Of course I would not forget you dear reader.
All you have to do is answer one question to get a shot winning the contest. I'll randomize as I usually do using random.org.
I've heard talk that if and when realignment occurs in baseball, the DH will be used in both leagues. What do you think o the DH? Should it be dropped altogether, left the same or should everyone use it?
I'll leave this open until Sunday night. The prize will be a rack pack of something and other goodies.
Thanks and good luck!
I think that the rule should be consistent along both leagues. I am an old fart, so I like the no DH.
ReplyDeleteGet the DH in the both leagues. We are no longer a league where pitchers can actually hit (like Ruth did) and with as much as teams are investing in pitchers' arms, there's no need to risk injury at the plate or on the base paths.
ReplyDeleteI just want to see it the same in both leagues. It doesn't matter to me either way. It is nice to see sluggers be able to extend their careers in the DH spot, but it's also nice to see a headhunter have to some up to bat.
ReplyDeleteI Say they go little league and use an EH and have the pitcher hit. this way you can keep the older, less athletic, good hitters around longer (example David Ortiz) and still have the strategy of the pitcher in the line up.
ReplyDeleteI kind of like the comic relief from watching pitchers hit..
ReplyDeleteDid ya see Lee's sac fly in Wednesday's game? Only about two feet shy of a homer, caught on the warning track!!
ReplyDeleteOur pitchers can hit the ball, I say even the leagues out and get rid of the DH.
I'd prefer to see the DH go away. I value a pitcher that can help himself with the bat. Having the DH hit for the pitcher feels like opening the door or a lady. Except the lady is another dude...
ReplyDeleteDoesn't matter, the DH is here to stay. Today's fan needs all the runs they can get and Bud Selig and the owners know it.
Too bad.
The key is parity between the two leagues and I like the entertainment value of providing the means for sluggers to stick around a few years.....no, wait, I like the traditional idea of pitchers hitting - get rid of the DH......No, I GOT IT - swap the DH over to the NL and then in a few decades we can revisit! The political solution :)
ReplyDeleteWatching the pitcher bat during interleague play has been absolutely brutal. DH please.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the contest!
Leave it alone . If it ain't broke don't fix it.
ReplyDeleteI say let the pitchers hit in both leagues for one primary reason. Pitchers might think twice about intentionally throwing at a batter if they have to be in the batter's box also.
ReplyDeletePlus, who doesn't like seeing that odd occurrence of a pitcher hitting a gapper or a homer. If you are too old to field a position, then you shouldn't be in the big leagues anymore.
holy crap. are you serious? If they adopt the Fat Bastards in the N.L. I will never watch another baseball game again.
ReplyDeleteNothing like watching a 43 year old 400 pounder waddle up to the plate every three innings.
Did you see Tim Hudson beat the Blue Jays with a 2 run homer the other night?
Bunting, double switches, hit and run.... that's baseball.
Some loser who can't bend over to hold a glove anymore? That's patheitc.
Although I don't have a huge issue with one league having the DH and the other not, each league probably should play under the same rules.
ReplyDeleteIn that case, scrap the DH. Do you really want to forever obliterate the thrill of watching a pitcher hit a home run? It's one of the greatest unexpected moments in baseball.
I actually like it the way it is. I kind of like that the 2 leagues are different. I enjoy seeing the additional strategy employed in the NL, and at the same time I'm glad that guys like Vlad, Ortiz, Hafner, and Thome can still hit someplace and not subject us to watching them out in the field.
ReplyDeleteI also vote to get rid of the DH if it has to be all or nothing. Make players play defense and offense...this isn't football.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of the DH. Althought the union will never let that happen.I don't like the idea of 15 team leagues either.Just move the Astros to the American west.
ReplyDeleteBaseball is smarter without the DH. On the other hand, the DH is now used essentially everywhere except the NL. So I guess it's going to be the DH.
ReplyDeleteCompromise.
ReplyDeleteAbolish the Designated Hitter.
Establish a Designated Runner.
Get rid of the fat roided washed up batsmen.
Start drafting track stars.
Let the pitcher hit and if he can actually make contact let the sprinter do his thang.
We don't need realignment, and we don't need to annoy American & National League fans by mucking around with the DH rule.
ReplyDeleteBut since I'm a National League fan, if I'm forced to choose I say phase out the DH rule. I don't want to lose out on the strategy and memorable moments that pitchers hitting provide just to keep some aging sluggers around a little longer.
- Paul
I know Leyland's not a fan, since pitchers can and have gotten hurt batting, doing something their body is not trained to do.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I love seeing pitchers bat. And I think most pitchers want to bat. Plus, there seems to be so much more strategy involved when you don't have a DH. So, I hate to see DH take over completely.
I like the difference in the leagues. Keep it the same.
