The DH: Curse or Menace?

[apz]

I wouldn't mind seeing specialization. Put your best fielders on defense and your best hitters on offense. Pitchers only have to pitch the ball. I'll bet the game would be elevated to a higher level that way.

Imagine football players playing both sides of the ball. The quality and the level of play would suffer as most players are specialized in their position save a few really athletic players.

It wouldn't be baseball. A derivative of baseball, but not baseball.

Football is football. Basketball allows players to come in and out during the game; should we allow that too?

[Yoda]

I wouldn't mind seeing specialization. Put your best fielders on defense and your best hitters on offense. Pitchers only have to pitch the ball. I'll bet the game would be elevated to a higher level that way.

Imagine football players playing both sides of the ball. The quality and the level of play would suffer as most players are specialized in their position save a few really athletic players.

It wouldn't be baseball. A derivative of baseball, but not baseball.

Football is football. Basketball allows players to come in and out during the game; should we allow that too?

How do you figure it's not baseball? The object of the game is the same. Score more runs than the opponent.

They should allow substitutions like basketball or football. Why can't the sub go in and out of the game?

[RedHopeful]

I wouldn't mind seeing specialization. Put your best fielders on defense and your best hitters on offense. Pitchers only have to pitch the ball. I'll bet the game would be elevated to a higher level that way.

Imagine football players playing both sides of the ball. The quality and the level of play would suffer as most players are specialized in their position save a few really athletic players.

I dislike the constant comparisons to football. We all know the game would DRAMATICALLY suffer if players had to play on both sides of the ball. The physical toll that taken out of an athlete on EVERY play is enormous On the other hand, baseball doesn't require such physical exertion so their is no reason to change the game and it's rules so signifcantly to just improve the game by a few plays.

Btw, I'm curious you wouldn't mind seeing this adoption. Do you really think fans would be on board with this? I highly doubt it. Traditionalists would have heart attacks while people who play it competitively or recreationally wouldn't enjoy sitting on the bench for half the game.

[Yoda]

I wouldn't mind seeing specialization. Put your best fielders on defense and your best hitters on offense. Pitchers only have to pitch the ball. I'll bet the game would be elevated to a higher level that way.

Imagine football players playing both sides of the ball. The quality and the level of play would suffer as most players are specialized in their position save a few really athletic players.

I dislike the constant comparisons to football. We all know the game would DRAMATICALLY suffer if players had to play on both sides of the ball. The physical toll that taken out of an athlete on EVERY play is enormous On the other hand, baseball doesn't require such physical exertion so their is no reason to change the game and it's rules so signifcantly to just improve the game by a few plays.

Btw, I'm curious you wouldn't mind seeing this adoption. Do you really think fans would be on board with this? I highly doubt it. Traditionalists would have heart attacks while people who play it competitively or recreationally wouldn't enjoy sitting on the bench for half the game.

I'm sure the same traditionalists were against minorities joining MLB, expansion and a slew of other changes made to the game over the last 100+ years. The bottom line is, who the hell cares what traditionalists say? The game is supposed to be fun and enjoyable to every day people. Raising the bar to a higher level of play and competition will only draw more people to the game. Just my opinion.

[Tavish]

I'm sure the same traditionalists were against minorities joining MLB, expansion and a slew of other changes made to the game over the last 100+ years. The bottom line is, who the hell cares what traditionalists say? The game is supposed to be fun and enjoyable to every day people. Raising the bar to a higher level of play and competition will only draw more people to the game. Just my opinion.

Traditionalists are also against adding minefields in the outfield to make catching flyballs more exciting or making the players wear only a thong to attract more female fans. The DH is the only change to the fundamental design of baseball that has happened over the past 100+ years since they changed the foul strike rule. The game has done pretty well for itself with it's outdated design, people are either a fan or not. They would likely lose more fans than you would gain by implementing major changes to the fundamental design of the game. Fans don't watch the game just to see homeruns.

[Yoda]

I'm sure the same traditionalists were against minorities joining MLB, expansion and a slew of other changes made to the game over the last 100+ years. The bottom line is, who the hell cares what traditionalists say? The game is supposed to be fun and enjoyable to every day people. Raising the bar to a higher level of play and competition will only draw more people to the game. Just my opinion.

Traditionalists are also against adding minefields in the outfield to make catching flyballs more exciting or making the players wear only a thong to attract more female fans. The DH is the only change to the fundamental design of baseball that has happened over the past 100+ years since they changed the foul strike rule. The game has done pretty well for itself with it's outdated design, people are either a fan or not. They would likely lose more fans than you would gain by implementing major changes to the fundamental design of the game. Fans don't watch the game just to see homeruns.

It wouldn't just raise HRs. It would most likely improve every area of the game. For instance, imagine having defensive specialists on every position, taking away hits and HRs with almost every play. Have an entire OF of Torii Hunter's. That would be fun to watch.

[Dan Lambskin]

I'm sure the same traditionalists were against minorities joining MLB, expansion and a slew of other changes made to the game over the last 100+ years. The bottom line is, who the hell cares what traditionalists say? The game is supposed to be fun and enjoyable to every day people. Raising the bar to a higher level of play and competition will only draw more people to the game. Just my opinion.

Traditionalists are also against adding minefields in the outfield to make catching flyballs more exciting or making the players wear only a thong to attract more female fans. The DH is the only change to the fundamental design of baseball that has happened over the past 100+ years since they changed the foul strike rule. The game has done pretty well for itself with it's outdated design, people are either a fan or not. They would likely lose more fans than you would gain by implementing major changes to the fundamental design of the game. Fans don't watch the game just to see homeruns.

It wouldn't just raise HRs. It would most likely improve every area of the game. For instance, imagine having defensive specialists on every position, taking away hits and HRs with almost every play. Have an entire OF of Torii Hunter's. That would be fun to watch.

i'm sure there are an abundance of said defensive specialists out there

[Pogotheostrich]

It wouldn't just raise HRs. It would most likely improve every area of the game. For instance, imagine having defensive specialists on every position, taking away hits and HRs with almost every play. Have an entire OF of Torii Hunter's. That would be fun to watch.

See I just think that requires less skill and as a result I'm less interested. i want someone to do it all. Be the big hitter and play great defense. Kind of the same way that most track and field bores me but I'll watch a decathlon.

[Amazinz]

I think it's unfair to say that traditionalists were probably in favor of baseball's segregation. That's just a real crappy tact to take in this discussion. This is ad hominem; let me attack the traditionalist thereby undermining his opinion by association.

[Yoda]

I think it's unfair to say that traditionalists were probably in favor of baseball's segregation. That's just a real crappy tact to take in this discussion. This is ad hominem; let me attack the traditionalist thereby undermining his opinion by association.

Well, that wasn't my intent. I was pointing out that just because traditionalists are against something doesn't mean that it is necessarily bad for the game (i.e. instant replay).

I'm pretty happy with the game either way. I wouldn't be upset if they got rid of the DH (although MLBPA would never allow it) or implement DH in the NL. The only thing that bothers me about the game currently is the fact that the All Star Game determines the home field advantage for the WS. That is just plain stupid.