I totally agree with this post. I think it's good that each league has its own set of rules that differ. Fans have a choice which style to follow. Personally, I don't like the National League style, but I understand that someone else does, and I think that's something that baseball has that no other sport does. The argument that needs to be made is the abolishment of interleague play. Let the debate over the DH occur solely during the All-Star game, and the World Series. Personally, I'd rather the Yankees played the Angels another series each year than the Padres.
How come the Yanks don't come in for criticism for not having their pitchers practice rounding the bases? Its not like interleague games aren't on the schedule. This guy is a pro athlete, he's not made of glass.
The AL has to play by baseball's rules. Rule 1.01 Baseball is a game between two teams of nine players each, under direction of a manager, played on an enclosed field in accordance with these rules, under jurisdiction of one or more umpires.
Unfortunately I think the Wilpons have the Laughing Stock of the MLB wrapped up with the way they handled the Willie situation. I don't agree with what Hank is trying to say and he does come across as a whiney little bitch but laughing stock of the MLB is the Wilpons all the way.
Baseball is a game between two teams of nine players each, under direction of a manager, played on an enclosed field in accordance with these rules, under jurisdiction of one or more umpires.
How is using the DH "getting into the 21st Century." Using instant replay would be "getting into the 21st Century." A sensor to determine fair/foul would be "getting into the 21st Century." Changing the very way the game was DESIGNED to be played, with 9 players playing the field and taking a turn at bat, is not "getting into the 21st Century" but rather changing the very identity of the game. You can like it all you want. I believe that baseball with 9 players is the way the game should truly be played.
Here's the thing. Hank should STFU, but obviously he's upset, and justifiably so. AL pitchers don't practice the same way that NL pitchers do. They concentrate solely on the art of pitching. Their running drills are simply wind sprints, because that's all they require to do their jobs. You won't see a shortstop practicing his curve, or a full-time DH shagging flies a lot. It's the same in football as well. You're not going to see a LB practicing his deep passes, or a RB kicking field goals late in the day. Pro-sports is about preparation. Players prepare for the tasks they will most likely face during a contest. I'm sure Wang took batting practice and worked hard on getting down the sac bunt. It just happened that a fielder's choice turned that sacrifice into a safe at first situation. He should never have been where he was in the first place, and it was far too early to put in a pinch runner. The NL should not be forced to adopt a DH any more than the AL should be forced to drop it. However, interleague play should be dropped. It's unfair to both leagues. Leave this argument for the All-Star and World Series games.
Other than the fact that I don't even think that NL pitchers train to run more than AL pitchers do simply because no manager should count on a pitcher's offense unless it was a special case like Owings and possibly Zambrano. Other than that your point is very solid.
Get into the 21st century. Teams spend Millions of Dollars on pitchers to pitch, not so they can go hit once every 5 games. It's a new game from the one created in the 1800's. A game of specialty. If you want purity, all NL teams should not have a closer. Your pitchers should pitch all 9 innings. Could you imagine if the NFL still had offensive and Defensive linemen do the kicking?!?!
I can see both sides of this even though I loathe NL baseball... the fact that there's one automatic out in every lineup is retarded to me... I'd like to see both leagues go to the DH... but if you're a fan of this slow, drab, no scoring style of play, that makes pitchers look better than they are then so be it... I wouldn't want that taken away from you
What's next have 9 separate players on the team just to field, 9 hitters just to bat and 9 pitchers just to pitch each inning? The institution of the bullpen and pitch counts has done nothing but weaken the arms of pitchers across baseball. Baseball went over 100 years without needing to change its rules without the decrease in performance. All you are doing is allowing flawed players to go through baseball without consequences of being flawed.
Actually slow, drab lack of defense style of play in which over 4 hours of baseball is a regularity is common in AL ball.
Hank's comments were funny but it's actually Minaya, the Wilpons and the Mets who are the laughing stock of baseball this morning.
how does it help, though? You could have the same argument if Wang got injured in the World Series in an NL park.
