MLB Discussion

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Peavy to the White Sox? Me likey.

I thought I heard he was going to the Cubs, not the White Sox.

[amsteel]

Peavy to the White Sox? Me likey.

I thought I heard he was going to the Cubs, not the White Sox.

There's been chatter about him going to the Cubs for like a year, but the Cubs can't commit the money since they're in the process of being sold. The White Sox and Pads agreed to a deal, but it sounds like Peavy is balking at the idea of pitching in the AL.

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Tony Gwynn Jr. is following in his dads footsteps, Brewers traded him to the Padres for 31 year old 4th OF for the Brewers. Good luck to him, he just was never going to get a starting position in Milwaukee with Braun and Hart in the corners and Cameron in CF...

[andrew13]

WHY THE FUCK DID RUSSEL PINCH FOR ANDY WITH VASQUEZ?

andy had 2 rbi's to that point. vasquez struck out on 3 strait pitches, the 3rd of which was looking. i think johnny boy cost us a game/sweep/6 game streak.

[dynamitekid]

more great pitching from the tigers. wooo.

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Gwynn Jr. played for the Padres last night and scored the winning run.

[flood]

i like the DH, it allows some great hitters to stick around a couple extra years after they're fielding/speed has declined

[sgoodcore]

i like the DH, it allows some great hitters to stick around a couple extra years after they're fielding/speed has declined

So it lets more one-tool players play? I'll pass on that. And frankly, more often than not, a DH is just a random dude not a stud from the past. I was looking through stats at some point and came across one saying the average DH hit something like .247.

[andrew13]

DH seems to let players who do little but hit for power and can't do anything else thrive. i'm kind of amazed noone has signed bonds for that purpose yet.

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i like the DH, it allows some great hitters to stick around a couple extra years after they're fielding/speed has declined

the DH let my boy Paul Molitor reach the 3000 hit plateau. Loved that dude. Grew up watching him, he was my baseball hero in the 80's and 90's.

[andrew13]

Duke pitched an amazing game and lost. fucking embarrassing.

[dynamitekid]

What's up with David Wright? This guy hasn't been hitting for any power this year.

[amsteel]

Heck of a game in Milwaukee today, dueling no-hitters, and an 10th inning walk off by my man Bill Hall. Good to see the Cervazeros back on their feet after the sweep in MPLS.

[travis]

i think the fucking AL should just learn to play the game right and have everyone hit. i hate the DH rule with a passion.

also, according to ESPN (not the best source, i know) he wants to go to the Dodgers. i can't really see that trade happening unless you get a shitton of top prospects.

I would agree with both statements. I hate the DH, I think its silly the two leagues are different for no good reason. I think they either need to get the DH in both leagues or get rid of it. Its an odd advantage to an AL team when the World Series comes around.

How is it an advantage to an AL team in the WS? Seems more of an advantage to a NL team since their pitchers are use to hitting. You can plug a DH in easily for an NL team and they just get better offensively. You turn it around the other way and make an AL pitcher bat and that team becomes a lot worse on offense.

I personally like the DH for the same reasons Flood listed above. Lets some players stick around in the league a lot longer and more offense is more exciting to watch.

[sgoodcore]

Letting players stick around isn't a valid reason in my book. If you can't play the game you should be done.

And I think an AL can have a DH on their team full-time. The Red Sox and the Yankees were two perfect examples. They had guys in their lineups meant for the DH role. An NL doesn't get that luxury.

Pitchers hitting isn't usually a factor. They don't get hits often and even NL guys aren't that great at bunting. One could even argue, since bunts are statistically poor choices, having a pitcher bunt is better for the defensive team and equal to a strikeout even.

[amsteel]

There's a reason there's a home run derby and not a pitching accuracy derby. People like offense, people have money, MLB wants money.

I prefer no DH, but I don't think the AL should get rid of it.

[andrew13]

DH is a major advantage for one league over the other in that the AL has a full time player making $10-20m a year hitting in that spot, while the NL has a bench player or a prospect who is called up just for that assignment. personally, if Duke or Maholm are pitching i'd rather see them bat than a DH, unless the DH's name is Young.

[amsteel]

DH is a major advantage for one league over the other in that the AL has a full time player making $10-20m a year hitting in that spot, while the NL has a bench player or a prospect who is called up just for that assignment. personally, if Duke or Maholm are pitching i'd rather see them bat than a DH, unless the DH's name is Young.

