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From: jimmy@scgvaxd.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Which league is the minor league?
Message-ID: <470@scgvaxd.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 12-Nov-85 13:50:29 EST
Article-I.D.: scgvaxd.470
Posted: Tue Nov 12 13:50:29 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Nov-85 04:16:50 EST
References: <1147@decwrl.UUCP> <17068@watmath.UUCP> <352@tekchips.UUCP>
Reply-To: jimmy@scgvaxd.UUCP (PUT YOUR NAME HERE)
Organization: Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, CA
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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