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

[dacbrewers]

Being a traditionalist, I never wanted the DH and hope the NL never goes to it. I really don't care if a pitcher gets hurt batting or running the bases, it's part of the game and it just gives another minor league guy an opportunity to come up and play. Managers have more decisions to make in the NL. The reason they went to the DL was to get increased offense and since MLB juiced the ball now, we get that anyway.

[SeaBass]

I prefer and really enjoy the NL style of play but am in favor of both leagues playing by the same rules. So DH it is. The sooner the better. It's kind of dumb that it hasn't happened yet.

[Baldkin]

I want to see the best players play the most. Watching Hernan Perez get 300 PA's because he can double switch and play all over the diamond is awful.

 

What extra strategy is there in the NL? I don't understand it.

 

"Oh, which bench player do I swap in for my starter today to get 1 extra PA?"

"Which guy won't be in the game any longer when his spot comes up in the 9th inning so we have to hit our 3rd bench guy?"

[tigerbrew]

Voted Yes, prefer not to watch the pitcher hit and run the bases. Jimmy Nelson's injury could've been avoided with the DH, and we may have made it to the playoffs if he didn't get injured.

[Invader3K]

Years ago, I heard some talking head mention that there are some pitchers who would not sign with a NL team because they would have to hit. How often that happens, I don't know, but just another reason to even up both leagues...

Years ago, I rememeber Bob & Brian interviewing one of the Brewers pitchers after the switch to the NL had been confirmed. He said, "I haven't held a bat since Little League."

 

Just thought that was funny.

 

I think the point about putting NL teams at a disadvantage due to increased injury risk to their pitchers is a good one.

[rickh150]

Officially I am against the DH totally because it is just a random change to the way baseball fundamentally works. All the players should have to play offense and defense, period. However, given that it will never happen, I think the idea below is actually a pretty great compromise. Add the DH to the NL, but make the change to both leagues that the DH shall only be allowed for the starting pitcher.

 

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).

 

This way pitchers will never bat, but the strategy and bench depth is still a part of the game. Both sides get what they really want.

 

Sounds like a great idea! Well done.

[BuckyBrewer61]

Officially I am against the DH totally because it is just a random change to the way baseball fundamentally works. All the players should have to play offense and defense, period. However, given that it will never happen, I think the idea below is actually a pretty great compromise. Add the DH to the NL, but make the change to both leagues that the DH shall only be allowed for the starting pitcher.

 

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).

 

This way pitchers will never bat, but the strategy and bench depth is still a part of the game. Both sides get what they really want.

 

I'm a fan of this idea...that said, it will never happen. The talking heads would yell about how you can't take out these great hitters blah blah blah. Essentially a similar argument to why pitchers shouldn't hit, and the pervasive trend across all sports - if it doesn't equate to maximum offense, it must be boring and bad, right?

 

The DH is coming to the NL in it's current form, it's just a matter of when.

[danzig6767]

Years ago, I heard some talking head mention that there are some pitchers who would not sign with a NL team because they would have to hit. How often that happens, I don't know, but just another reason to even up both leagues...

I'm sure many pitchers feel this way, but there are also some pitchers who enjoy batting.

[jerichoholicninja]

Years ago, I heard some talking head mention that there are some pitchers who would not sign with a NL team because they would have to hit. How often that happens, I don't know, but just another reason to even up both leagues...

I'm sure many pitchers feel this way, but there are also some pitchers who enjoy batting.

 

And there are even more pitchers who enjoy money and will play for who ever offers them the most regardless of which league they are in.

[TURBO]

Years ago, I heard some talking head mention that there are some pitchers who would not sign with a NL team because they would have to hit. How often that happens, I don't know, but just another reason to even up both leagues...

I'm sure many pitchers feel this way, but there are also some pitchers who enjoy batting.

 

And there are even more pitchers who enjoy money and will play for who ever offers them the most regardless of which league they are in.

 

Of course, but if given equal offers, are there possibly pitchers that would choose the AL over the NL team based on hitting?

 

I'd have to think yes, but maybe not in every case.

 

On the flipside, there may be pitchers who would rather face other pitchers rather than the DH, so maybe in that case, the NL gets the nod.

[Fear The Chorizo]

One way or the other, MLB needs to get both of its leagues playing under the same set of rules.

 

I like the concept of tying the DH to a particular player at the start of a game, not necessarily to a position. 98% of the time, a DH would replace that game's starting pitcher in the lineup. However, once said pitcher leaves the game the player serving as his DH is done - he could continue in the game at his same batting order position if he's inserted into the field after said pitching move is made, with a different bench player serving as a DH/pinch hitter for the reliever the next time the removed position player's spot in the lineup comes up. As the game progresses, teams could still pinch hit for relievers using the rest of their bench, and make adjustments to their lineup/defense following typical rules accordingly. In addition, there may be ~5% of games where teams want their starting pitcher hitting, and prefer to use a DH for a weak hitting position player who plays great defense.

