End of DH?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

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

 

Pitcher's don't hit, DH's don't field, there's only 9 playing at one time. I don't like the DH either, but don't make up a bogus interpretation of the rules to try to claim some moral ground for preferring it one way.

[imb]

6.10

Any League may elect to use the Designated Hitter Rule.

 

i don't understand complaining about it on some sort aesthetic "it's terrible, it's ruining baseball" kind of level, but whatever. But bringing up the rulebook is pretty stupid considering the above.

 

in conclusion, shut up, you're wrong.

[erik316wttn]

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

 

Pitcher's don't hit, DH's don't field, there's only 9 playing at one time. I don't like the DH either, but don't make up a bogus interpretation of the rules to try to claim some moral ground for preferring it one way.

 

It's not that much of a stretch. There are 10 men that contribute to the team in the American League. The 8 postion players, and the pitcher and the DH alternating every half-inning. My interpretation is not bogus, however.

 

I do concede to imb! the point about the DH and give him a well-deserved "touche". Congrats, sir. You have hoisted me with my own petard.

[imb]

it was quite the petard

[TruffleShuffle]

i think that DH's make, on average, more than any other position in the game. so the mlbpa will never allow the dh to go away.

[17 Seconds]

"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!

 

no he got you with your literal usage of the 9 players thing. now you're resorting to this

[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!

 

no he got you with your literal usage of the 9 players thing. now you're resorting to this

 

Actually, if you would take time to read the thread, I posted this BEFORE, not AFTER he posted rule 6.10. And I even conceded my point after he posted that rule, something more people around here should do once their argument is proven wrong, which mine was.

 

Once again: Before. Not after.

 

And I "resorted" to that because I was attacked first. Funny how you don't mention that, and how he always seems to get away with it. Whatever happened to "attack the argument, not the poster," anyway? I've yet to get an answer from any mod on this.

[OleMissCub]

"It's an abomination to the game!" says the person who was never alive during the non-DH era.

 

so what difference does that make? I've watched games with the DH and I've watched games without the DH. No DH is much better baseball.

[imb]

"It's an abomination to the game!" says the person who was never alive during the non-DH era.

 

so what difference does that make? I've watched games with the DH and I've watched games without the DH. No DH is much better baseball.

 

a pitcher striking out 90 percent of the time he comes to bat is better baseball?

 

i dare you to watch ted lilly bat and say that it's better baseball

[OleMissCub]

I saw Theodore get a triple once

[TruffleShuffle]

bad-hitting pitchers getting hits is pretty awesome.

 

on the other hand, it's pretty un-awesome when the team you root for gives up hits to bad-hitting pitchers.

[DuCross Brothers]

I heard this today that Selig hired people to oversee rule changes which this is one that is going to be looked at, but it would be the DH would be placed for the NL.

 

I like the way it is now for the part that it makes the NL adjust to the AL when the square off against each other in regular season and post season. I don't see the DH being that big of a deal as it's been in the game for so long now.

[Backtobanks]

I heard this today that Selig hired people to oversee rule changes which this is one that is going to be looked at, but it would be the DH would be placed for the NL.

 

I like the way it is now for the part that it makes the NL adjust to the AL when the square off against each other in regular season and post season. I don't see the DH being that big of a deal as it's been in the game for so long now.

 

I don't understand how you could like the way it is now. Two leagues playing by different rules and yet competing for the same title. DH screws up all of the pitching statistics for the AL.

[Guest]

I really can't decide how I feel about a change to the current system.

 

A pitcher needs to get in a rhythm on the mound, and that's not an easy thing to do after he just ran the bases a few minutes before he took the mound. Typically, pitchers are horrible hitters. At the same time, I usually enjoy the strategy of pinch hitting/running for the pitcher, or double switching out to beef up your attack in the next inning, etc... It's a truer form of baseball. But, having 1/9th of your line up typically be an automatic out sucks.

 

One of the things I hate most is when there are 2 outs in an inning and runners on 2nd and 3rd with the 8 hitter coming to the plate. He then gets walked so that the horrible hitting pitcher can strike out on 3 straight pitches to end the inning. Not that the 8 hitter was much more promising, but at least he supposedly earned his opportunity to hit at the major league level based on his level of performance at the plate. I think I'm fine with just leaving it like it is or incorporate the DH in the NL, also. I don't think I'd lose any sleep if the did away with it entirely since I already stated I like the strategies involved with a deadbeat hitter in your line up, but I don't know if that's better for the game if it's instituted in both leagues.

[BeerHere]

The DH has become what aging hitters do when they can't play defense any more. I suspect the players association would have a fit if the DH went away and guys like Ortiz have no place to go.

[Post Count Padder]

This would be great but you have hitters who are an abomination in the field and DH is their only reasonable position. It will never be removed.

