Yes. The DH: phenomenon of the bush leagues, little league, rank amateurs, and MLB's American League. It's a shame. Makes baseball less elegant. And less manly.

CRAP.

I've just never seen why pitchers should get any special treatment. Some people think it weakens the game because pitchers are "an automatic out", which is total BS. I think allowing a DH (i.e. a hitter who can't field and a pitcher who can't hit) just pollutes the league with players who should really be in AAA (or the level below the one they're playing in). It's also a terrible thing to do to a pitcher who can actually hit, or hit well enough (though I would argue that making them bunt every time is just as fricking retarded--there's a time for that and it's NOT every time!). I also think it leads to reckless pitching. More importantly, the whole suspense/strategy of when to pull the pitcher based upon the line-up is just ruined. I'm a Rockies fan and it's fun to see the pitcher's spot in the rotation come around in, say...oh...the fourth inning, and not be certain who will bat. Crap.

I'll go out on a limb and say NOT CRAP--I may be the only one. I was born in 1974, the year after the rule went into effect. I never even gave it any thought until I got a little older and more into baseball; I've just always accepted it. For the record, I approve of the wild card and inter-league play as well. (Though not the All-Star Game result awarding home-field advantage to the winning league: should be best record.)

I like both leagues. I like watching pitchers bat and watching DHs DH. I really have no great reason for it. But ultimately, most rules innovations, in all sports, just are; and I try and appreciate the game within the context of its rules, howver they came into being. Think of all the crap rules in football.

They've experimented with playing net-cord serves in tennis, which I'm against. But that's another topic altogether.

I guess if it were a really bad rule change would've been phased out. I don't know. I wasn't around to see the transition.

I doubt that they will phase out the DH because the players' union likes it. As my friend likes to say: "It's where old sluggers go to die".

And it's still crap! Baseball's supposed to be a game played between two teams of nine men (Rule 1). I understand why they did it, but I doubt they will get rid of it. It would be fun to see Martinez take his swings (other than at Don Zimmer). OK.

I'd really like to hear how die-hard fans of AL teams feel about the DH (Sox fans?).

i agree with all the reasons for disliking the DH

i mean, dontrelle willis is hitting the cover off the ball this year. he was 3 for 3 last night! with a homer! he wouldn't even get in the box if he was in the AL. and call me sick, but i love watching randy johnson hit. i have a baseball bat w/his autograph on it, for god's sake. that's absurd and great.

but

next maybe to bonds, edgar martinez is my favorite hitter on the planet, and i am so glad i can still watch him do his thing. and he'd be retired by now if he had to lug himself out to third base. he's the greatest DH in the history of baseball, one of the greatest hitters of the last decade, and he deserves to be in the hall.

it's easy to concentrate on the harold baineses of the world, and harold's near the top of the second tier of DHs. but then there's edgar, who is served well and serves baseball very well by being a DH. paul molitor was another perfect example. and...then the well pretty much dries up. i've got to be forgetting somebody worthwhile. don't i?

so just for edgar, not crap

after edgar retires, crap

tmidgett wrote:i've got to be forgetting somebody worthwhile. don't i?

Yeah, future hall of famer, Frank Thomas. Not that he would be retired if he wasn't DH'ing - but he certainly has logged plenty of at-bats in that role.

I'd say the DH is not crap only because I'm used to it. I've grown up with it. I like the difference it creates between the AL & NL. Really it is quite odd that half the teams in MLB, while all are playing for the same prize, play by different rules. This oddity is now more noticable due to the crap that is interleague play and puts the AL at a distinct disadvantage when such crap games are played at NL sites.

Yeah, future hall of famer, Frank Thomas. Not that he would be retired if he wasn't DH'ing - but he certainly has logged plenty of at-bats in that role.

duh. of course.

god bless me, i still think of him as a 1st baseman

but he's surely set up to DH for years and years if he's up for it

This is a really good C/NC question.

My favorite baseball team is an AL team. I watch mostly AL ball. I'm used to the DH I guess.

It's really hard to justify the DH, but I also find it really uninteresting to watch a pitcher foul off a couple of bunt attempts before punching out. But, it's total bullshit that Pedro and Clemens got away with their crap for so many yrs and never had to stand in the box and get theirs.

I really respect AL pitchers, who have to get 9 hitters out.

NOT CRAP (my hardest vote yet)