Designated Hitter in the National League? (Post #144: Proposed for 2020 Shortened Season)

[Eye Black]

With some speculation earlier this off-season that the support for adding the Designated Hitter in the National League was “gaining momentum” among teams, I am curious if our community here would support such a significant change. I set up a simple poll and would like to read others opinions on whether or not they are in favor of the DH being implemented in the National League in the near future?

 

Please participate in the poll, but also feel free to share your opinion on the subject in the thread below. Thanks for participating!

[Baldkin]

I don't like watching pitchers hit. They are terrible at it. I don't like watching pitchers get hurt running the bases, they are terrible at it.

 

I am completely in favor of the DH.

[SRB]

I'm against it. The beauty of baseball as a sport is the strategy involved, and having to manage the pitcher's spot in the lineup is part of the game.

 

The only argument in favor that I can appreciate is that it is very weird to have the two leagues be different.

Edited February 4, 2018 by SRB

[adambr2]

I voted yes and given the current structure of our team it would be very beneficial to us. I think it's inevitable anyway, so the sooner they implement it the better it would be for the Brewers.

 

That said it's more important to me that it simply be the same across both leagues. Doesn't seem like a fair thing at all that NL teams who otherwise deal with the same rules and constraints as AL teams, have to take on so much additional risk for their starting pitchers when starting pitching is such a valuable and important commodity.

 

If they had the pitchers bat in both leagues, I'd be fine with that. But that ain't happening, so my default answer is yes.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I'm against it. The beauty of baseball as a sport is the strategy involved, and having to manage the pitcher's spot in the lineup is part of the game.

 

The only argument in favor that I can appreciate is that it is very weird to have the two leagues be different.

 

I like the strategy involved, but like others, I simply hate watching (most) pitchers hit, and now having interleague play, I think it kinda sucks, and leaves the NL at a disadvantage. I think there's got to be some way to have a balance between keeping that strategy in the game, and not making pitchers hit, like maybe having the DH go out of the game when you making a pitching change (just spitballing here).

[MadThinker88]

The NL stands ALONE in its rule requiring pitchers to still hit.

Yes there are a couple pitchers that are still very good hitters but the vast majority are a danger to themselves and their team's offense when they go to the plate.

 

Time to join the rest of the world & allow the DH in the NL..

[Invader3K]

I'm fully in favor of it. The game has become to be about specialization, and I don't find watching pitchers pretend to hit to be very entertaining.

[bigred]

I'm definitely in favor of the DH in the NL. For the same glaringly factual reasons lol

[Ulice Payne]

I suppose I would prefer the DH.

 

However, my stronger preference is that both leagues have the same rule. Especially with Interleague play.

[Eye Black]

I am in favor of adding the DH as well. Having this element different between the two leagues made more sense before interleague play, but now you are having teams frequently play each other that have a much different factor influencing their roster construction. I also think it would increase the likelihood we could see a slight pendulum shift in the willingness of NL teams to sign FA veterans past their defensive prime.

[BuckyBrewer61]

I have always been opposed to the DH in the NL, I love the strategy that the NL requires with pitchers in the lineup - double switches, the question of pulling a starter when his spot in the lineup comes up in the 5th inning with runners on base, etc.

 

I also have always hated the argument that we need the DH because pitchers are bad at hitting. So what? They are playing the field like every other player, they should hit like everyone else too. With that argument, we should have designated fielders too so we only have to watch the best fielders and best hitters. We can let Santana hit and Broxton play defense. Did they let someone else take Shaq's free throws just because he was bad at it?

 

*Deep breath* All that said...after Anderson and Nelson got hurt on offense last year, I'm over it. Just not worth the risk of such devastating injuries. Bring on the DH.

[tmwiese55]

I have a pretty straight forward view on it.

 

First, it's absolutely dumb to have different rules within the same league. Therefore, it has to go one way or the other. I'm fairly down the middle on not caring which way but I'd slightly pick NL rule due to the strategy. However, I know that is impossible as the union will never let them eliminate the DH and the extra pay that goes with it. Plus the specialization in sports leads this way too. So, it's inevitable that it will eventually happen so let's just get it over with already. What are we waiting for

[3and2Fastball]

I prefer keeping the DH in the NL

 

I just hope that if they change the rules, teams in the NL given a 2-3 year warning ahead of time so GM's can plan accordingly.

 

For instance, if the Brewers knew that the NL was going to have a DH in 2019, the decision making process as to what to do with Domingo would be different.

[bork]

I used to be against the DH (I like the NL strategy), but I've come around to having the DH in the NL. Pitchers never get a chance to become good hitters. They don't hit at at until AA and then it's only half the games. So pitchers are way behind before they even start. And how many injuries could have been avoided?

[DuWayne Steurer]

I have always been opposed to the DH in the NL, I love the strategy that the NL requires with pitchers in the lineup - double switches, the question of pulling a starter when his spot in the lineup comes up in the 5th inning with runners on base, etc.

 

I also have always hated the argument that we need the DH because pitchers are bad at hitting. So what? They are playing the field like every other player, they should hit like everyone else too. With that argument, we should have designated fielders too so we only have to watch the best fielders and best hitters. We can let Santana hit and Broxton play defense. Did they let someone else take Shaq's free throws just because he was bad at it?

