MANAGER!

 

[the_broom]

I don't think we'll see a DH in the NL anytime soon...but if interleague games keep increasing you will start seeing more NL teams carrying a "DH-type" guy on the squad.