Thursday, May 24, 2007

Thursday Debate: DH or no DH?

This is another part in the continuing segment on Complete Sports called Thursday Debate. Today let's look at whether or not you like the DH.

The MLB question... do you like the DH or not? Purists will likely say the DH is bad, while non-purists like the boost that the DH brings.

Another thing that I have found is that whether or not you like the DH depends a lot on what your favorite team is and what style of baseball you grew up watching. If you are a fan of a team in the AL and have mostly watched American League games, I think you are more likely to enjoy the DH. If you are a fan of an NL team and mostly have watched National League games, I think you might prefer the pitchers batting.

Certainly it's easy to appreciate both styles of play. In the NL, there is a bit more strategy involved, with things like double switches, whether to pinch hit for the pitcher or not, etc. In the AL, there is an increase in offense and more of a threat 1-9 in the order.

I think I generally follow the guideline I set forth earlier. I am a fan of the Minnesota Twins, and have basically grown up watching American League baseball. As such, I like the DH. For me, I'd rather see a DH bat rather than a pitcher try to flail away at the plate.

I can certainly see how you would prefer it the other way, but for my money I'll take the DH.

But what about you? Do you like the DH? I'd be really interested to see your vote and see your reasons in the comments.

Which do you like better?
DH
No DH
  

13 comments:

grittysquirrels said...

Once workd: Uniformity

If that's a word that'd my vote. Look I like the old fashioned baseball NL style, but like you I can definately appreciate the higherscoring games and whatnot that comes with the DH. The only thing that ticks me off is that it isn't the same. I could live with either if MLB would just pick one and go with it. Level the playing field and make it either all or none with the DH in baseball.

SAMO said...

I like the DH. But then again I grew up a Texas Rangers fan, an AL team.

Anonymous said...

I can't say I like it that much. I'm not all like 'ban it now!' or any of that, but I prefer the more traditional approach.

point 23 said...

Just pick one. If we get to see one more better hitter a game and the tradeoff is that he doesn't own a glove, fine. If we get to watch pitchers aimlessly flail around up there, I can enjoy the comedic value. But just pick one. I can't even think of a comparable rule in any other aspect of sport.

sugarshane024 said...

I recently wrote a post over at my blog as well as on Protrade about the 10 dumbest things in sports. I'm sure you already know where I am going w/ this.

I come down against the DH. Actually, my argument is similar to grittysquirrels'. It doesn't make sense to me to have a championship played between two teams who've played under dissimilar rules for the entire season. It'd be like the SuperBowl being played between a team who'd used NFL rules and a team who'd used Arena rules.

I think there does need to be uniformity. Either both leagues use the DH or neither league uses the DH.

Shane
thenumber24.blogspot.com

Signal to Noise said...

I always quote Crash Davis in Bull Durham when asked this question: "I believe in a constitutional amendment banning Astroturf and the designated hitter."

Make the pitchers hit the ball. There are great hitters who DH, but the reason they become DHs is usually because they can't field a lick.

Kuba Jewgieniew said...

Look I like the old fashioned baseball NL style, but like you I can definately appreciate the higherscoring games and whatnot that comes with the DH.

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