Dodgers Roundtable: Designated Thoughts
Should the Dodgers and other NL teams start planning ahead in case the rule change passes?
JD: I think they should, but only because the movement for the DH has gained so much traction among owners that it is inevitable that they’ll have it in both leagues.
Brian: No, not just yet. There’s plenty of time, if and when the rule does change. And even if it changed tomorrow, I still don’t think it would be a huge priority, especially with the plethora of outfields the Dodgers have now who probably don’t feel they get enough at-bats as is. With that said, I’m sure it would definitely change how some acquisitions and signing would go in the future. But not something the Dodgers need to worry about just yet.
Ryan: Eh, I don’t think that’s necessary. If the universal DH is put into action, I don’t think it’ll be that difficult for NL teams to get a player or two that can effectively fulfill it, whether it be through their minor league system or through free agency or trade. And in the Dodgers’ case, they already have a pretty good DH candidate in Alex Guerrero. Scott Van Slyke could work too.
Justin: It’s always best to plan ahead, even if it’s a year in advance. If the DH is coming in 2017, which it sounds like is the case, then going ahead and jumping the gun on signing (or trading) for someone who can help not just in the future but also for now is a priority. With the dearth of free agents still out there, signing someone for spot at-bats with the ability to be a DH in the future is a smart play.
Anthony: While I don’t think teams should go out and sign a one-dimensional player for the sake of a rule change that might happen in a full calendar year, any team that is somehow taken by surprise (and you can bet some will) will have only themselves to blame. For the Dodgers, Yoenis Cespedes is still there for the taking. He fits in left field in the immediate future and, eventually, if the DH is brought to the NL, you have several players you can rotate in and out of that spot for rest or to adjust to the team they’re facing.
All things considered, are you for or against the DH coming to the NL?
Anthony: When you factor everything that goes into this decision, I’m actually completely for this. First and foremost, give me more scoring. The pitching statistics continue to get all the more ridiculous annually and, honestly, (don’t shoot me for this), I can’t stand sitting there for three hours and watching a single run scored. If I was into that, I’d run Galaxy Nation, or something like that.
The other factor that I don’t know is being covered enough is how open to change baseball is, comparatively speaking. Baseball has remained the slowest of all the sports to make changes to its game to appease more fans. Now, some admire that about the sport, but personally, I find it annoying. This might open the gates for other changes to make baseball more fan-friendly. Good on you, baseball.
Justin: For. Completely for. It’s about time. It should have happened a couple years ago, but late is better than never. Glad it’s happening.
Ryan: I’m against it. I can see why people think it’s strange that the two leagues in Major League Baseball play under different rules, but that’s also what makes baseball as special as it is. In my opinion, the chess match that is NL baseball is simply more intriguing. More runs, as the rule change is intended to create, doesn’t necessarily equate to more fun. And plus, isn’t the World Series ten times more fun because the two teams have to adjust to the other league’s rules? Not only do we get to see two great baseball teams match up, but we also get to see how they adapt to different rules and styles of play. I don’t want to lose that.
Brian:
I pretty much answered this in the 2nd question, but I’ll expand a little here. I’d emphasize again how the game was founded and SUPPOSED to be played, and that’s without a DH. It went on fine for 100 years like so. What baseball is doing now, if they go ahead with this change, is giving into the pressure to try to make the game more appealing or interesting to some mainstream fans, and it’s probably 99% about the money. Show me someone who says that they’d like baseball a lot more if it only had a DH in the NL, and I’ll show you someone who probably isn’t a big baseball fan anyway.
Having the pitchers bat is part of the game. It may not be the most exciting part, but it’s still a fundamental aspect. You don’t mess with the rules of the game simply because it supposedly makes the game more “entertaining” (which I don’t believe is the case anyhow, as I explained above.) Maybe the NBA should do away with free throws and let players get a “free dunk” to excite the crowd. The NFL moved the extra point back, but it’s still a pretty boring part of the game, so lets just scrap it and have teams line up and go for 2 every time. Point being, if the argument about “making the game more interesting” is the only argument there is to change the rule, it shouldn’t hold much weight. And again, I don’t think it makes the game more interesting anyway.
Ok, I’ll get off me soapbox now.
JD: I’m still very much against it, (In A.L. and N.L.) but I think me and others like me are becoming the minority in this argument. It’s a shame.
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Why not also go over to aluminum bats and all-plastic turf domed stadiums?
We had the DH way back in high school, and since I pitched, I never got to bat (our coach said that the DH HAD to hit for the pitcher). The thing was, I was a MUCH better hitter than the guy we had at DH. I hated the rule then, I hate it now, and I’ll hate it in the future.
I see the change to DH as inevitable as the contracts for pitchers have become astronomical and more of the top pitchers have been hurt batting or running the bases. They do not risk them in the AL. plus I think the Union will really pull for it as the high priced DH position adds one more person to the roster.
