bstempleton@watmath.UUCP (Brad Templeton) (11/01/85)
I don't have to say, do I? I have to hand it to those Royals, who have got to be the come-from-behind story of recent times. Mediocre season record, and two comebacks from 3-1 against favoured teams on enemy turf. They demoralized my team (the Jays) and they demoralized the Cards. Once again the AL eliminates the NL. When people compare NL and AL, they think the AL pitchers will be a real burden because they never have to go to bat. I think what people should consider is that AL pitchers have to face a harder batting lineup all season long, and that makes pitching in the AL a tougher job. AL pitchers must face a rested power hitter every 9 batters, while NL pitchers face an easy out. NL pitchers have the tough job of bunting or grounding out each time through the order, but it's not the same challenge as facing some of the better bats in baseball. As you can tell, I'm all for the DH rule. We don't go to games to watch pitchers get out at bat. We go to see baseball, with people doing what they do best. -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software, Waterloo, Ont. (519) 884-7473
bob@pedsgd.UUCP (Robert A. Weiler) (11/02/85)
Organization : Perkin-Elmer DSG, Tinton Falls NJ Keywords: In article <17068@watmath.UUCP> bstempleton@watmath.UUCP (Brad Templeton) writes: { stuff about the Royals, Jays, Cards, and THE Series } >AL pitchers must face a rested power hitter every 9 batters, while NL >pitchers face an easy out. NL pitchers have the tough job of bunting >or grounding out each time through the order, but it's not the same >challenge as facing some of the better bats in baseball. > Well, this just isnt true, or at least it needn't be. As I recall Dwight Gooden batted a bit over 200 with a home run and a couple of doubles in an obviously limited number of at bats, and Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez, and Rick Aguilera hit pretty respectably also. It seems to me that the Dodgers have pretty good hitting pitchers also. I believe it is bad management which produces weak hitting pitchers. If you dont look for good all-around athletes, don't encourage pitchers to take batting practice every day and aren't willing to have the hitting instructor spend some time with them, you end up with bad hitting pitchers. > >As you can tell, I'm all for the DH rule. We don't go to games to >watch pitchers get out at bat. We go to see baseball, with people doing >what they do best. >-- >Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software, Waterloo, Ont. (519) 884-7473 If thats why you go to baseball games, I guess you would be in favor of having Carl Lewis on your team just to run for everybody. Personally, I enjoy thinking along with the manager, and there just isnt much to think about in an AL game. Actually, I have been waiting for somebody to start this up again so I can submit an idea given to me by my ex-room-mate for injecting strategy back into the AL. The notion is to rotate the umpires one position every time you change pitchers, thereby changing the strikezone. If you know the guy behind the plate has a small strike zone and you want to pitch a guy who throws hard but is kind of wild, you might start a relief pitcher so you can remove him and get the 3rd base ump behind the plate. If your going to make the game a farce, you might as well go all the way. Actually, Im willing to go half way - you AL guys lobby to get rid of the DH, Im willing to lobby to get rid of that wretched plastic crap the NL is invested with. Bob Weiler -- Bob Weiler The odds against my opinions reflecting those of my employer are nearly astronomical.
