Mr. Enigma
Member
So the Orioles and White Sox are going to play tomorrow in an empty stadium with no fans being allowed in.
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MLB 2015 Regular Season |OT| Pickin' Up the Pace of Play
- Thread starter Corran Horn
- Start date
RoslindaleOne
Member
And their home games will be in Tampa Bay this weekend.
Tragicomedy
Member
Every statistical article on the subject backs the DH as being right choice. Pitchers are getting way better at pitching, and way worse at hitting. It doesn't add anything to the game to have an almost guaranteed out every trip through the batting order.
The "purist" mentality of having your pitcher go up to bat dates back to an era when pitchers could hit. The idea of it adding strategy to managing your batting order is hilarious, since it adds zero strategy. In later innings, with the game on the line and runners in scoring position, you sub your pitcher. I can tell you with 95% certainty when a pinch hitter is coming in based on the inning, score, and base runner situation...and I'm no genius.
The honest answer is that NL owners don't want to drop the cash on an additional hitter. They can appeal to the purity of the game, or tradition, or whatever...but it comes down to money. There was a time when the NL was a vastly superior league, but that's no longer the case.
Fans like great pitching. Fans like great hitting. The DH rule enables both better than having a nine-slot pitcher strike out or sacrifice 2-3 times per game. People point out guys like Hampton or Bumgarner, but they are the exception that proves the rule. And Bumgarner's hitting stats are hot garbage. Career .162 batting average. GTFO, Mendoza Madison! Stick to dominating my Royals from the mound.
The "purist" mentality of having your pitcher go up to bat dates back to an era when pitchers could hit. The idea of it adding strategy to managing your batting order is hilarious, since it adds zero strategy. In later innings, with the game on the line and runners in scoring position, you sub your pitcher. I can tell you with 95% certainty when a pinch hitter is coming in based on the inning, score, and base runner situation...and I'm no genius.
The honest answer is that NL owners don't want to drop the cash on an additional hitter. They can appeal to the purity of the game, or tradition, or whatever...but it comes down to money. There was a time when the NL was a vastly superior league, but that's no longer the case.
Fans like great pitching. Fans like great hitting. The DH rule enables both better than having a nine-slot pitcher strike out or sacrifice 2-3 times per game. People point out guys like Hampton or Bumgarner, but they are the exception that proves the rule. And Bumgarner's hitting stats are hot garbage. Career .162 batting average. GTFO, Mendoza Madison! Stick to dominating my Royals from the mound.
darkside31337
Tomodachi wa Mahou
I seriously doubt NL position players are that opposed to it either. Having a DH means the older guys can DH part time and it means you're more likely to get playing time if you're a hitter. Pitchers would rather spend those minutes sitting on the bench resting between half innings instead of having to get in the batters box and running the bases.
So it'll be like a Marlins game in other words.
DoktorEvil
Banned
Baseball has been slowly becoming a specialized sport, so I guess I would be cool if the NL finally gave into the DH rule.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I don't care if pitchers are bad at hitting, that's part of what makes the game interesting. The MLBPA might like the idea, but I don't know what bargaining chip they have that's going to get NL owners to agree to a wholesale salary increase across the board.
Tragicomedy
Member
I watched their last series against the Royals, and can confirm the White Sox will feel right at home in an empty stadium.
Wait...what? Interesting in what way? Watching an over matched dude strike out? How is that interesting? It sucks.
Your second part hits the nail on the head, though. Basically, you are watching a crappy hitter at the plate in order to save billionaire owners some money. /nope.gif
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Edit - Alex Gordon with the dinger! Dude is really heating up.
Dominican Power
Member
NL is the only league that doesn't use the DH.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
The double-switch, pinch hitters, etc. It adds something to what happens in the late game.That said, you can fantasize about it all you want, but MLB has literally no salary cap or any form of restricted free agency. They have no bargaining power to get it.
No offense, but this is the most irrelevant argument in a giant sea of irrelevant arguments.
Cant argue that!
Tragicomedy
Member
The double switch is pinch hitting for a garbage batter and making a phone call out to the bullpen. It's not strategy...it's compensation for an ancient rule that requires a pitcher to strike out multiple times per game. A double switch is a solution to a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place.
I think that fan sentiment and statistics will eventually outweigh the owner's appeal to tradition and make the DH a league wide thing. But I agree with you, it's not happening any time soon.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Sure you can. Its an irrelevant argument because the only leagues that actually matter are the AL and the NL.
The players, managers and media banging the drum is only slightly more relevant, and even then, totally irrelevant as to whether they'd actually get it. The only thing that's relevant is whether the MLBPA has something up its sleeve it can use as leverage to get it.
The "statistics" and fan sentiment are irrelevant to whether it ever happens. The only thing that matters period is whether there's a bargaining position that gets the NL to agree to it.
The DH rule is just pathetic anyways. If we're going to act like the pitcher is super-special, just eliminate his spot from the lineup entirely, not replace him with some loser that can't field.
brianjones
Member
that's not really what happens most of the time...
Sir Alemeth
Member
Rematch!
sf2fanatic
Member
I'll be in favor of it right now. We got Guerrero sitting on the bench while Uribe is stinking up the place at the plate
Rematch!
hmm hope this game is on MLBN for me. Says it could be this one or the Padres vs Astros so I'm not really sure which one I'm getting.
Dominican Power
Member
Run already on the board and Tex gets a double.
sf2fanatic
Member
It's hot over here too. May be a beauty to watch tonightRematch!
weekend_warrior
Banned
Gotta love that new depleted Rays pitching staff.
Though if the story is to be believed, the only reason the NL doesn't have the DH now is because the Phillies owner couldn't be reached on a fishing trip to confirm his vote.
Tragicomedy
Member
Is it 1973?
http://youtu.be/W3VJPKOQjUw
I hope he caught a lot of fish BECAUSE HE RUINED BASEBALL!!!1!!
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
If you actually let the owners vote, they'd probably be more likely to do away with the DH than expand it.
Tragicomedy
Member
If you let the owners vote they'd revoke free agency, install a strict salary cap, increase the season to 200 games a year, and publicly execute Josh Hamilton.
Dominican Power
Member
You can't save Didi, A Rod.
DoktorEvil
Banned
Left to their own devices, the owners would love nothing more than to abolish the MLBPA and have players only show up to the stadium as part time, like the old days.
Boston's pitching is almost as bad as ours
the_firewithin
Member
with as shitty as the braves will be this year beating the nats will give me solace especially if its against biggest baby strasburg
It's the only thing that's kept me warm at night.
Tragicomedy
Member
Alex Gordon with the go ahead RBI single, followed by a disastrous steal attempt. Not even close.
He saved Cano and Melky. He can do anything!
Rafa=FedKilla
Banned
AJ Cole...
NameGenerated
Who paid you to grab Dr. Pavel?
Aj cole....
An Amazing Comedy Show.
Sir Alemeth
Member
lol nats