ReplyDeletelose the DH
ReplyDeleteKeep the DH for everyone. It's more exciting than watching the pitcher bunt 80% of the time.
ReplyDeleteMaking pitchers hit is like making the uncoordinated kid in PE class play volleyball. It's painful to watch and makes the game worse for all the other participants.
ReplyDeleteThe NL needs to adopt the DH. The players will never allow the AL to get rid of a roster spot, plus, going back to hitting pitchers would mean a wait of a few years until pitchers in the minors would get back into preparing to hit in games, and not just on pitching. Making both leagues use the DH makes the most sense.
ReplyDeleteit wouldn't be a bad thing. It will give players that can't play in the field anymore but can still hit a chance to keep playing without hurting the team. for example look at Lance Berkman!
ReplyDeleteI like the DH, but I also like that the leagues are doing their own unique thing. Status quo, please.
ReplyDeleteI like the strategy that comes into play when pitchers have to hit, especially in later innings. Makes for more interesting viewing, imho. I vote to get rid of the DH.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of the DH. If Barry Bonds wasn't hired by someone to be a DH, no one else is worthy. Why pass on the greatest player of all time because he has a bad attitude and instead sign a guy who bats .200 with 20 HR and 200 SO. Because the owners got together and decided, that's why.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of the DH. Except for rare exceptions presently, they're not really that good of hitters. having the pitcher bat also makes having a good bench more valuable over the season to maximize roster usability.
ReplyDeleteI'm fine with a DH or without one, so long as the leagues are consistent.
ReplyDeleteI think keep the DH in the AL. I like not having it in the NL. I hope it doesn't become part of the rules for both leagues. If you come to the plate you should have to field a position.
ReplyDeleteThe DH has been around too long for it to go away. Too many careers have been extended for the Union to sign off on that one.
ReplyDeletePersonally, the purist should be upset about realignment talk that involves more teams jumping leagues.
DH - Maybe someone already said this )I quit reading comments after about 15) but I think they should make the pitchers hit in the AL and adopt the DH in the NL. So each league would have 10 batters in each game. This would keep stars hitters around as DHs and we would still get to see the pitchers try to hit.
ReplyDeleteRealignment - I don't know how you fix it and I'm not taking the time to figure it out but how is Pittsburgh in the Central and Atlanta is in the East? Other than that kick some owners in the rear and tell them to get their teams up to snuff. No sense moving them to make them more even. Take teams away instead.
Captn - You said that the AL DHs are all big overweight guys. Evidently you haven't been paying much attention to the pitchers now a days. They keep getting bigger and bigger and...
I agree with consistency between both league... and as much as I like the DH aspect, the old-timer in me would have to go with no DH in both leagues and have the pitcher hit.
ReplyDeleteI also think re-alignment is stupid and if they do it, it should go back to the top team in each league battle it out in the World Series.
I think it should be the same in both leagues, and personally prefer keeping the DH, but admittedly that's probably just because I grew up watching AL baseball and am used to it
ReplyDeleteI didn't read all the comments left so I'm sure this was already said but my take is if you can't play the field, you don't get to bat. Period. DH is a position for washed up guys that have lost a step, can't run, can't throw, and can only swing a bat. Let the pitchers hit, it's part of the game.
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of the American League and afraid of change. Don't change a thing.
ReplyDeleteIf a pitcher is too big of a wuss to swing the bat, he shouldn't be playing at all, to me. Besides, who knows what we're missing? Sabathia, Buehrle, and probably a lot of other pitchers can hit quite well.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to see players at the top of their game, not seeing someone who is so drastically out of place every ninth time. And the DH actually creates more strategy then it takes away. Usually the time to do a pitching change or double switch is pretty automatic and the manager doesn't have to think. In the AL, the manager is forced to make pitching decisions solely on whether he thinks the pitcher can still pitch.
ReplyDeleteI'm an American League guy, and am not a big fan of seeing pitchers hit. Although the Orioles pitchers have been swinging some hot bats this year...
ReplyDeleteBut I'll take the DH.
You have to get rid of the DH, too many players hanging around who can only hit, should have to field also.
ReplyDeleteI say keep the DH. I can't stand watching a pitcher try to hit. Pitcher's spend the majority of their practice time throwing and fielding the ball, they don't put much emphasis on their hitting anyways. In my IMHO.
ReplyDeleteI think I may have to revisit my answer after seeing Fausto Carmona fall on his face yesterday. DH all around is looking better to me.
ReplyDeleteI too think the rule should be consistent across both leagues. With that in mind, it is time to expand the DH to the NL as well. Too much money is being wasted on pitching talent to continue to let them risk injury by attempting to swing at balls and run the bases.
ReplyDeleteContest entries closed...a day late, but better late than never.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone.