So. Important stuff. What is your take on the "designated hitter" rule?

What is it?

@Dutchess_III If you have to ask you don’t care.

Pussy pitchers should have to hit. It’s part of the game. Plus they’d be less likely to try a beanball if they have to go to the plate themselves.

Stupid DH rule. Get rid of it! Everybody should have to hit.

MIlo here: Does it involve me and lots of money?

I hate it. It has made American League baseball somewhat more exciting in terms of pure offense, additional hits and baserunners. I get that; that’s why the rule was instituted.

However, it has killed a huge part of the strategy of the game. The strategy that National League managers still have to face about when to leave a struggling pitcher in the game “just a little longer” so that he can be pinch hit for in his turn at bat, rather than relieving him and then having to pinch hit for the relief pitcher too when his turn comes up. AL pitchers can get away with throwing more “challenging” pitches to great hitters (read “throwing at them from time to time”) knowing that they won’t have to face the opposing team’s pitcher. There are very few multiple switches in the AL, which often enliven NL games, when the manager replaces a pitcher and a position player, so that he can put the position player into the pitcher’s spot in the batting order and let the pitcher bat in place of the former position player, making for some very interesting batting orders, when the pitcher happens to have a spot in the middle of the order now.

Yeah, don’t get me wrong: I love watching Big Papi play for the Red Sox – and he might even have a spot at first base as long as his legs hold out – but I ultimately prefer strategy over home runs.

^ what they said. Make the pitchers play the whole game.

Travesty! If a player can pick up a glove, he can also pick up a bat (and vice versa). Although I’ve followed A.L. teams my entire life, I prefer N.L. games. It’s called “real baseball.” The double switch, the sacrifice bunt, the pitcher batting in his own run support, figuring out where to put a big, slow, power-hitting lefty…these things make baseball fun and exciting, and they don’t happen in the A.L.

The debate turned age 40 this year. Let’s dump the D.H. and drive a stake through its heart.

While I’m up here on my smug soapbox, let me also abolish all this stupid interleague play (or what I call “fake games”).

@CWOTUS “Yeah, don’t get me wrong: I love watching Big Papi play for the Red Sox – and he might even have a spot at first base as long as his legs hold out.”

I couldn’t agree more. I’m a lifelong Red Sox fan and, of course, passionate about Big Papi. I love watching him play 1st base. Sure, when he’s in the field, he moves like a large lawn ornament. So what? That’s part of the legacy of lefty power-hitter. Reggie Jackson, anyone?

Didn’t Babe Ruth start out as a pitcher?
Maybe if today’s ball tossers took a leaf out of his book, then there’d be no need for a DH.

Wine, women, and overeating?

I can think of worse ways of earning a living.

You know it’s funny sorta. I grew up a National League guy in San Diego. Now I know, you’re saying, “Wait, San Diego has a baseball team?” Believe me, I’ve heard them all. I used to think that the DH was a stupid rule.

Now, although I am still an erstwhile Padres fan, now my motto is, “The Oakland A’s and anybody who plays the Giants.”

So I’ve gotten used to the DH, and I appreciate the fact that hitters can be utilized after they’ve gotten past the point they can effectively field. I like pitching, but I also like offense. So although I’ve been anti DH in the past, now I could honestly go either way.

What I can’t stand is interleague play. I was sorta kinda okay with it when it was around the All-Star break, but in September? I mean the Giants played the Yankees last week for crying out loud. It was hard, but I kept to my guns and pulled for the Yankees because we’ve already established that I hate the Giants.

I am against domestic violence, no matter who you hire to hit your wife.

The world would be a better place if we all stepped up to the plate when our turn to do so.

I hate the in field fly rule.
That’s… the only controversy I know in baseball. I don’t even know what that means. Oh, and steroids. Terrible. But why baseball players would want a pot belly, brittle bones, and a nuchal hump I’ll never know.

Base ball is the only sport where you can pack 7 seconds of excitement into 40 minutes.

It’s about seven seconds more than an entire football season.

At least everyone is moving on a regular basis in footballl @Seek_Kolinahr!

@Seek_Kolinahr
*Handegg.

@drhat77 The infield fly rule isn’t exactly controversial. It’s a contrivance that prevents the defense from getting cheap, easy outs, something that the highest level of players really shouldn’t need to do.

I agree. The infield fly rule is fine.

I was just taking a rare moment to display my ignorance. I can understand how you all would be unaccustomed to that, but rest assured, I am very similar to the rest of the plebeians in that regard.

@drhat77 The infield fly is only called when there’s a popup to the infield, there is less than 2 outs, and there are two runners on base. It’s there to prevent an infielder from deliberately dropping a ball and then getting a double play because a runner had to hold up to tag up.

Personally I’ve never been a big fan of designated hitters. Some of those National League pitchers ended up becoming decent hitters. Dwight Gooden had a mean bat, and he frequently helped himself at bat by hitting homers and driving in runs. Unfortunately the only baseball I follow these days are my nephew’s little league games.