[erik316wttn]

The DH has become what aging hitters do when they can't play defense any more. I suspect the players association would have a fit if the DH went away and guys like Ortiz have no place to go.

 

Oh, for sure they'd have a fit. I know Sandberg isn't a popular name around here these days, and at the risk of alienating myself even further from the NSBB population, I'm going to say that I agree with his quote that says "When did it become ok to just hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game?" That's essentially what the DH allows a player who can't field anymore to do. Defense is huge in today's game, and with the love that it gets around here, you'd think more people would be on each player to have to play defense.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The DH has become what aging hitters do when they can't play defense any more. I suspect the players association would have a fit if the DH went away and guys like Ortiz have no place to go.

 

Oh, for sure they'd have a fit. I know Sandberg isn't a popular name around here these days, and at the risk of alienating myself even further from the NSBB population, I'm going to say that I agree with his quote that says "When did it become ok to just hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game?" That's essentially what the DH allows a player who can't field anymore to do. Defense is huge in today's game, and with the love that it gets around here, you'd think more people would be on each player to have to play defense.

 

The pitcher plays defense whether there is a DH or not.

[imb]

the DH doesn't allow someone to "hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game." It just gives a few more guys a job than otherwise. In David Ortiz's prime, do you really think Boston would have said "well, sure you're a fantastic hitter, but we have a better defender, so, sorry, no room for you"? No, they would have stuck his ass at first base and you would have had some fat masher hitting home runs and falling over himself in the field. Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez would have been striking out 75 percent of the time and messing up sacrifice bunts.

 

That's the baseball you want to see? No thanks, give me the DH and good hitters and let the pitchers focus on pitching. I don't care what baseball was like in 1935, I want it to be good now.

[erik316wttn]

The DH has become what aging hitters do when they can't play defense any more. I suspect the players association would have a fit if the DH went away and guys like Ortiz have no place to go.

 

Oh, for sure they'd have a fit. I know Sandberg isn't a popular name around here these days, and at the risk of alienating myself even further from the NSBB population, I'm going to say that I agree with his quote that says "When did it become ok to just hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game?" That's essentially what the DH allows a player who can't field anymore to do. Defense is huge in today's game, and with the love that it gets around here, you'd think more people would be on each player to have to play defense.

 

The pitcher plays defense whether there is a DH or not.

 

But the DH does not. That's my point.

[erik316wttn]

the DH doesn't allow someone to "hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game." It just gives a few more guys a job than otherwise. In David Ortiz's prime, do you really think Boston would have said "well, sure you're a fantastic hitter, but we have a better defender, so, sorry, no room for you"? No, they would have stuck his ass at first base and you would have had some fat masher hitting home runs and falling over himself in the field. Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez would have been striking out 75 percent of the time and messing up sacrifice bunts.

 

That's the baseball you want to see? No thanks, give me the DH and good hitters and let the pitchers focus on pitching. I don't care what baseball was like in 1935, I want it to be good now.

 

Ortiz could have worked to improve his D. How much fielding practice did he take as a DH? And Pedro could work on bunting and making contact, too. That's the "rest of the game" part I was talking about. While I do agree that in some cases you could have a fat guy falling all over himself in the field, or a pitcher messing up sacrifices and striking out all the time, I don't think it's all that unrealistic to think the opposite could happen as well: You'd have more well-rounded players who can slug and at least hold their own in the field. Instead of taking more batting practice, just take more fielding practice and work on that skill set instead.

 

It's all really moot, though. Us arguing about it accomplishes nothing. It's a matter of preference. I'm not going to change your mind, and you're not going to change mine. We'll have to agree to disagree.

Edited December 17, 2009 by erik316wttn

[OleMissCub]

they would have stuck his ass at first base and you would have had some fat masher hitting home runs and falling over himself in the field.

 

see: Mo Vaughn and his 18 errors at first

 

 

 

the DH still sucks though

[imb]

but ortiz was never going to be a good fielder and martinez was never going to be a good hitter.

 

you're saying that you prefer a brand of baseball with bad fielders and bad hitters when there are simple alternatives. Which is ironic considering how much frothing and drooling you do whenever a chicago cub makes an out or hits into a double play.

 

Just admit it, it has nothing to do with the sanctity of the game or whatever stupid BS people like to spout off, it's because you want to act all self righteous about something and latched onto this. If you'd grown up a fan of the Mariners or something, you wouldn't give a damn about the DH rule.

[Backtobanks]

If you love the DH, why don't we just have an offensive team that bats and a defensive team that plays the field. That way you get to watch Andres Blanco play regularly on defense without batting.

[erik316wttn]

If you love the DH, why don't we just have an offensive team that bats and a defensive team that plays the field. That way you get to watch Andres Blanco play regularly on defense without batting.

 

This.

 

Expand the rosters, and have a fielding team and a hitting team. Why not go all out?