08-21-2014, 02:35 PM
Quote:In a perfect world the DH would have never existed. That said, the NL has been at an offensive disadvantage vs. the AL for the better part of 25 years. The DH isn't going anywhere for several reasons (owners, unions, agents all like it and will fight for it), so at this point I am fine with implementing it across all of MLB. If it helps increase run production, which is sorely needed to attract the younger, short-attention-span-having generation to the sport, then it needs to be adopted sooner rather than later. I used to be against it, but I'm giving up.
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jstraw" data-cid="227289" data-time="1408369505">
Remind me again what's good about the DH?
If a pitch clock is useful in enforcing THE EXISTING RULE, then bring it.
</blockquote>
I will never understand the obsession with wanting to see a guy go up to the plate that, 99 times out of a 100, has no clue what he is doing. Forcing the pitcher to hit is like forcing an inning per game of having a position player pitch. It's dumb.
The problem with the length of game argument is that other sports don't really have that much shorter of a game, it's just that they have more things going on. A pitch clock would be an amazing thing. Don't allow the batter to step out or call time, don't allow the pitcher to leave the mound (except to field a batted ball), only one trip to the mound by the catcher per inning and allow one substitute batter per inning where you can select any hitter in the lineup to slot into that inning.
You'd ruin the record books as Trout/Cabrera/Harper would get 1,000+ PAs per season but you get the superstars of the game into the game more often. Football has success because:
1. Each week is an event. You spend 6 days talking about 2 games (the one that happened and the one that is going to happen) so they get a huge buildup every game. Baseball will never get this.
2. The superstars of the game are there every play. Late possession, down by a touchdown, you get the starting QB facing off against whatever star defensive player there is. Casual fans know who the superstars of the game are and by the end of the game you know who the QB and key defenders are even if they aren't stars. In baseball, it could be the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded and you end up with Darwin Barney pinch hitting for the pitcher. 97.4% of the world has no clue who Darwin Barney is and he is facing off against a pitcher that (for most of the teams (and only when you get to face the closer)) not even all of that team's fanbase knows who the hell he is. If you knew that every time your team was down in the 9th you were sure to get your stud in there, it'd make for more interesting 9th inning baseball.
3. In football the offense and defense really are a part of the same team and can help each other out, in baseball you don't really have that. Regardless of what the defense does, the offense will still score however many runs they are going to. If the offense is routinely loading the bases, that has a net-zero impact for when they take the field on defense or in the next inning. Sure, you hope to get to the bullpen faster but a 9-inning game of baseball is really like there are 18 separate contests that loosely tie into each other.
If baseball truly wants to compete against and beat football for the 18-35 demographic, it's going to require some drastic changes to the game that will make the DH rule seem old school. I think they should make some drastic changes. For as much as I LOVE baseball, it is an absolute pain to watch on TV (although, that may have something to do with the fact that I hate just sitting down and watching TV).