 

I think the carrot that really makes a scenario like this work is for MLB to adopt a 26-man game-day roster. This was something that the players union backed out of a few seasons ago during CBA negotiations, but it's been widely discussed and will eventually happen as well.

[SeaBass]

The interesting question would be, if/when the NL adopts the DH, would baseball look to re-align leagues/divisions? In theory it would become more palatable to teams since rules changes wouldn't be a factor in the realignment.

 

Maybe not, as I recall Texas/Houston both may not be wild about being in the West divisions but I'm not sure there are any better options. Unless MLB decided to go with two 4 team West divisions and four 6 team East and Central divisions. I don't think that would fly with the majority of teams.

 

Edit: My math above is off, only one 6 team division would be required per league. So it would be two 4 team West divisions. Probably both East divisions stay at 5 and the Central divisions would have 6 teams each.

[Eye Black]

Bumping this thread from last offseason, because guess what...

 

From an article written by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic yesterday:

 

The Major League Baseball Players Association responded last Friday with its own comprehensive proposal that addressed the players’ concerns on competitive integrity and service-time manipulation in multifaceted fashion, sources said. A lowering of a team’s draft position for failing to reach a specified win total in a certain number of seasons is believed to be part of the union’s plan.

 

A universal designated hitter — something the players have sought for more than three decades, according to commissioner Rob Manfred — also was part of the union’s proposal. Under the plan, the National League would adopt the DH for the 2019 season.

 

The Cubs centric blog Bleacher Nation broke down the possible impact on each NL Central team in this article, REPORT: Players Association Has Proposed Adding DH to the NL for *THIS* Season. The Cardinals would seemingly be the team with the most to gain among the NL Central.

[BillScottCanRake]

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.

 

This is why I like you. You think like me and save me loads of typing.

[Eye Black]

I would be shocked if the DH was actually added for the 2019 season. If the change is ever made I would imagine that for roster construction purposes the teams would need to start the offseason knowing the DH is being added. One thing that would be frustrating from the Brewers standpoint is Domingo Santana may have made more sense to keep on the roster if the DH was actually being implemented in 2019. I am sure many other NL teams have similar “what if” scenarios as well.

[Patrick425]

I would also be shocked if they made such a major rule change with such short notice. I understand what the players are hoping to accomplish, but what's the rush? I think 2020 would be soon enough.

[tigerbrew]

If there is the DH, I would have kept Santana.

 

But still I wouldn't mind having the DH this season, don't want to see another Nelson type injury happen to the Brewers. The DH will probably be Braun now that Santana is gone, maybe the DH will allow Braun to play more games.

[DuWayne Steurer]

The Brewers still have Thames and Braun. They have Gamel. They have enough hitters.

[hawing]

I would also be shocked if they made such a major rule change with such short notice. I understand what the players are hoping to accomplish, but what's the rush? I think 2020 would be soon enough.

That's where I stand at the moment. I'm not super excited about adopting the DH universally, but why bring it up in February with an eye toward March implementation when NL teams would have to scramble to tweak their rosters?

 

I realize the pace of recent offseason markets has made it easier than before to make roster moves relatively late, but this seems like a big adjustment to make. (Mayyyybe less so for the Brewers)

[JosephC]

DH is bad news for Brewer fans IMO. Take the players that got the most DH at-bats for AL clubs last year, and the average salary was 11.6 million dollars. Median salary was 11 million. That would have been over 10% of the Brewers payroll. There was a reason that Selig wanted out of the AL all those years ago, the DH puts small market teams at a disadvantage. Brewer fans might love it now because they can just stick Braun right in there. But they will hate it two years from now when Braun is gone and Cubs or Cardinals give a big masher a 5 year, 90 million contract...a contract the Brewers cannot afford for a guy that gives the team zero value defensively.

[pacopete4]

Oh please let the DH come to the National League so I don't have to watch amateur batters every 9th out of the game.

[rcc]

Yes to a DH. Thames and Braun would be perfect for the role.

[KeithStone53151]

Oh this would be such trash to decide to add now. You can't make changes like this a week before guys report for Spring Training. This is the type of thing you decide on now, with the plan to definitely implement in 2020. This is crazy sloppy. I frankly don't really care whether they add the DH in the NL or not, but they should plan better than this.

[wntrtxn21]

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.

 

Why stop with just one DH? Why not go all the way! Raise the rosters to 40 and have offense, defensive, and designated pinch runners. 9 DHs, 9 defenders, and designated pinch runners. That way NO good hitter ever gets hurt running the bases, you always have your best 9 hitters in the game and your best 8 defenders along with a pitcher. Players' union would love it because there would be more jobs.

Pitchers hit maybe twice a game in the NL. In the modern game there are every-day players who whiff 30-35% of their ABs and hit under .200 regularly. The uniqueness and strategy of the NL game far out weighs any argument for a DH.

[kalle8]

I'm ok with the DH but I'd give every player a limited amount of AB (200?) in the role so that the spot would be more used to rest players rather than giving a job to old dinosauros or players with no role on defense.