I understand what you're saying, but the NL has the advantage in the NL park sinc NL pitchers are more experienced batters, and the AL has the advantage in the AL parks with the full time DH. So I'd say the 'advantage' argument over the DH is moot since you end up playing basically an even amount of games at NL parks as AL parks during interleague and the WS. It's more of a preference thing.

[sgoodcore]

I understand what you're saying, but the NL has the advantage in the NL park sinc NL pitchers are more experienced batters, and the AL has the advantage in the AL parks with the full time DH. So I'd say the 'advantage' argument over the DH is moot since you end up playing basically an even amount of games at NL parks as AL parks during interleague and the WS. It's more of a preference thing.

But wouldn't you agree pitchers hitting is pretty much a wash, even if one is "better" than the other, whereas something like, I don't know, Blake DeWitt against David Ortiz is an overwhelming advantage?

I'm still waiting to hear an argument other than, "it keeps old dudes around longer" for the DH. To me, while I see the logic in the reasoning, I think its a bad reason to keep players around. Maybe without the DH they'd keep up work on their defense and base-running.

[amsteel]

I understand what you're saying, but the NL has the advantage in the NL park sinc NL pitchers are more experienced batters, and the AL has the advantage in the AL parks with the full time DH. So I'd say the 'advantage' argument over the DH is moot since you end up playing basically an even amount of games at NL parks as AL parks during interleague and the WS. It's more of a preference thing.

But wouldn't you agree pitchers hitting is pretty much a wash, even if one is "better" than the other, whereas something like, I don't know, Blake DeWitt against David Ortiz is an overwhelming advantage?

I'm still waiting to hear an argument other than, "it keeps old dudes around longer" for the DH. To me, while I see the logic in the reasoning, I think its a bad reason to keep players around. Maybe without the DH they'd keep up work on their defense and base-running.

While the difference in AL & NL pitchers BA may only be a few points (assuming a slight advantage to the NL) NL pitchers would have a decided advantage in situational hitting; ie: sacrifice bunting, 'defensive' swings, etc. and in the World Series this makes a huge difference since WS games tend to be tighter and one run in the 3rd or 4th could be the difference. This is of course all moot late in the game since a manager would be tarred and feather for letting the pitcher bat in the 8th or later of a tights games (unless its someone like Micah Owings or Zambrano).

I think the whole argument in favor of the DH is that it increases offense which people tend to find more interesting.

[sgoodcore]

That argument is pretty moot, most DH players aren't amazing. I would simply hold most DH slots on winning teams are held down by the top tier.

And I think, statistically speaking, situational hitting doesn't help you score many, if any, more runs.

[amsteel]

And I think, statistically speaking, situational hitting doesn't help you score many, if any, more runs.

even if utilizing situational hitting & sacrificing come out to .1 runs/game that's 16 runs over the coarse of a season, and in theory wins you some close 1-2 run games.

If situational hitting didn't matter, no one would do it.

[sgoodcore]

And I think, statistically speaking, situational hitting doesn't help you score many, if any, more runs.

even if utilizing situational hitting & sacrificing come out to .1 runs/game that's 16 runs over the coarse of a season, and in theory wins you some close 1-2 run games.

If situational hitting didn't matter, no one would do it.

But it doesn't mean nearly that much over a seven game series. And I think people do it because its "conventional wisdom" and its safe not because its correct.

[amsteel]

Statistically long term, it doesn't matter, but that doesn't mean single games can't be won or lost by it. I don't care either way about a DH or not, what does bug me is that since there is a difference between the AL and the NL, one team (the home team) has an inherent personnel advantage in interleague play.

And I think people do it because its "conventional wisdom" and its safe not because its correct.

This statement equates to saying 'the ability to advance runners via a productive out or directionally hit is useless'.

[sgoodcore]

Statistically speaking there's no such thing as a productive out. That's why strikeouts are pretty much the same as a ground out, MLB baseball players are extremely unlikely to boot regular ol' groundballs.

All outs are statistically the same save for maybe a sac fly.

Outs are precious and outside a guy who is likely to do nothing, sacrificing and mostly guaranteeing an out is rarely a good idea.