The National League & the DH

[Margelofskya]

Re: The National League & the DH

I'm an avid baseball fan but why was the DH never allowed in the NL in the 1st place? How many years ago has this been?

I'm used to it now after all of these years but is the NL a different sport than the AL? I mean c'mone. This game is the same game no matter which league you play the game.

It would be like having no shot clock for NBA basketball for the Eastern Conference while keeping it for the Western Conference. 2 totally different rules for the same sport. I'm not saying I'm all for baseball changing the rules & giving the NL a DH. I am trying to make a comparison point though.

Rules do change in all sports especially with all of these NFL additional rule changes lately but I don't get why it was ever this way between the AL & NL anyhow. Anyone care to enlighten me? Thanks!

I don't think the DH rule compares with another sports. If anything it is like basketball in that every player needs to play offense and defense.

[Scrapps]

Re: The National League & the DH

I don't think the DH rule compares with another sports. If anything it is like basketball in that every player needs to play offense and defense.

Well, except Melo....

[p00p1]

Re: The National League & the DH

I've always thought it was equivalent of having a player on an NBA team to just shoot free throws for you.

[Elldarre]

Re: The National League & the DH

It will happen at some point, but my guess is that it's at least ten years off.

Personally, I think both leagues should have the DH. The NL is the only professional league that makes pitchers hits, and the results show it. With very rare exceptions, pitchers hitting is pretty much the worst thing about baseball. I also don't get the strategy argument. Pitchers bunt in obvious spots. The decision of when to hit for the pitcher is usually obvious. It doesn't take an advanced degree to make a double switch.

In the interests of realism, I leave the DH setting alone. Of course, I play my franchises as an AL team.

I realize my take on the DH probably puts me in the minority.

[p00p1]

Re: The National League & the DH

What about intentionally walking the #8 hitter late in a game to try to force the opposing team to PH for a pitcher or leave him in.

Or managers trying to squeeze an extra out or two out of a reliever so they can PH for the pitcher's spot, vs in the AL where managers have no repercussions and can change pitchers at will.

Or double switches, which means you'll see a lot more backups get playing time than in the AL, where PH is almost an afterthought.

Or maybe in the continued interest in speeding up games, I bet pitcher ABs go by a lot faster than #9 hitters in the AL.

Or that in 2015 the AL WAR for DH was -0.5 and -.07 the year before.

[OhioCub]

Re: The National League & the DH

Abolish the DH in all of baseball and play the game the way it was meant!

For the person who asked why the NL doesn't have the DH, it used to be neither league had it. Then back in the 50s or 60s (not for sure about the time frame) the AL adopted it as an experiment. Well, they never ended the experiment and the NL, so far, has refused to add it.

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[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: The National League & the DH

I'd almost as just as soon rather instead of having a DH, if MLB doesn't want pitchers to bat, then just use 8 batters, no need to add a guy that can;t play defense.

[OhioCub]

Re: The National League & the DH

I'd almost as just as soon rather instead of having a DH, if MLB doesn't want pitchers to bat, then just use 8 batters, no need to add a guy that can;t play defense.

That's not a bad idea. Thing is though, now with the money that's in baseball the union would never agree to that because it'd be taking away jobs.

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[redsox4evur]

Re: The National League & the DH

That's not a bad idea. Thing is though, now with the money that's in baseball the union would never agree to that because it'd be taking away jobs.

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Yet by not having the DH in the NL they are doing the same thing.

[digger3210]

Re: The National League & the DH

Yet by not having the DH in the NL they are doing the same thing.

Hard to take away jobs that never existed.

[RLB]

Re: The National League & the DH

The AL adopted the DH in 1973. The NL have stood by their guns on not adopting the rule. I am an old guy and despise the DH rule, I wonder if there is any correlation to age with this ?

[letsgomets75]

Re: The National League & the DH

It will happen at some point, but my guess is that it's at least ten years off.

Personally, I think both leagues should have the DH. The NL is the only professional league that makes pitchers hits, and the results show it. With very rare exceptions, pitchers hitting is pretty much the worst thing about baseball. I also don't get the strategy argument. Pitchers bunt in obvious spots. The decision of when to hit for the pitcher is usually obvious. It doesn't take an advanced degree to make a double switch.

In the interests of realism, I leave the DH setting alone. Of course, I play my franchises as an AL team.

I realize my take on the DH probably puts me in the minority.

"The results show it"?? Im assuming you mean the AL scores more then the NL, which is true, but over the last 10 years, the AL averages 4.5 runs a game while the NL is at 4.3. Pretty damn close. I see pitchers hitting as an added element to the game and a good one. You can't tell me it isn't awesome watching Kershaw, Bumgarner and Grienke hit. The decision to hit for pitchers usually seems obvious, but in close, low scoring games, it could be the difference between a win and a loss, and isn't an easy choice. I really hope it never happens.

[redsox4evur]

Re: The National League & the DH

"The results show it"?? Im assuming you mean the AL scores more then the NL, which is true, but over the last 10 years, the AL averages 4.5 runs a game while the NL is at 4.3. Pretty damn close. I see pitchers hitting as an added element to the game and a good one. You can't tell me it isn't awesome watching Kershaw, Bumgarner and Grienke hit. The decision to hit for pitchers usually seems obvious, but in close, low scoring games, it could be the difference between a win and a loss, and isn't an easy choice. I really hope it never happens.

Nope it's not awesome. I don't need to see clowns like Bartolo Colon swinging a bat.

[bacon96]

Re: The National League & the DH

The AL adopted the DH in 1973. The NL have stood by their guns on not adopting the rule. I am an old guy and despise the DH rule, I wonder if there is any correlation to age with this ?

I'm 19 and in favor of real baseball so I'd say no DH however I feel like there's an age correlation.

[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: The National League & the DH

"The results show it"?? Im assuming you mean the AL scores more then the NL, which is true, but over the last 10 years, the AL averages 4.5 runs a game while the NL is at 4.3. Pretty damn close. I see pitchers hitting as an added element to the game and a good one. You can't tell me it isn't awesome watching Kershaw, Bumgarner and Grienke hit. The decision to hit for pitchers usually seems obvious, but in close, low scoring games, it could be the difference between a win and a loss, and isn't an easy choice. I really hope it never happens.

And to add, if I may, pitchers need to come to the plate, so as to be held accountable for any intentional HBP. They might just think twice if they have to risk getting what they give.