No DH in NL next Year

[MaineBucs]

It appears that the NL will not use the DH next year.



While I have generally been in the Bob Walk camp, I thought that the DH made sense last season and believe it similarly could make sense for the 2021 season, particularly because COVID is still running rampant and shows few signs of abating (e.g. cancelled Pro and College Football Games).



Also, assuming that baseball continues to allow some form of expanded rosters, at least through the first several months of the season, Shelton may go completely whammy if he is presented with the opportunity to make double-switches under the pretense of trying to help the team win.



So --- Keep the DH for next year. Allow expanded rosters until COVID is better under control. And if not, enact a rule that requires a team to forfeit a game if a manager makes more than one double-switch in a game.



Also, I see where the Marlins could have an all Pittsburgh outfield next year: Dickerson in left, Marte in center and Harold Ramirez in right. Conversely, on the Pirates, the main question is if the team will even have 3 outfielders on the opening day roster.

[Bobster21]

Good news! I hope it's true. I don't see how the DH made sense because of Covid. Pitchers still pitched. Keeping them in the dugout instead of batting was irrelevant to Covid. Sure, a pitcher could pull a hammie running to 1B and need a replacement. But so could the guy DHing who would otherwise have been relaxing on the bench.



I thought Shelton was horrid. But that isn't reason enough for me to give him less moves. If he can't be competent managing a baseball game, then he needs to go. Let's see if he can manage without the DH.

[2drfischer@gmail.c]

This proves there is a God. Now, if they'd just get rid of Interleague play and the disaster that is the replay system all will be right with the world.

[DemDog]

As an "Old Fart" I don't like the DH either. It does take some strategy out of the game that I grew up loving. But I do find one problem with not having the DH in the NL and that is DH in the minor leagues. When a pitcher final makes the major leagues he has no idea what to do with the bat. He can't even lay down a decent sac bunt. That takes some of the thrills out of the game for me. Then there is the ability for a pitcher to use a swinging bunt with a charging infielder to actually get a hit. Don't start me on other things like replay, extra innings starting with a guy on 2B, the 3 batters minimum rule for pitchers, and so on.

[Bobster21]

07262E072C24430 wrote: As an "Old Fart" I don't like the DH either.  It does take some strategy out of the game that I grew up loving.  But I do find one problem with not having the DH in the NL and that is DH in the minor leagues.  When a pitcher final makes the major leagues he has no idea what to do with the bat.  He can't even lay down a decent sac bunt.  That takes some of the thrills out of the game for me.  Then there is the ability for a pitcher to use a swinging bunt with a charging infielder to actually get a hit.  Don't start me on other things like replay, extra innings starting with a guy on 2B, the 3 batters minimum rule for pitchers, and so on. 
Pitchers do get some opportunity to bat in the minors, but not below AA. When they reach AA and AAA the DH cannot be used in games where both teams are affiliates of NL clubs. But obviously, the opportunities are limited. For example, Brubaker had 33 PAs in the minors going is 3 for 28 with 5 sacs. Keller had 43 PAs going 5 for 38 with a BB, a HBP and 3 sacs. It must be difficult for pitchers, who get little BP anyway, to face AA pitchers after not batting since HS or college.

[Surgnbuck]

After last season, I'm not 100% certain batting for the pitcher made a difference anyhow.

[GreenWeenie]

752335212E34242F223507202A262E2B6924470 wrote: This proves there is a God.  Now, if they'd just get rid of Interleague play and the disaster that is the replay system all will be right with the world.




I'm a Pirates fan.  Nothing will be right in my world until the Pirates win the World Series.

[2drfischer@gmail.c]

03222A032820470 wrote: As an "Old Fart" I don't like the DH either.  It does take some strategy out of the game that I grew up loving.  [highlight]But I do find one problem with not having the DH in the NL and that is DH in the minor leagues.[/highlight]  When a pitcher final makes the major leagues he has no idea what to do with the bat.  He can't even lay down a decent sac bunt.  That takes some of the thrills out of the game for me.  Then there is the ability for a pitcher to use a swinging bunt with a charging infielder to actually get a hit.  Don't start me on other things like replay, extra innings starting with a guy on 2B, the 3 batters minimum rule for pitchers, and so on. 


Valid point, Possum, but that can easily be resolved by an organization by simply having the pitchers bat while they play in the minor leagues. Since player preparation rather than winning is the goal, it can be justified. Didn't the Pirates do that, at least for awhile, under Huntington (which was one of his more forethoughtful decisions)?



As for the extra inning and three batter limit rules you mentioned, gimmicks are nothing more than cheap paint and dim lighting. The people who came up with, and approved, those changes should be forced to watch soccer games for eternity.

[BellevueBuc]

5A767E797255627464170 wrote: It appears that the NL will not use the DH next year. 



While I have generally been in the Bob Walk camp, I thought that the DH made sense last season and believe it similarly could make sense for the 2021 season, particularly because COVID is still running rampant and shows few signs of abating (e.g. cancelled Pro and College Football Games).



Also, assuming that baseball continues to allow some form of expanded rosters, at least through the first several months of the season, Shelton may go completely whammy if he is presented with the opportunity to make double-switches under the pretense of trying to help the team win.



So ---  Keep the DH for next year.   Allow expanded rosters until COVID is better under control.  And if not, enact a rule that requires a team to forfeit a game if a manager makes more than one double-switch in a game.



Also, I see where the Marlins could have an all Pittsburgh outfield next year:  Dickerson in left, Marte in center and Harold Ramirez in right.   Conversely, on the Pirates, the main question is if the team will even have 3 outfielders on the opening day roster.   


This is far from a certainty. The players most certainly want the DH, and the owners know that. They tried to trade the DH to keep the extended playoffs, which was just a money grab by the owners. The players get very little compensation for extended playoffs, but it is a big impact for the owners pockets.



I do not know why anyone enjoys watching pitchers hit. I did not miss watching them helplessly flail at pitches.

[BellevueBuc]

7B5A527B50583F0 wrote: As an "Old Fart" I don't like the DH either.  It does take some strategy out of the game that I grew up loving.  But I do find one problem with not having the DH in the NL and that is DH in the minor leagues.  When a pitcher final makes the major leagues he has no idea what to do with the bat.  He can't even lay down a decent sac bunt.  That takes some of the thrills out of the game for me.  Then there is the ability for a pitcher to use a swinging bunt with a charging infielder to actually get a hit.  Don't start me on other things like replay, extra innings starting with a guy on 2B, the 3 batters minimum rule for pitchers, and so on. 


It is pretty silly to have someone hit less than 100 times over 4-6 years and expect them to face guys at the top of their profession. But no DH means we get to hear people complain about the starting pitcher not running out a ground ball to second. Fun!