CatnipOligarchy Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Just trying to get an idea of what kind of fan base we have here. I grew up watching National League baseball, and i find American League games not nearly as exciting. Hardly any sacrifice bunting, pinch-hitting, double switches.. and one of my favorite plays, the suicide squeeze, is non existant. The DH is no doubt to blame. If you want to hit, you play in the field. Sure the pitcher normally gets out, but it adds so much more strategy to the game.. and if a pitcher ever does get a hold of a pitch and hit one out.. too cool. See: Game 7 of the NLCS last year, Kerry Wood.. you dont get that kind of emotion in the AL for any early inning home run. Its been 31 years, the DH doesnt appear to be going anywhere.. but maybe one of these days a purist will take over as commissioner and at least try to get rid of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 I hate the DH position with the intensity of a thousand suns. Do managers ever have to even move their butts in the AL? I've never seen it. Easiest job in the world, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stncttr908 Veteran Posted April 13, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 13, 2004 I hate the DH position with the intensity of a thousand suns. Do managers ever have to even move their butts in the AL? I've never seen it. Easiest job in the world, IMO. I agree. And still, Joe Torre is heralded as something just short of a God when he just sits there with that same look on his face season in and out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whipper25 Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 true..the dh seems like a copout...but, GO YANKEES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Joe Torre is heralded as something just short of a God when he just sits there with that same look on his face season in and out. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenstein Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Yes - tradition. Fair or unfair, its a baseball tradition. I don't see it changing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Yes - tradition. Fair or unfair, its a baseball tradition. I don't see it changing. Tradition since 1973? Tradition is the 7th inning stretch and hot dogs, not this. The DH was supposed to be a 3 year experiment. Some experiment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designated_hitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoCahill Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 get rid of the dh, it just allows old players who can hit to be able to stay a while longer like edgar martinez and rafael palmeiro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spmccord Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 It's evil! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxikk Veteran Posted April 13, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 13, 2004 it's okay. less risk for injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetonesun Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Well, if you think pitchers hitting home runs is great, seeing a DH put up 30 HRs a year is much better. I think it forces the AL pitchers to be better than NL pitchers, which is more interesting than some base running and clever hitting that hardly gets used these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatnipOligarchy Posted April 13, 2004 Author Share Posted April 13, 2004 Well, if you think pitchers hitting home runs is great, seeing a DH put up 30 HRs a year is much better. I think it forces the AL pitchers to be better than NL pitchers, which is more interesting than some base running and clever hitting that hardly gets used these days. how is a DH hitting 30 HRs a year better? there are 8 other spots in the lineup that can do that.. and it doesnt make the AL pitchers any better.. it does make them more bold though. They can throw inside and throw at hitters without having to worry about coming up to bat. Clemens won't throw inside half as much as he used to or he'll get nailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aem4162 Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 dammit my post got lost! i hate the dh immensely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stncttr908 Veteran Posted April 14, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 14, 2004 It provides no challenge for the manager to use his bench and use double switches to bring a quality hitter up to bat and still get the pitching matchup that he wants. It removes a major part of managerial strategy from the game, which is why I'll always enjoy NL ballgames more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetonesun Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 how is a DH hitting 30 HRs a year better? there are 8 other spots in the lineup that can do that.. and it doesnt make the AL pitchers any better.. it does make them more bold though. They can throw inside and throw at hitters without having to worry about coming up to bat. Clemens won't throw inside half as much as he used to or he'll get nailed. Well I'd rather see 30 HRs over a year than 1 pitcher HR, that's my opinion. AL pitchers have to be better because they're facing an extra strong batter in the line-up over an NL pitcher. And I'm sure last years AL series between the Yankees and Sox proved no ones safe when pitchers start pitching inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ifsixwasnine Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Tradition since 1973? Tradition is the 7th inning stretch and hot dogs, not this. The DH was supposed to be a 3 year experiment. Some experiment.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designated_hitter Exactly. The only way that I see it as being ok is if you implement it into the NL, but that will not happen. So they should get rid of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galley Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 A failed experiment; get rid of it already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 AL pitchers have to be better because they're facing an extra strong batter in the line-up over an NL pitcher. Um, no. NL pitchers don't get to slack off every nine batters, you know. If they do, the batting pitcher usually makes them pay. Unless he just came from the AL and didn't practice enough. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 The DH takes any real strategy out of the game. It's awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianPimp99 Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 A fine example of the need to get rid of the DH actually occured in the Cubs-Reds game this past Friday. If you didn't see it, this is how it broke down. The Cubs are down 9-5 to the Reds. In the top of the seventh inning Dusty Baker used a double switch to get Kent Mercker in to pitch and hit in the 8th spot and Ramon Martinez in at SS to hit 9th. For some unknown reason, the ump didn't put it in his lineup card the same way and when the bottom of the inning rolled around it came into play. The 9th spot was due up first so Ramon hit a double to lead off, but since he wasn't supposed to be the batter at that spot he was called out. Dusty went nuts, got ejected and the Cubs still won but down by 4 a lead off double can really help the team. There just wouldn't have been any kind of an issue with the DH spot in that lineup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroChaos Veteran Posted April 19, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 19, 2004 the dh is awful. terrible. it just sucks. it needs to go. please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetonesun Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 Um, no. NL pitchers don't get to slack off every nine batters, you know. If they do, the batting pitcher usually makes them pay. Unless he just came from the AL and didn't practice enough. :p Look, facing the DH isn't even comparable to facing a pitcher. I realize you can't ignore the pitcher, but a NL pitcher probably spends more time worrying about his at bat than how he's going to get the opposing pitcher out. Plus, it allows AL pitchers to throw inside all they want :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordHatrus Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 I had to visit this thread... because, on the main page, I could have SWORN it said ' Designated Hitler' and im like :blink: .... must be one of those threads in Area 51 section... :laugh: :wacko: Dusty went nuts, got ejected and the Cubs still won but down by 4 a lead off double can really help the team. There just wouldn't have been any kind of an issue with the DH spot in that lineup Yerp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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