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The Universal Designated Hitter Would be Bad for MLB
Last Word on Baseball ^ | February 11, 2019 | Aaron Cornett

Posted on 02/11/2019 10:07:24 PM PST by TBP

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I'll say something radical: not only shouldn't it be implemented in the National League, the American League should get rid of it
1 posted on 02/11/2019 10:07:24 PM PST by TBP
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To: TBP

100% agree. The DH rule is the worst thing ever to happen to baseball. I hate it... Always have and I want rid of it completely.


2 posted on 02/11/2019 10:18:33 PM PST by Bullish (My tagline ran off with another man.)
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To: TBP

I’ll see your radical and raise it.....

Stop all public funding of private business, including stadiums for professional athletes to perform the circuses.......

And as to the DH rule: I stopped caring way back with the last strike, if they never played another game I would never notice.


3 posted on 02/11/2019 10:19:39 PM PST by JParris
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To: TBP

Agree. Perhaps equally disruptive is the minimum 3 batter rule for pitchers — also removes strategy and will cause some pitchers to lose their jobs (e.g., left hand specialists). Would increase pace of play somewhat, though.


4 posted on 02/11/2019 10:24:02 PM PST by nickedknack
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To: TBP

One of the dozen reasons that it was approved in the first place, was to give aging players with no fielding capability...a chance to linger for two or three additional seasons. Frank Thomas is a great example...for the last ten years of his career, that gave him a chance to play.

For Jim Thome, probably 400 of his home runs were as a DH.


5 posted on 02/11/2019 10:51:31 PM PST by pepsionice
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To: TBP
I stand with Crash Davis on this topic. To wit:


6 posted on 02/11/2019 10:52:36 PM PST by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s^2))
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To: TBP

I agree. The DH is bad for baseball. While they’re at it they should all stop trying to play homerun derby. It’s boring to sit a wait for a homerun, that’s not baseball.


7 posted on 02/11/2019 11:00:32 PM PST by RichardMoore (Without the protection of life all other right are void, dump TV and follow a plant based diet)
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To: TBP

Nonsense. DH Rule should be universal. Most people don’t like watching batters make automatic outs. More offense and excitement if instead you have professional batters who can help get runs scored. Players like Edgar Martinez, Victor Martinez, J D Martinez, David Ortiz and Frank Thomas.

Baseball needs action. When balls are put in play, not only do you score more runs, you get great defense. Action! That’s what makes baseball fun.

The so-called strategy of using pinch-hitters for pitchers unnecessarily prematurely depletes your bench. This makes the later innings even more boring.


8 posted on 02/11/2019 11:02:27 PM PST by be-baw
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To: TBP

No.

It’s because they now want to switch pitchers out all the time.


9 posted on 02/11/2019 11:03:46 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: TBP
It's not a radical change at all -- since the NL is the only organized baseball league in the U.S. that doesn't use the DH today.

Over the years I've gone from being ambivalent about the DH to being generally in favor of it in the NL. The anti-DH crowd would have a much stronger case to make if pitchers weren't almost universally such awful hitters.

This fixation on the "strategy" of the NL rules is mystifying, too. When did it become a GOOD thing for managers to pull a dominant starting pitcher in the late innings of a close game just because the guy's spot in the lineup was up?

10 posted on 02/11/2019 11:04:36 PM PST by Alberta's Child ("In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey.")
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To: be-baw

Better the get rid of it in the AL.


11 posted on 02/11/2019 11:05:20 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: TBP

I agree. The designated hitter rule is odd and artificial, and so it should be discarded.

But I’m not against suggestions that will keep baseball from being a snooze-fest. Among these are:

1. Get rid of the new pitcher warm-up. When a new pitcher takes the mound, his first pitch should count.
2. Get rid of the four-pitch intentional walk. If the pitcher wants to intentionally walk a batter, the pitcher should just point to first base. No more of those four dull, wide pitches.
3. Move the pitching mound back a bit. Passes make a football game more exciting. The NFL understands this. Hits make a baseball game more exciting. MLB does not understand this.


12 posted on 02/11/2019 11:15:27 PM PST by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
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To: ifinnegan

Screw the DH rule. Abolish it and teach pitchers to hit. Hell they can’t even bunt. Good managers manage not substitute. Open up the strike zone and make hitters hit. Call double plays at second tighter and quit the bull shitz walk up music. Get in the batters box and stay there. The games generally suck the way they are played now.


13 posted on 02/11/2019 11:19:38 PM PST by Equine1952 (Get yourself a ticket on a common mans train of thought)
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To: Leaning Right
2. Get rid of the four-pitch intentional walk. If the pitcher wants to intentionally walk a batter, the pitcher should just point to first base. No more of those four dull, wide pitches.

This was already implemented in 2017.

14 posted on 02/11/2019 11:25:24 PM PST by Mozzafiato
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To: TBP

I like the DH rule. Nobody wants to see pitchers hit. Is there anything worse than your team having a rally going when the .065 hitting pitcher is up to bat? Even the article mentions there’s only been about 5 pitchers in history who were decent hitters. Besides it’s unfair for AL teams when a key component of their offense can’t hit in games at NL stadiums.


15 posted on 02/11/2019 11:31:47 PM PST by Mozzafiato
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To: Mozzafiato

> This [an intentional walk rule] was already implemented in 2017. <

Really? That’s interesting. Thanks for the info. I last went to a MLB game this past summer, and I didn’t notice that. But then again, the game moved so slowly that I lost interest.

Of course, that’s just me. I fully understand that some people see the slow pace of a MLB game as a plus.


16 posted on 02/11/2019 11:34:30 PM PST by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
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To: TBP
Huh? The "Universal Designate Hitler?"

Why that would be PDJT, of course.

He has been designated as Hitler's reincarnation by virtually all of the most reputable news organizations in the world.

Ok, let me clean my eyeglasses and try again....

17 posted on 02/11/2019 11:45:06 PM PST by CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC ("Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt" - Pr. Herbert Hoover)
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To: pepsionice

If they approve this, then the Designated Runner (Charlie Finley’s old gimmick) will also get new consideration.


18 posted on 02/12/2019 12:00:12 AM PST by rfp1234 (I don't watch CNN for the same reason I don't drink from the toilet.)
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To: Bullish

The Players’ Union will never allow the AL to do away with the DH.


19 posted on 02/12/2019 12:04:26 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Leaning Right

“Get rid of the four-pitch intentional walk. “

That has already been done.


20 posted on 02/12/2019 12:07:39 AM PST by be-baw
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