I was born and raised as a Dodger fan. When the Dodgers were taken over by such horrible ownership I moved with my Dodger Catcher Scioscia to the Angels. I like the added offense of the DH and they seem to bring in relief pitchers for at least an inning. So it tends to shorten the game as far as watching Another Relief guy get loose which is boring…
I like the added offense of the Al and the constant pressure on the pitcher. I hae changed my stance on the DH and I am now for it…
Wouldn’t your rather see better baseball? Putting that stupid aluminum bats comment aside, American league baseball is overall better than NL, because it has to be. You aren’t able to pitch around the 8th, 9th and 1st batter in the lineup! If a pitcher can hit, he is able to, but especially at the big league level, you can generally use that spot in the line up to go get a beer. It is so specialized now, pitchers don’t have time to work on their hitting and maintain their core workouts.
If you check the stats, you will see that the AL has won interleague play more often, and has a .527 winning percentage since the start. The AL has won more games in 12 of the 18 seasons interleague play has been played, with more in the last 11 years in a row, some seasons not even being close. The top 8 winningest teams are AL, which include Seattle and Oakland, for crying out loud. The first NL team is St. Louis at #9. The reason being is that your pitching has to be better and your defense has to be better because you can’t take one inning out of three off because of poor hitting! Pitchers are so bad, they can’t even get down a bunt most times. And, besides, the best comment for the DH ever said, was: who wants to watch a fat guy think!
Even if you look at World Series wins in the same timeframe, you will see that the AL has won 10 out of 19, and if you look further back you will see that the AL has won 64 to the NL winning 47. And, it should be more because the SF Giants in 2014 weren’t the best team in the series, but had the hottest pitcher in baseball at the time. And, it is unusual to have one pitcher win three games in one world series. If it wasn’t for KC’s bullpen tanking in game 4, there would have been no game seven and no Madison Bumgarner’s third attempt.
@JonGallagher, your coach was probably telling you a lie because he wanted another player to hit, for some oddball reason. Coaches make poor decision sometimes. Why do we have interleague play anyway? This isn’t the way MLB used to be played! Why do we have instant replay? Why not make all the rules as they were in the 1903 World Series? Why not go back to nine games in the WS? Why do we have a wild card? Why do you “purists” only latch onto the DH rule? There is a name for this thinking: Denial!
But, keeping wood bats makes is safer for the pitchers and more challenging for the hitters, and a DH elevates the level of play across the board even if you “purists” don’t want to believe it to be so.
lew0409 Yes I agree. And as I stated I started out a NO DH guy.. But watching the game in the AL there is constant pressure on the pitchers. And the great thing is you can rest your stars especially the aging ones. It would really help the Dodgers to be able to DH Gonzo from time to time or Turner but keep their bats in the line up. As the stats say the AL teams tend to win more often against NL Teams and score more runs..
The NL with their bottom of the order and walking guys to get to the pitcher has a dead spot in the action. Yes I know about subbing the pitcher and utility guys all great for the real purist. But I would rather see stronger offense and more consistent action.
Plus I really feel for an organization that has spent money to try to win it all and a freak accident on the base paths or a pitcher getting hit or tearing a muscle which happened several times in the NL last year ruins all of their plans. The pitchers do not bat enough or run bases enough to have it second nature like a regular player there is too much risk of injury for your most important player on the field,,
Like in football, you put your best players out there and let them play so your team can score more points, goals, or runs. If a pitcher can hit, let him hit. If not, use the DH. There is a part of the rule that says that it is not mandatory to insert DH into a lineup but failure to do so excludes the DH for that game. The time has come for MLB to unify the rules with Interleague Play being played every day now since 2013. The DH hasn’t hurt the Astros when they moved to the AL in 2013. Putting a DH into a lineup increases strategy; there are 362,880 different batting combinations that can be used with the DH position available according to Sabrametrics. I don’t care what rules you play with or by but please don’t stop playing baseball due to a Players Strike like in 1994.
But DH’ing is a hard thing to do for those who have to do it. Just reinvent baseball from the rules of yesteryear from the 1800s etc. Why not free substitution for position players or at least catchers, designated runners, designated pinch hitters, batters can call for a low ball or high ball to be pitched to them. A ground rule double bounce into stands will be a homerun. World Series day games on weekends, retro looking baseball cards from the 1980s for today’s players, People have to dress in casual wear for ballgames instead of wearing fan gear. Make every team play every team at least once a season. And a 15 inch mound. PH’ing is one AB and you’re done. DH’ing can be 3 or 4 AB a game and more difficult. ASG doesn’t determine home field advantage. Team with best record in WS has home field advantage.
I’d like to see the DH in both leagues, but limited to use only one time in a game. The manager would have to figure out when to DH his pitcher–early or late. Or wait–until a relief pitcher is in. That could force a really outstanding growthinf baseball strategey.
Using a DH definitely does not increase strategy. Say you like it more all you want, that’s opinion based. But saying it increases strategy is just nonsense.
Well that was a extremely long comment that made no sense. My favorite part was the part about the AL winning 10 of 19 WS, lol. Just about half the time! Like that has anything to do with the use of a DH anyway.
And btw being against the DH doesn’t automatically make you a purist… it means you appreciate how the game is supposed to be played.
Fair enough. I just don’t think changing the rules around to make the game “more appealing” to some fans makes sense. Lots of things could make the game more interesting. Doesn’t mean that’s what is best for the game.