MLB's Rob Manfred hints at progress on universal DH...

[posty 2,296]

I know they don't care, but if this happens, I'm out...

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2018/06/14/mlb-designated-hitter-universal-al-nl/702738002/

 

Major League Baseball has moved methodically to eliminate many distinctions between the American and National leagues in recent years, and Thursday, Commissioner Rob Manfred indicated there is momentum toward perhaps the most significant such move: a unified designated hitter.

 

"I think that is a continuing source of conversation among the ownership group and I think that the dialogue actually probably moved a little bit, said Manfred at the conclusion of the quarterly owners' meeting on Thursday.

 

The AL has employed the DH since 1973. The NL has not adopted it.

 

This season, pitchers are hitting a modest .112, and while fans enjoy the occasional rush of a Max Scherzer or Madison Bumgarner surprisingly driving in a run, pitchers are exposed to injury at the plate or basepaths - witness the hamstring injury suffered in an intraleague game that sent Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka to the disabled list.

 

Abolishing the DH would likely face opposition from the players' union, which would foresee many well-paying jobs disappearing, so adding the DH to the NL would likely be a smoother road for Manfred.

 

Among other topics discussed at the meetings in New York:

 

--Manfred said the viral video of former New York Mets manager Terry Collins' mic'd-up tirade was removed by MLB. Manfred said his office is trying to determine how the video from a game in 2016 was leaked. According to the collectively bargaining agreement with umpires, interactions involving miced umpires would not be made public.

 

--On defensive shifts and the possibility of an illegal-defense rule: Were in the discussion-analysis phase on that topic, not the decision-phase.

 

--MLB may look at more fan friendly schedule initiatives for 2019 that would include possible two-game weekend series on just Saturday and Sunday.

[Mike Honcho 4,035]

I'm with you, just let the pitchers hit, have double switches, have managers like Joe Maddon who played two pitchers on the field the other day alternating lefty/righty then double switching with a catcher playing left, that's real baseball. If they feel the absolute need to standardize between leagues, I'd propose they do what our little league did, pitcher still hits but add a 10th bat in the lineup as DH. Get a little more offense, pitcher comes up a little less, but strategy still remains.

 

And STFU about illegal defense, if you can only hit by pulling the ball---then damn right i'm going to play everyone to your pull side and get you out...learn to bunt or hit the other way and they'll stop shifting.

 

Really don't like Manfred...he told a BS story about the Buck Weaver investigation, that it didn't exonerate Weaver...which I know is BS since the guy who did the investigation said Buck should be reinstated. Manfred gets away with this cause the investigator died waiting for Selig to make a decision.

 

Also..go BREWERS

[Voltaire 4,560]

DH has been around as long as I can remember and I never paid much attention to the National League so... fine by me. If I were an NL fan, I may feel different.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

Pitchers are exposed to injury... Just like everyone else in every sport

[Thornton Melon 544]

I really couldnt give a rats ass one way or the other about the DH, but that proposed illegal defense rule is asinine.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,652]

The shift has taken away the great infield defensive play. You just don't see it much anymore. Not saying they should do away with it, but it is a by product of it.

[Alias Detective 1,179]

I know they don't care, but if this happens, I'm out...

I agree.

[edjr 5,567]

all you guys against this, are the reason baseball will fail in our lifetimes.

 

it needs to be fixed. The pitcher hitting is focking stupid.

 

1 out, nobody on base, 8th batter walks, pitcher fails miserably trying to bunt him over 3 times

 

I was pro pitcher hitting, when I was younger. The game needs fixing. Pitchers hitting are a joke.

 

The dumbest thing of all time, is making AL pitchers bat when they pitch in NL parks. Smarten up!

 

 

 

MLB pitchers as hitters
Year OPS
1913 .446
1923 .506
1933 .452
1947* .447
1953 .438
1963 .364
1973 .380
1983 .360
1993 .367
2003 .396
2013 .333

 

 

 

It's over, give it up. get with the times

[TimmySmith 2,782]

The shift has taken away the great infield defensive play. You just don't see it much anymore. Not saying they should do away with it, but it is a by product of it.

The shift is a name, nothing more. There are no set positions in the rulebook, save pitcher and catcher. The rest can play wherever they want.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

all you guys against this, are the reason baseball will fail in our lifetimes.

 

it needs to be fixed. The pitcher hitting is focking stupid.

 

1 out, nobody on base, 8th batter walks, pitcher fails miserably trying to bunt him over 3 times

 

I was pro pitcher hitting, when I was younger. The game needs fixing. Pitchers hitting are a joke.

 

The dumbest thing of all time, is making AL pitchers bat when they pitch in NL parks. Smarten up!

 

 

 

It's over, give it up. get with the times

Yeah, baseball needs one more player in the lineup to strikeout 175 times in an attempt to hit 20 homeruns. Very exciting.

[edjr 5,567]

Yeah, baseball needs one more player in the lineup to strikeout 175 times in an attempt to hit 20 homeruns. Very exciting.

 

as opposed to striking out 300 times and hitting no HR

 

da fuq?

[TimmySmith 2,782]

 

as opposed to striking out 300 times and hitting no HR

 

da fuq?

At least I get the bunt, the double switch, the decision to leave a pitcher in or out.

 

Also pitchers combined SO around 120 times a season per team.