stevev@tekchips.UUCP (Steve Vegdahl) (11/08/85)
> > AL pitchers must face a rested power hitter every 9 batters, while NL > pitchers face an easy out. NL pitchers have the tough job of bunting > or grounding out each time through the order, but it's not the same > challenge as facing some of the better bats in baseball. > > > As you can tell, I'm all for the DH rule. We don't go to games to > watch pitchers get out at bat. We go to see baseball, with people doing > what they do best. In that case, I'll propose another rule change: free substitution. KC leads off with George Brett. He grounds out. That's OK. Reshuffle your batting order. Next batter: George Brett. He hits a single. Willie Wilson goes in to pinch-run. Next batter: George Brett. If our philosophy is to see "people doing what they do best", today's baseball rules (even with the DH) do not go far enough. Why should I put up with Buddy Biancalana (sp?) batting every ninth time when I could see George Brett instead?! Why should I have to watch Lonnie Smith play outfield. The game would be of higher quality if we replaced him with some unknown player who is a spectacular fielder but can't hit. Having the DH may marginally increase the challenge to a pitcher, but it significantly DECREASES the challenge to a manager. One of the beauties of baseball is the tradeoffs that a Manager must in balancing players strengths against their weaknesses. Do I put in a poor fielder at the expense of weakening my defense? Do I make a defensive substitution in the late innings? Do I pinch-run for a slow player in a close game or do I leave his bat in the lineup in case the game goes into extra innings? Baseball is a game of balance. A player who is good at many aspects of the game is more valuable. As far as I'm concerned, the DH * is an unnecessary wart in the rules of baseball * robs the game of much of its strategy * penalizes good-hitting (i.e., balanced-skill) pitchers It also makes comparisons of players records more difficult when they are between different leagues and/or eras, but other changes to baseball (e.g., lowering pitcher's mound, artificial turf, night baseball) also have this effect. Steve Vegdahl Computer Research Lab. Tektronix, Inc. Beaverton, Oregon
jimmy@scgvaxd.UUCP (11/12/85)
In article <352@tekchips.UUCP> stevev@tekchips.UUCP (Steve Vegdahl) writes: >> >> AL pitchers must face a rested power hitter every 9 batters, while NL >> pitchers face an easy out. NL pitchers have the tough job of bunting >> or grounding out each time through the order, but it's not the same >> challenge as facing some of the better bats in baseball. > >In that case, I'll propose another rule change: free substitution. KC >leads off with George Brett. He grounds out. That's OK. Reshuffle your >batting order. Next batter: George Brett. He hits a single. Willie >Wilson goes in to pinch-run. Next batter: George Brett. That's really smart! And I can readily see the correlation of that to the substitution of a batter for the pitcher. Give me a break! What we are talking about are people who refuse to change and the "minor league" attitude of NL purists. > >If our philosophy is to see "people doing what they do best", today's >baseball rules (even with the DH) do not go far enough. Why should >I put up with Buddy Biancalana (sp?) batting every ninth time when >I could see George Brett instead?! Why should I have to watch Lonnie >Smith play outfield. The game would be of higher quality if we replaced >him with some unknown player who is a spectacular fielder but can't hit. I think that is making a mountain out of a molehill. The DH does not change things as dramatically as you make it seem. >Having the DH may marginally increase the challenge to a pitcher, but >it significantly DECREASES the challenge to a manager. One of the beauties While I agree that it does somewhat decrease the challenge to a manager as to whether or not put in a pinch-hitter for the pitcher, I believe the DH makes a more difficult decision as to whether to leave a pitcher in or not when his pitching is not top stuff that day. In physics, known as the equal and opposite reaction. Or in other words, a tradeoff. >of baseball is the tradeoffs that a Manager must in balancing players >strengths against their weaknesses. Do I put in a poor fielder at >the expense of weakening my defense? Do I make a defensive substitution >in the late innings? Do I pinch-run for a slow player in a close game or >do I leave his bat in the lineup in case the game goes into extra innings? Unless I'm mistaken, the manager makes 90% of the above decisions before the game, while making the line-up. The defensive substitutions still happen in both leagues. The only difference is stated in my last paragraph. >Baseball is a game of balance. A player who is good at many aspects of >the game is more valuable. As far as I'm concerned, the DH > * is an unnecessary wart in the rules of baseball See my first paragraph! > * robs the game of much of its strategy I think it just alters it slightly. > * penalizes good-hitting (i.e., balanced-skill) pitchers I agree. However, it doesn't appear there are too many of those around! I know there are some, but a definite minority they are. >It also makes comparisons of players records more difficult when they are >between different leagues and/or eras, but other changes to baseball (e.g., >lowering pitcher's mound, artificial turf, night baseball) also have this >effect. Already a tough task since they play different people day in and out. > Steve Vegdahl Jim Raisanen