End of DH?

[Backtobanks]

In today's Tribune, Phil Rogers writes about a newly formed committee to make suggestions on changes to MLB.

 

Selig's 14-member committee to consider all on-field issues, which was announced on Tuesday, will not have formal authority. It includes four current managers, four current or former general managers and four ownership representatives, along with MLB official Frank Robinson and journalist/baseball fan George Will.

 

Selig said he will "be guided by what this committee comes up with" on matters including "scheduling, postseason format, umpiring, pace of play and instant replay." The commissioner did not mention the DH rule, but Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and longtime Braves executive John Schuerholz, who joined Selig on a conference call, both listed it as the one thing they potentially would change if they could.

 

Schuerholz did not say he would be in favor of eliminating the rule.

 

"When I was in the American League, I was in favor of the designated hitter," said Schuerholz, whose teams won World Series in Kansas City and Atlanta. "In the National, I've maybe taken another position. Our game has proved it can succeed and flourish with the different approaches in the different leagues."

 

La Russa said he would be in favor of eliminating the DH, except for the All-Star Game.

 

"I think the game is more complete without the DH," he said.

 

La Russa, like the other three managers on the committee (Joe Torre, Jim Leyland and Mike Scioscia) has seen the DH rule play a major role in World Series play involving his teams. It is used in the AL park and not the NL, creating two different styles of games in determining championships.

 

Forced to build deeper rosters because of the DH rule, the AL has had an upper hand against the NL in recent years -- a trend borne out in results from the All-Star Game, the World Series and in interleague play. AL teams have been bigger spenders than their NL counterparts.

 

Like many matters that the new committee may consider, including expanding the role of instant replay, a change in the DH rule would require approval of the players' union. Owners never have gone to the union to consider a change in the rules but could do that in the round of talks expected to begin in early 2011.

 

In addition to Schuerholz, Robinson, Will and the four managers, the committee includes Andy MacPhail, Mark Shapiro, Terry Ryan, Paul Beeston, Chuck Armstrong, Bill DeWitt and Dave Montgomery.

[OleMissCub]

It needs to happen, but I doubt it ever will.

 

The DH rule is an abomination to the game.

[Cubswin11]

I really want it out, but doubt it happens. Union will never agree to it. But I could see Selig pushing this as his last big issue before he steps down as commish.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The only way I could see the players union agreeing to it is with a major concession such as the expanding of rosters are a large increase in the minimum salary.

[Derwood]

The only way I could see the players union agreeing to it is with a major concession such as the expanding of rosters are a large increase in the minimum salary.

 

Even then, they probably won't. The extra roster slots will be filled by league-minimum players while some high-priced superstars will suddenly be exposed as incomplete ballplayers (or have nowhere to play; if the DH suddenly disappeared, what would the Red Sox do with David Ortiz, for example?)

[inari]

The chances of it happening are between zero and zero.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm to the point where I don't particularly care as long as both leagues end up the same. I think it's the main reason for the competitive imbalance between the AL and NL.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm to the point where I don't particularly care as long as both leagues end up the same. I think it's the main reason for the competitive imbalance between the AL and NL.

 

Absolutely not. A small part of me would die if the NL got the DH.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm to the point where I don't particularly care as long as both leagues end up the same. I think it's the main reason for the competitive imbalance between the AL and NL.

 

Absolutely not. A small part of me would die if the NL got the DH.

 

Without a doubt I'd prefer if the AL got rid of the DH. But if it meant a more equitable playing field, I could probably live with it.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm to the point where I don't particularly care as long as both leagues end up the same. I think it's the main reason for the competitive imbalance between the AL and NL.

 

Absolutely not. A small part of me would die if the NL got the DH.

 

Without a doubt I'd prefer if the AL got rid of the DH. But if it meant a more equitable playing field, I could probably live with it.

 

I don't think the DH plays as big of a role as you do. It's the difference in the owners of the big market teams.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm to the point where I don't particularly care as long as both leagues end up the same. I think it's the main reason for the competitive imbalance between the AL and NL.

 

Absolutely not. A small part of me would die if the NL got the DH.

 

Without a doubt I'd prefer if the AL got rid of the DH. But if it meant a more equitable playing field, I could probably live with it.