[edjr 5,567]

At least I get the bunt, the double switch, the decision to leave a pitcher in or out.

 

Also pitchers combined SO around 120 times a season.

 

Great, make the games last even longer. How about a parade between innings?

 

They don't strike out because they bunt.

 

I'll meet you half way. No pitchers hit and NO DHs. bat 8 guys

[TimmySmith 2,782]

 

Great, make the games last even longer. How about a parade between innings?

 

They don't strike out because they bunt.

 

I'll meet you half way. No pitchers hit and NO DHs. bat 8 guys

Some of us like baseball. Not HR derby. A split in the leagues is the perfect solution. Why change it?

[edjr 5,567]

Some of us like baseball. Not HR derby. A split in the leagues is the perfect solution. Why change it?

 

why make AL pitchers hit in NL parks?

 

it is a JOKE

[TimmySmith 2,782]

 

why make AL pitchers hit in NL parks?

 

it is a JOKE

Rules of the home team. Does it really bother you that baseball players play baseball?

[edjr 5,567]

Rules of the home team. Does it really bother you that baseball players play baseball?

 

pitchers bunting isn't baseball.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,652]

The shift is a name, nothing more. There are no set positions in the rulebook, save pitcher and catcher. The rest can play wherever they want.

I know. I'm just saying that there are by-products to the now wide spread method of defense commonly referred to as the shift. Much less outstanding defensive plays is one of them. I don't care for it.

[vuduchile 1,941]

 

pitchers bunting isn't baseball.

Sure it is. I would splain why, but I know Id be wasting my time.

 

We get it. You just dont have the time and/or patience to watch baseball.

 

You want to be entertained by certain parts of a baseball game but you cant be bothered with things like home run trots, pitchers bunting or managers managing strategically.

 

I, on the other hand, like to watch an actual baseball game whenever I manage to find the time.

[vuduchile 1,941]

I know. I'm just saying that there are by-products to the now wide spread method of defense commonly referred to as the shift. Much less outstanding defensive plays is one of them. I don't care for it.

I dont mind it. Again, its not new, just in Vogue now for some reason.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,584]

as someone who was against it for years as an NL fan, I am for it now

 

The AL has such a huge advantage in interleague and WS, just balance it across the game

[edjr 5,567]

as someone who was against it for years as an NL fan, I am for it now

 

The AL has such a huge advantage in interleague and WS, just balance it across the game

 

What advantage does the AL have in intraleague and world series? AL sends their pitchers up to make an out, or sometimes not swing at all

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,584]

 

What advantage does the AL have in intraleague and world series? AL sends their pitchers up to make an out, or sometimes not swing at all

 

because think of it like this

 

the AL pays a guy to man the DH position, the NL doesn't

 

so in games when there is a DH teams like the Indians have Encarnacion, while teams like the Diamondbacks are DHing with their 4th OF or 5th IF

 

now when it comes to games in the NL parks, a team like the Indians again have Encarnacion or Alonso coming off the bench late in game (starters, good hitters) while again the NL team is pinch hitting with their 4th OF or 5th IF

[edjr 5,567]

 

because think of it like this

 

the AL pays a guy to man the DH position, the NL doesn't

 

so in games when there is a DH teams like the Indians have Encarnacion, while teams like the Diamondbacks are DHing with their 4th OF or 5th IF

 

now when it comes to games in the NL parks, a team like the Indians again have Encarnacion or Alonso coming off the bench late in game (starters, good hitters) while again the NL team is pinch hitting with their 4th OF or 5th IF

 

So the NL has no bench players capable of hitting? Is there some special DH school or training needed?

 

Do you realize the Red Sox had to sit David Ortiz in some intraleague games and world series games? no bigger disadvantage than that

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,584]

 

So the NL has no bench players capable of hitting? Is there some special DH school or training needed?

 

Do you realize the Red Sox had to sit David Ortiz in some intraleague games and world series games? no bigger disadvantage than that

 

yes the NL basically has a bench of reserves guys that are platoon guys (platoons occur more in the NL as well), very rarely are they starter types. If you watch an interleague game teams only benefit from like the Nats being able to get Harper some AB's without playing the field

 

And my point is even when the Red Sox sit Papi who would you rather have pinch hitting in the 9th inning of a close game Papi or any other bench player in the NL

[edjr 5,567]

 

yes the NL basically has a bench of reserves guys that are platoon guys (platoons occur more in the NL as well), very rarely are they starter types. If you watch an interleague game teams only benefit from like the Nats being able to get Harper some AB's without playing the field

 

And my point is even when the Red Sox sit Papi who would you rather have pinch hitting in the 9th inning of a close game Papi or any other bench player in the NL

 

Joc Pederson was the Dodgers DH last year. He had an OPS of 1.344 in the world series.

 

There is always next time

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,584]

 

Joc Pederson was the Dodgers DH last year. He had an OPS of 1.344 in the world series.

 

There is always next time

 

exactly they had a guy who wasn't a starter who happened to get hot at the right time, that is not something you can depend on

 

great sample size

 

James White is the greatest RB of all-time

[edjr 5,567]

 

exactly they had a guy who wasn't a starter who happened to get hot at the right time, that is not something you can depend on

 

great sample size

 

James White is the greatest RB of all-time

 

 

Super Bowl 52

 

7 for 45 1 TD

2 for 21

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,584]

SB 51