 

*Deep breath* All that said...after Anderson and Nelson got hurt on offense last year, I'm over it. Just not worth the risk of such devastating injuries. Bring on the DH.

 

 

Watching "hack-a-shaq" strategies is awful, and has caused the NBA to change their rules regarding fouling at the end of games. watching players who aren't good at things is boring, and fans aren't paying to watch guys who shoot 40% free throws shoot free throws 12 times in the last 2 minutes of a game. It might be "strategy", but it's boring.

 

Most pitchers wield a bat with the same amount of skill as a 9 year old would have facing mlb pitching. It's sad and pointless to watch. Sadly, most managers don't even really have a lot of their own strategic thought when it comes to double switching and bullpen use these days anyways. There's so much by-the-book usage that most everything that happens after the 5th inning is pretty predictable.

[madbad2000]

I used to be adamant against the DH in the NL. I looked forward to Milwaukee switching leagues. The game has changed and the amount of "benefit" I see with the rule is just not there. The amount of possible negative repercussions with Pitchers hitting and running bases is possibly catastrophic. The viewing pleasure of watching most pitchers hit is nearly zero if not negative. Bring it on and bring it fast so we can even it out and adjust.

[rickh150]

Always was against DH in NL.....

 

Now, I can stomach the idea, especially after seeing a few of our pitchers getting hurt batting or running bases (Anderson, Nelson, Guerra).

 

What I'd be in favor of is having a rule where the DH cannot be just one guy in the line-up. Meaning, after the DH bats, he cannot play the field/hit again. Rather, it would have to be someone different each time up. That would allow the strategy to stay in the game (pitchers COULD still hit to save the bench or pitchers would be used to bat with 2 outs, nobody on, when scoring in the inning seems remote). Perhaps one or two players could be added to the 25 man roster because of the rule. The way the game is trending with more pitchers being used each game, that might be happening sooner than later anyways.

[Lathund]

I voted against the DH. For the simple reason that I prefer that all 9 players in the lineup play on defense, and all 9 play on offense. I don't particularly enjoy watching pitchers bat, but I do enjoy the strategic issues it creates. That being said, I do think the implementation of the DH is inevitable, and while I prefer having no DH it's not something I feel all that strongly about and won't be upset when/if it does happen.

[pacopete4]

Do starting pitchers in the AL average more innings per start than in the NL? It would make sense that they do but I’m not sure how to find that. In any case, this would be another reason I’m for it. Relief pitching changes are an annoying nuisance to the game of baseball.

[McRibMcLove]

Add me to the group that wants both leagues the same. Since the MLBPA would strike until the end of time if MLB tried to eliminate the DH I am fine (even though it is a bastardization of tradition) with the NL adopting it. Free the DH!

[CheezWizHed]

I've been in favor of traditional BB for a long time. When we switched to the NL, I loved the additional strategy and gamesmanship. But I am tired of seeing pitchers hit, no one teaches players to bunt correctly and the injuries.

 

its time for the DH.

[dlk9s]

I vote for "don't care."

[paul253]

It’s time for the DH in the NL. Salaries, especially for pitches are getting out of hand and it’s unfair only one league has to bear the additional injury risk.

 

Additionally, AL teams have huge roster building advantages as they can add players who are defensive liabilities, players who are older and not playing the field would help them avoid injury (Braun for instance) or they can add players at a position that’s already filled.

 

I’d prefer both leagues to have the pitcher hit but that’ll never happen so the next best thing is for the NL to take up the DH.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Do starting pitchers in the AL average more innings per start than in the NL? It would make sense that they do but I’m not sure how to find that. In any case, this would be another reason I’m for it. Relief pitching changes are an annoying nuisance to the game of baseball.

 

 

Both leagues averaged 5.5 IP per start last year.

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/2017-starter-pitching.shtml

 

Also, the NL had 7922 relief appearances last year, and the AL had 7737, so only 200 fewer relief appearances (virtually the same, more or less). The AL managers are switching out pitchers at the same time in the game, and just as often. The DH is not keeping AL pitchers from swapping out pitchers and creating favorable pitching matchups when needed.

 

The relief pitching explosion is the new moneyball. Teams have found that with an average offense, average rotation, and a devastating bullpen, you can be a good team. Look at the 2015 Royals. THey were 6th in the AL in runs scored (slightly above average). they didn't have an ace starter (Chris Young and Edinson Volquez had good, not great years), but the back end of their bullpen was fantastic. Look at the way teams have used Andrew Miller. Dude's one of the best relievers in baseball, but has only been a closer one year. AL managers are "getting it" that getting through the lineup twice with your starter, and then going to your bullpen ( if it's good) is how to minimize run scoring from the opposition. We're probably less than a decade away from some teams averaging less than 5 IP per game from their starters for an entire season.

 

I know people want to the pace of game to speed up, but this is how the game is played now. I can honestly see, as someone else said earlier in the thread, roster expansion being something the league or the players union brings to the table soon, as relief specialization becomes an even more integral part of the game.

[Boomer5]

They should just switch which league has the DH every other year.

 

That would be as silly as the current situation now. Pick one rule and stick to it for all leagues including the minors.