The NL Needs the DH

by BSmitty on Jun 30, 2008 11:35 AM MDT

A number of current MLB controversies have made it clear that the game is moving forward into a new era. One fan tries to find the best balance between past and present.

From http://www.splicetoday.com/sports/the-nl-needs-the-dh

Baseball is an exhilarating yet frustrating mess of contradictions, and this fan is caught in the trap—like millions of other men and women (save George Will, whose pompous moral certitude about the sport is immutable)—of trying to reconcile “purist” instincts with the undeniable improvements in the game over the past several decades. Last weekend, for example, while watching a slew of inter-league contests via the MLB “Extra Innings” package (which, regardless of varying prices depending on your locale and cable provider, costs less for an entire season of televised games than one day at a stadium for a family of four), I finally switched gears and figured it was time for the National League to acquiesce and adopt the still-controversial designated hitter rule.

Heresy, I guess, but what the hell; if you’re a Milwaukee Brewers’ devotee, wouldn’t it be delightful to see the world’s tubbiest vegetarian, Prince Fielder, in the dugout, contemplating his next plate appearance, instead of anchored at first base? One league’s dominance over the other usually runs in cycles, but the N.L. seems mired in a slump that’s likely to run longer than the Great Depression, and this was evident once again over the weekend. Sure, the strategy required of an N.L. manager is more intricate than A.L. counterparts with double-switches and more sacrifice bunts, but the two leagues might be more competitive if older free agents (or crummy fielders) could extend their careers as a DH.

That said, and here’s one of those curveballs, I can’t stand inter-league play, even though it pumps up attendance and allows fans to see star players who were once a mystery aside from the All-Star game (which, of course, has devolved into a meaningless exhibition game instead of a proud showcase) or the World Series. My 13-year-old son, with whom I have the pleasure of sitting next to in our matching easy chairs in the homestead’s television room, adamantly disagrees, but I chalk that up to his participation in a fantasy league with a bunch of school buddies. I just don’t like the disruption of the season’s rhythm, the fake “rivalries” cooked up by MLB schedule makers—sure, the Cubs and White Sox make sense, but the Rockies and Tigers?—for the sake of novelty and profit.

See the rest at http://www.splicetoday.com/sports/the-nl-needs-the-dh

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. But the above FanPost does not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or views of Purple Row's staff (unless, of course, it's written by the staff [and even then, it still might not]).

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Comments

Ugh

Or find a way to appease the union and get the damn thing phased out of the AL.

by kosmo99 on Jun 30, 2008 12:23 PM MDT reply actions

Absolutely not.

I will cease to be a baseball fan if the NL adopts the DH.

by Hizilla on Jun 30, 2008 1:17 PM MDT reply actions

Nooooo

I hate the DL with a passion. Takes a ton of strategy out of the game. Forces teams to be more tactical at the bottom of their lineups.

Current AL dominance is a cyclical thing, me thinks.

The 2008 Rockies: All loses, all season

by moomacher on Jun 30, 2008 6:07 PM MDT reply actions

You know...

I hate the Disabled List too, but I think it’s just one of those things that we unfortunately have to live with ;) .

by oo_nrb on Jul 1, 2008 12:15 AM MDT up reply actions

I can't really express my views on the DH here.

Let’s just say it’s one of George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words followed by “the DH.” I’m pretty sure you can figure out which one of the seven it is.

Every day is a Holliday!

by free7694 on Jun 30, 2008 8:39 PM MDT reply actions

My thoughts on the DH are as follows:

Or find a way to appease the union and get the damn thing phased out of the AL.
I will cease to be a baseball fan if the NL adopts the DH.

I hate the DH with a passion. Takes a ton of strategy out of the game. Forces teams to be more tactical at the bottom of their lineups.

Let’s just say it’s one of George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words followed by "the DH”.

What they said.

On that note, I think it’s time that I shared my list of Things Currently Ruining Baseball:
1) The DH
2) Interleague Play
3) The DH
4) Retractable roof stadiums in places that don’t need them
5) The ASG determining which league holds home-field advantage in the World Series
6) A bag of popcorn that costs nearly or over $4.00
7) Interleague Play
8) The DH

...I think that about covers it, though I do reserve the right to add more should I see fit :) .

by oo_nrb on Jul 1, 2008 12:15 AM MDT reply actions

Bud

I think you forgot Bud Selig – an owner pretending to be a commish.

by kosmo99 on Jul 1, 2008 10:10 AM MDT up reply actions

I think I would add

The lack of a salary cap
6 dollar beers (and in San Diego’s case, 6 dollar 3.2 beer. HA!)
Fans not being able to cheer without the guidance of the Jumbotron.

Thank god for baseball season.

by jcd823 on Jul 1, 2008 10:27 AM MDT up reply actions

I would add

fans doing “the wave”

I miss baseball. Can we fire Clint Hurdle and Dan O'Dowd now?

by Redhawk on Jul 1, 2008 10:32 AM MDT up reply actions

Quick thoughts on the DH

I like the DH in the AL and don’t want to see it eliminated… as long as it stays in the AL and leaves the NL alone. I enjoy the NL game more but I like the separation between the two leagues because of the DH rule which is unique in professional sports. It’s like each league has their own identity. It’s the same game but slightly different.

Heck, I’d like to see each league go back to having their own umpires, which would further separate them. Eliminate interleague play, too.

by roxhead on Jul 2, 2008 3:03 PM MDT reply actions