Will National League Have DH in 2017 ?

[LuteHawk]

At the current MLB Winter meetings in Florida, there is
the possibility that the Designated Hitter will come to the
NL in 2017. The current contract between MLB and the
Players Union expires Dec. 31, 2016. The injury of pitchers
running the bases is a big topic. Think Adam Wainwright.

It is being discussed now and will be hammered out later
this year. With so many inter-league games it will probably
be time to make a change. It will lengthen the careers of
aging players who can only DH. Think A-Rod and others.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

How long before the platooning begins? An offensive squad that bats and a defensive squad that fields. Works for football.

 

[cigaretteman]

It'll be a sad day for baseball if it does. I know it's probably inevitable in the future, but it will be a great loss for the game of baseball when it comes.

 

[fredjr82]

How long before the platooning begins? An offensive squad that bats and a defensive squad that fields. Works for football.

Does "Iron Man" still apply? For example, I don't think you would have ever taken the bat or glove from Ken Griffey Jr. I think I would want him to play both offense and defense.

 

[LuteHawk]

There are bad things that can happen when a pitcher
stands in the batter's box..

1. He can make an easy out.
2. He can injure himself running the bases.
3. He can get hit in the arm or leg by a pitch..

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Does "Iron Man" still apply? For example, I don't think you would have ever taken the bat or glove from Ken Griffey Jr. I think I would want him to play both offense and defense.

No doubt. Nothing to prevent that but if all we're interested in is pushing runs scored and extending the careers of aging players, why not platoon every position in addition to the pitcher and let the manager make the decision as to who plays what?

 

[LuteHawk]

Tarheel, there will never be a complete platoon of both
offensive and defensive players in MLB. The current
MLB roster allows for 25 players. Usually 12 of those
are pitchers and 13 are position players. Guys like
Mike Trout are 5 tool players who can hit and field. He
is not the only one and teams today want outfielders
and infielders who can play both offense and defense.

 

[aflachawk]

It'll be a sad day for baseball if it does. I know it's probably inevitable in the future, but it will be a great loss for the game of baseball when it comes.

I am not a traditionalist here. I say good for them

 

[cigaretteman]

I am not a traditionalist here. I say good for them

Dang, and here I thought that might be something we could agree on!

 

[hawkifann]

It'll be a sad day for baseball if it does. I know it's probably inevitable in the future, but it will be a great loss for the game of baseball when it comes.

I do agree with this. I've been a "purist" in this regard my whole life. However, I've recently come around to the inevitability of it. We have DH at pretty much every level and with the ongoing frequency of interleague play, I think it puts the NL at a competitive disadvantage. I don't think the NL gets a big advantage when they play at home, although it does pull a bat from the AL team....but at the AL stadium, I think the AL has a huge advantage because they're already paying someone to just hit and not play D. The NL team is bringing the DH off the bench. Currently, the Cubs are probably built more like an AL team because in the AL stadium, they can take Schwarber or Soler off the field and keep them in the lineup. Coghlan or the like would be a huge offensive upgrade over most pitchers.

Back in the day before interleague play, the advantage mattered less. The AL maybe had a slight theoretical edge in the Series, but not as much as today because they had DHs, on average, that tended to have good power, but hit .240-.250. Now, the DHs on a championship level team are going to be guys that hit for average and power.

 

[moon291]

What then? A re-entry rule? A designated runner so a good hitting fat guy doesn't get winded? If anything, get rid of the designated hitter.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Tarheel, there will never be a complete platoon of both
offensive and defensive players in MLB. The current
MLB roster allows for 25 players. Usually 12 of those
are pitchers and 13 are position players. Guys like
Mike Trout are 5 tool players who can hit and field. He
is not the only one and teams today want outfielders
and infielders who can play both offense and defense.

I know that...I'm just not a fan of the DH. The only point of the rule is to remove a weak hitter and replace him while allowing that player with defensive skills to stay on the field. Why just limit it to the pitcher? Mark "The Blade" Belanger of my beloved Orioles was a defensive stalwart but his career BA was .227. He was a huge liability at the plate but he played because he was such a great defensive SS - eight Gold Gloves.

 

[SCHawkFan]

That would certainly solve the Schwarber problem for the Cubs.

 

[UNIowaHawk]

I prefer the pitchers hit. More strategy involved.

 

[cjnoles9399]

Hopefully it will be league wide in 2017. Then the next step is scrapping divisional play and going to balanced schedules with the top teams advancing to the postseason.

 

[JRHawk2003]

Pitcher is a position too. They should hit.

I want to see Bartolo Colon bat