Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!qantel!lll-crg!dual!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-cheers!goguen From: goguen@cheers.DEC (Don Goguen 381-2565) Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball Subject: Re: DH Message-ID: <1516@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Mon, 25-Nov-85 15:09:52 EST Article-I.D.: decwrl.1516 Posted: Mon Nov 25 15:09:52 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 28-Nov-85 08:01:43 EST Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Lines: 81 > If a player is a "complete" player, (e.g., good hitting pitcher, switch > hitter, good fielder, whatever), it makes his manager's job that much easier. > If a player is not a complete player, his manager must "manage around his > weaknesses". That's part of baseball. The decision to pinch-hit for any pitcher is virtually automatic. Any fan could do it. How many times have you watched a game and guessed wrong about whether or not the manager would pinch-hit for the pitcher? Even if he is a good hitter, he will be pinch-hit for in any clutch situation, unless the bench is loaded with dead-wood... Besides, the "strategy" arguments seem to me to all stem from managerial decisions. As a fan, I would rather watch a player play than a manager manage.. > Not quite. If a team is in the field, and their pitcher is due to bat the > next inning, it may affect a manager's decision whether to replace the > pitcher--or whom to replace him with. There's also the so-called > "two-for-one" swap, and likely other maneuvers (some not yet thought of, > now doubt). This is the same strategy as whether or not to hit for a weak-hitting shortstop. Any decent manager would always consider a 2-for-1 here, too. Since many AL teams have such batting ninth, there's not much difference. And don't give me the "why not DH for the SS" business... > I thought that Ken Holtzman's batting heroics were one of the highlights > of the the 1974(?) World Series. Yawn... > But I know what you mean about boring games without early-inning rallies. > One saw a game once where the pitcher had a no-hitter going into the > ninth inning. It was so boring that nearly all the fans left the > ballpark. :-) Huh? Who said anything about no-hitters? I'm talking about the 2nd inning, runners on 2nd and 3rd, two outs, #8 hitter due up. I'll go get a hot dog, cause anyone knows that an intentional walk and a strikeout will follow ... > Interestingly enough, the game of cricket has a fair amount of similarity > to baseball; a "hit" is the norm, while an "out" is the exception (they > show the "outs" on the evening news). The thing that makes hits and > runs more exciting in baseball than outs is that the outs happen more > frequently. Does that mean that you're against the DH because you like low-scoring games better? I admit that I prefer seeing offense (I guess being from N.E., you get used to 8-7 games as opposed to 1-0 games :-] )... maybe that is a part of why I prefer the DH... > What is "realistic"? how a pitcher would do against an "average" hitter? > I consider pitchers to be hitters, so an "average" lineup would have > the a pitcher coming to bat every nine times or so. DH's are generally > quite a bit better than an "average" hitter. "Nolan Ryan struck out 12 today...." That's probably 9 strikeouts, and 3 weak whiffs by the opposing pitcher(s). > Let a pitcher be a complete player. The manager must balance a > pitcher's contribution to the team *pitching* against his contribution > to the team (or lack thereof) *hitting* (and fielding). Maybe it's the ideal that pitchers should be complete players. In younger leagues (LL, HS), the pitcher is often the best athlete, therefore the best hitter, too. But as time goes on, pitchers and hitters are practicing the two principal arts of the game, hitting and pitching. Since they are so diverse, why have one do the other. Except for quirks/blowouts, hitters don't pitch, do they? Since hitters don't pitch, does that make them an "incomplete player"? I don't see anything wrong with having a roster of 9 or 10 PITCHERS and 15 or 16 HITTERS. BTW, the most ridiculous non-use of the DH is in the All-Star game. Even though the pitchers are mostly pinch-hit for anyway, the starter often gets to the plate. With so many hitters on the bench, isn't it a bit odd that the DH rule isn't used? -- Don Goguen DEC/Nashua, NH Posted: Mon 25-Nov-1985 14:17 EST To: @DIST:NETBASE