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MLB Exploring Adding Designated Hitter to NL: Latest Details, Reaction
bleacherrepot.com ^ | Jan. 21, 2016 | Alec Nathan

Posted on 01/21/2016 3:37:59 PM PST by PROCON


Major League Baseball is exploring the possibility of making the designated hitter a staple of the National League as soon as 2017, according to Newsday's David Lennon.

Commissioner Rob Manfred reportedly said the idea is "gaining momentum," per Lennon.

Although the potential change could ruffle the feathers of baseball purists, Lennon cited several reasons MLB is seeking to implement the DH in the NL:

(Excerpt) Read more at bleacherreport.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Sports
KEYWORDS: baseball; dh; nl; sports
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To: PROCON

The game is changing. You don’t need a stable of aces for a starting rotation. You can do what the Royals have done, put out some reliable starters who can give you about 5-6 innings and then roll out your killer bull pen and the game is over. People aren’t willing to pay to see great arms, they want to see great hitters and great runners. I don’t really like the DH but it does help fill the seats.


21 posted on 01/21/2016 3:57:47 PM PST by centurion316
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To: PROCON

I love the traditions of baseball.

I think the DH in the AL is cool and the Pitcher flailing in the NL is cool.

I do not think it should change.

Ground rules are ground rules. If the home team has the pitcher hitting, then the visiting team abides by those rules.


22 posted on 01/21/2016 3:58:15 PM PST by stylin_geek (Never underestimate the power of government to distort markets)
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To: PROCON

I find the NL very boring but the compromise solution is just don’t have the pitcher in the batting order. So you have eight batters instead of nine.


23 posted on 01/21/2016 3:59:31 PM PST by big'ol_freeper (Ná tabhair shilíní le muca nó comhairle do amadáin)
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To: PROCON

No.


24 posted on 01/21/2016 4:00:01 PM PST by ameribbean expat
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To: Tupelo

Don’t know what you are getting at about the Babe there, he’s only the greatest baseball player that ever lived. He was top ten southpaw of his time. He wanted to pitch but they made him play the field because he was the exception to the rule, a pitcher that actually could hit.


25 posted on 01/21/2016 4:01:15 PM PST by major-pelham
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To: Dr. Sivana

I like inter-league play, but I think it should be limited to natural rivals.

For instance, Dodgers and Angels. Twins and Milwaukee. Cubs and White Sox, Yankees and Mets, etc.

Right now, there is way too much inter-league play, which I find off-putting.


26 posted on 01/21/2016 4:02:56 PM PST by stylin_geek (Never underestimate the power of government to distort markets)
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To: discostu
The MLB did no favors to pitchers by lowering the mound. There weren't as many arm injuries as well back in the day. Pitchers pitched way more innings and had less problems. Pitchers are babied but they have also had to deal with smaller ballparks and roided batters and the DH.
27 posted on 01/21/2016 4:03:29 PM PST by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
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To: major-pelham

Sometimes that backfires. I saw Francisco Liriano get a hit twice last year in that situation.


28 posted on 01/21/2016 4:04:36 PM PST by darkangel82
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To: discostu
But really there is no athlete in sports more pampered than the MLB pitcher....And they tend towards to top of the pay scale.

On the other hand, an ace starter will face 1,000 batters in the course of a season.

And an everyday position player will only make 650 Plate Appearances.

And more physical effort is required to throw, say, 110 pitches than to play nine innings in the field at any position -- save catcher.

29 posted on 01/21/2016 4:05:06 PM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: big'ol_freeper
So you have eight batters instead of nine.

You know, that is one solution I had never heard of, it has some merit.

30 posted on 01/21/2016 4:05:46 PM PST by PROCON (Proud CRUZader!)
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To: PROCON
What say you baseball purists?

Until the Dodgers return to Brooklyn, baseball will continue it's downhill slide.

31 posted on 01/21/2016 4:06:07 PM PST by Jim Noble (Diseases desperate grown Are by desperate appliance relieved Or not at al)
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To: colorado tanker
I guess there is no chance to force the Americans to give up the DH?

Absolutely none. And it's not the AL that is the big h rule supporter -- it's the players' union.

Those are 15 high paying jobs.

32 posted on 01/21/2016 4:07:53 PM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: okie01

But that everyday position player also plays defense. And will probably play the whole game. Pitchers used to be able to play the whole game, odd that in this time when every sport is seeing players getting bigger, stronger, faster and performing more pitchers have diminishing expectations.


33 posted on 01/21/2016 4:08:26 PM PST by discostu (Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right B, A, Start)
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To: PROCON

Like football: hitters and fielders?


34 posted on 01/21/2016 4:09:07 PM PST by onedoug
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To: major-pelham
That's the issue, let the pitcher hit or give it to the bullpen? In the right situation you pull a pitcher who still has gas in the tank. Tough call.

OTOH, I see so many situations where the opposing pitcher takes the out for granted and ends up walking or letting the pitcher get a hit.

What is really boring is a manager who sits there until his pitcher is gassed and makes the ho-hum decision to pull him.

The DH rule was made for the fan who is drinking beer, talking to his friends or these days checking his phone and only looks up when there's a hit. The DH does produce hits. Watching the defense? That's boring, right?

35 posted on 01/21/2016 4:09:53 PM PST by colorado tanker
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To: PROCON
I suppose that they have not screwed up MLB enough they have to keep on working at it.

Oh well, keep doing it until you get it right.

Maybe they should play the games between 3 a.m. and 6 so nobody on both coasts will watch.

I got no business complaining. I have not bought a ticket to the Red Sox in more than 25 years, and that is not likely to change.

36 posted on 01/21/2016 4:17:27 PM PST by Radix ("..Democrats are holding a meeting today to decide whether to overturn the results of the election.")
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To: discostu
But maybe pitchers should bother to learn to actually hit.

It will never happen.

FACT: Pitchers batting averages have gone down each and every decade since 1900. Be assured this trend will continue.

FACT: The only league WITHOUT the DH rule in the USA is the National League. Little League, High School, College and the lower minor leagues all use the DH rule exclusively. The AA and AAA leagues allow the NL affiliates to use their pitchers-as-hitters only in games between each other.

FACT: Although the pitcher is often the best ballplayer (and hitter) on his high school or college squad, from the moment he signs as a pitcher, he knows pitching will be his job -- what he gets paid for. Consequently, he's not going to waste a lot o his time working on his hitting -- which will naturally atrophy over time. And, quite naturally, his team has no problem with this decision. Indeed, most will encourage it -- because turning a young pitcher into a better pitcher is easier to do than turning him into a better hitter.

37 posted on 01/21/2016 4:19:55 PM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: PROCON
NO . . . FREAKING . . . WAY.

If they do this I am through with baseball forever.

They should be getting rid of the DH, not spreading it!

38 posted on 01/21/2016 4:22:31 PM PST by Zionist Conspirator (The "end of history" will be worldwide Judaic Theocracy.)
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To: okie01

FACT: the lower your expectations the worse your results. If the MLB owners and managers turned to the pitchers and said: there’s simply no excuse for you guys to suck at hitting, learn it or you’re out. Baseball has decided they’re OK with pitchers being pathetic at half the game, and so they are.


39 posted on 01/21/2016 4:24:23 PM PST by discostu (Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right B, A, Start)
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To: PROCON

No, hell no! Instead off adding the DH to the NL they should drop it from the AL.


40 posted on 01/21/2016 4:27:08 PM PST by TruthWillWin (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
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