 

I think Boston and the Yankees play a much greater role in that than the DH. Those two teams dominate the payroll battle and accounted for 4 WS titles since 2000. The NL is 4-2 in the remaining. That and the fact that Milwaukee went to the NL. They had more 90+ loss teams (4) than .500+ teams (3) since moving to the NL. That leaves one more bad NL team and one less bad AL team for most seasons of interleague play.

[imb]

the over the top hatred of the DH is one of the most annoying aspects of most baseball fans. "It's an abomination to the game!" says the person who was never alive during the non-DH era. Shut up you dorks.

[erik316wttn]

the over the top hatred of the DH is one of the most annoying aspects of most baseball fans. "It's an abomination to the game!" says the person who was never alive during the non-DH era. Shut up you dorks.

 

The DH rule goes against the most basic rule of baseball.

 

I submit to you rule 1.01 of the official baseball rulebook:

 

1.01 Baseball is a game between two teams of nine players each, under direction of a manager, played on an enclosed field in accordance with these rules, under jurisdiction of one or more umpires.

 

See that first part? ....two teams of nine players each. Not ten.

 

Besides: Modern baseball was just fine for the 72 years they played without the DH. It would be just fine again. However, it's not likely to ever go away because old guys who can still hit but can't field anymore would have to retire instead of collecting huge paychecks, thereby decreasing the union's coffers, and they won't have that.

[imb]

let's get rid the bench too, then. and pitching coaches. and hitting instructors.

[Derwood]

let's get rid the bench too, then. and pitching coaches. and hitting instructors.

 

I'm down

[SouthSideRyan]

the over the top hatred of the DH is one of the most annoying aspects of most baseball fans. "It's an abomination to the game!" says the person who was never alive during the non-DH era. Shut up you dorks.

 

You're a dork.

[imb]

"THE BEST DAYS OF BASEBALL WERE THE HALCYON DAYS OF THE 1920S WHEN WE WORE SUITS TO THE GAMES, HAD NO ADS (EXCEPT THE 1000S ON THE OUTFIELD WALLS) AND WOMEN KNEW THEIR PLACE" says the guy who wears sweatpants to work at a grocery store every day

[erik316wttn]

let's get rid the bench too, then. and pitching coaches. and hitting instructors.

 

Yeah, because that has everything to do with eliminating the DH.

[Sammy Sofa]

It's not going away. Most levels/leagues/whatever of baseball use it than those that don't.

[imb]

let's get rid the bench too, then. and pitching coaches. and hitting instructors.

 

Yeah, because that has everything to do with eliminating the DH.

 

hey, the rules say 9 players and 1 coach. If we're going to be literalist about it. (yes i made up that word [yes it rules])

[Little Slide Rooter]

let's get rid the bench too, then. and pitching coaches. and hitting instructors.

 

Yeah, because that has everything to do with eliminating the DH.

 

hey, the rules say 9 players and 1 coach. If we're going to be literalist about it. (yes i made up that word [yes it rules])

 

If a man gets injured, you get someone out of the stands to fill in or play with 8. And of course, any ethnics will be sent back to their own leagues.

 

edited to green to avoid trouble :-))

[MSG T]

the over the top hatred of the DH is one of the most annoying aspects of most baseball fans. "It's an abomination to the game!" says the person who was never alive during the non-DH era. Shut up you dorks.

 

I'm old enough to remember pitchers hitting in the AL, and I think it's an abomination to the game.

 

Why not let some really fast guy who can't hit pinch run for your catcher every time he gets on base? Why not let a team use a specified LHP to pitch to all of the LH hitters through a game? We don't allow designated runners or designated pitchers because they're a ridiculous idea. Same as a designated hitter.

[erik316wttn]

"HEY GUYS I'M LOSING THE ARGUMENT SO I'M GOING TO RESORT TO PETTY INSULTS AND TYPE IN ALL CAPS TO EMPHASIZE MY POINT AND MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT!

[Sammy Sofa]

Ooooh, fat snapped.

[erik316wttn]

let's get rid the bench too, then. and pitching coaches. and hitting instructors.

 

Yeah, because that has everything to do with eliminating the DH.

 

hey, the rules say 9 players and 1 coach. If we're going to be literalist about it. (yes i made up that word [yes it rules])

 

If a man gets injured, you get someone out of the stands to fill in or play with 8. And of course, any ethnics will be sent back to their own leagues.

 

edited to green to avoid trouble :-))

 

The rule means 9 players at any one time. You know that, and so does everyone else.