The Universal Designated Hitter Would be Bad for MLB

Last Word on Baseball ^ | February 11, 2019 | Aaron Cornett

[CommerceComet]

Personally, I think baseball is blowing it by trying to change the game to appeal more to the Millennials. The pacing of baseball is a wonderful break from the hectic pace of everyday life. It doesn't need video-game scoring totals to make it interesting. Just leave it be and it will continue to attract crowds and be profitable. However, tinker with it too much and baseball risks offending its existing fans while not attracting new ones.

In my book, people who claim that baseball is boring have just declared themselves as being unimaginative simpletons. It is an intriguing sport for those who can recognize the dozens of games within the game that are occurring continually.

[Ransomed]

Thanks!

Freegards

[Ransomed]

I wonder if most managers would rather take the DH, or just have another roster spot to carry another pitcher. Most NL teams seem to have pinch hitters that almost never field anyway.

Ryan Zimmerman, the often injured, might make a good DH if it ever comes to the NL.

Freegards

[Alberta's Child]

I used to agree with you about pitch counts, but now I’m not so sure. Look at how many pitchers these days have fastballs in the high 90s. That used to be a rarity. I’ve come to accept the fact that the human arm is now being stressed to the point of its physical limits, and what you’re seeing is surely a symptom of that.

[Alberta's Child]

I don’t think Stanton was a full-time DH in 2018. He probably played more games there than usual because he was hampered by some nagging injuries.

[Alberta's Child]

I grew up as a passionate baseball fan, and I think the game has declined in quality quite a bit over the years. Ridiculous offensive numbers were never a big deal for me one way or another.

What has really brought about the decline of baseball has been the rapid expansion of advanced metrics in the game -- to the point where there has been far less emphasis on putting the ball in play. It seems like half the at-bats these days end in either home runs or strikeouts.

This is a case where baseball's slow pace works against itself -- because it is so much easier to meticulously analyze and "over-coach" baseball than any other sport.

[usconservative]

I used to agree with you about pitch counts, but now I’m not so sure. Look at how many pitchers these days have fastballs in the high 90s.

A point I'd not considered. Still, if a pitcher is going into the sixth or seventh inning, still pitching strong and getting batters out, why change? I'm far from a baseball "expert" it just seems to me if a pitcher is still going strong why not leave him in? A good coach knows when a pitcher is getting tired and will replace them when needed.

Watching the last World Series for example was like watching one big pitching rotation in a single game. Dugouts got used up, pitchers were tired, etc.. How about some strategy instead of straight pitch-count?

[jjotto]

Good point.

Stanton’s contract was definitely for an OFer.

Stanton was primarily a DH in 2018, and is expected to be mainly a DH in 2019. The Yankees official MLB depth chart shows him as #1 DH and OF backup. But there is certainly a lot of opinion that says he ought to be the main LFer.

[Alberta's Child]

It's not just the pitch count that drives those managing decisions about replacing the starting pitcher. One of the biggest factors is the steep increase in an opposing team's offensive numbers when they face a pitcher for the third or fourth time in a game. ESPN did a study a few years ago and figured that against the same starting pitcher, the average MLB team hit almost 25 points higher the third time through the lineup than the first time -- and their slugging pct. was 50 points higher.

This is most likely a combination of pitchers getting fatigued and batters getting more comfortable at the plate with more at-bats against the same pitcher.

[Jacquerie]

Yep. Like homosexuality and inter-league play, the DH is an unnatural act.

[tet68]

Oah, this is about baseball.

I thought it was about the universally designated Hitler.

[lurk]

The DH is corruption of the game.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

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.

Well, hell, if that's the point pf the game, why not just have a completely separate lineup for batting? Have 9 guys who just field, and another 9 who just bat. That should give you what you're asking for.

[Fightin Whitey]

Oah, this is about baseball. I thought it was about the universally designated Hitler.

Heck, I thought it was about Laz.

[TBP]

I kind of like watching pitchers hit.

[TBP]

I get the 3-batter rule. It’s to cut dead time, which is what MLB is after. I’m not sure it reduces strategy, but it definitely changes it.

[TBP]

Agreed. No public funding for ballparks.

Tey have built some really nice ones, however.

[TBP]

Before teh DH, the Dick Stuarts and Pete Wards of the world found a way into the lineup, despite their defensive limitations. It was just considered part of the game.

Stuart’s nickname was “Dr. Strangeglove.”

[TBP]

I agree. I don’t want to hear about launch angle and exit velocity. Can anyone hit a double?

[TBP]

They’re not putting balls in play. We’ve just had the first season in history in which the majority of outcomes were what the sabermetricians call “the three true outcomes”: homeruns, strikeouts, and walks. We would have a LOT more action if players would stop swinging for the fences all the time.

They need to change the incentive structure. We need more good hitters to be rewarded, and not so much homerun hitters.

Professional hitters found their way into lineups before the DH, and they would find their way into lineups without the DH.

Personally, I like 1-0 pitcher’s duel. Not all the time, but I enjoy those games a lot. They’re exciting and strategic. (I like to “manage along.”)

The DH causes more pitching changes and reduces strategy, while creating an average of half a run per team per game.