MLB to change playoff format beginning in 2012

Don't say that! We can't take the division away from the Phillies!

 

No but we can definitely beat Atlanta in a one game series.

 

YES, thank you. There's not anymore strategy involved in the NL than the AL. Managers in the NL do things "by the book" where if there's a runner on base and less than 2 outs 99% of the time that pitcher is bunting. Or if there's a runner on 2nd or 3rd the managing is IBB the #8 hitter to face the pitcher. As for double switches, do you like seeing lesser (bench) players taking the spots of better players late in the game? You're putting a weaker team on the field so a pitcher (aka a bad hitter) doesn't have to bat in a key spot.

 

Sure you can... But you forgot that by that point in the season Josh Johnson will already be on the DL.

 

Not every pinch hitter comes in as part of a double switch. Often it's a straight up swap for the pitcher, more times than not actually. Also it's not a given that you're getting some vastly inferior player either. If I say switch Matt Diaz with Eric Hinske late in a game [b/c the opponent switched a lefty with a righty pitcher] what am I really losing? How often are managers taking their best hitters off the field for a double switch when the game is in doubt? Not very often. Yes managers do other things but managing the pitchers and pinch hitters at the plate is a pretty important duty and the fact is that AL managers are off the hook completely for it. Wow they have to call different defenses, amazing. When you're in a tie or close game around the sixth or so and your pitcher is rolling, whether to leave him in or take him out can be an interesting and crucial decision. I've seen it called both ways plenty of times with a variety of results. I've even <gasp> seen the pitcher come up and drive in a big run in that situation.

 

Hopefully Hanson will be too!

 

My whole point was to prove that managers have to do much more than just substitute. The idea that AL managers sit back and watch the game from their *** is ignorant and insulting. I'll give you that last point but that's literally the only significant additional responsibility that NL managers have, and it's not significant enough for me to want pitchers to still bat.

As I said, the NL is the only league in the world that still makes it's pitchers bat. It's only a matter of time before the NL DH happens.

 

your point?

 

The point is that 'they might get hurt' is not a valid reason to exempt pitchers from batting. They could get hurt doing anything. As I said earlier, if that's the reasoning why not give the pitcher a defensive shadow player so that he doesn't risk injury trying to field a ball or cover first base? Why not just have another player do that for him as well if we're so worried?

 

Yeah but those are injury that has nothing to do with playing baseball. Pitchers like Wang are not use to running the bases and got hurt of it. The "they can get hurt from doing anything" is a terrible defense for letting pitchers hit...Look at AJ, not used to bunting and got hurt bunting in practice. The fact that he can eat a sandwich and choke and die is irrelevant

 

Muscle said it as good as I could have. Should pitching coaches not make them run in ST? They're just as likely to hurt themselves.

 

Nobody is expecting a pitcher to steal bases or run with everything they've got. They are pro athletes, they should be able to run around the bases a few times at a reasonable speed. They don't run the bases all that often anyway because they have fewer ABs and lower averages than the regulars. Injury is part of sports, the risk that goes along with a few ABs is not that great for a pitcher in reality. If we saw pitchers dropping like flies because of hitting or base running that would be one thing. They're not. Did anybody get worked up when fat Heath Bell always sprinted to the mound from the bullpen?

 

Josh Hamilton hurt himself on the bases, probably time to stop making position players run. Also, AJ Burnett spent 7 years in the NL before going to Toronto, and I'm certain they did bunting drills during interleague play. While it's incredibly convenient to state his injury was from inexperience, I find that laughable. He's been doing these bunting drills his entire major league career at the very least.

To be honest, I'm surprised we haven't had a fatality yet during interleague play. Second base might as well be a land mine.

This is coming from someone very pro NL DH. As I said before, there are many legitimate reasons to want a baseball wide DH, and this isn't one of them.

 

1) An NL manager does those things, PLUS the things I mentioned. That is still more. Plus the DH is BORING AS HELL. If you are a pitcher you are part of the game, if you are part of the game you should hit period.

2) You didnt address ANYTHING I said. Why have a wildcard team? Because there are only three divisions and a bye week is a TERRIBLE idea. So should the division winner have to play the number two team in its division at the end of the season too? Don't even say it isn't the same, because it is, if you win more games than the team behind you why should you have to play them. I could say the same thing. If the #5 team doesnt like it, win the wildcard.

3) The DH makes games boring to me because you end up with more runs per game. I'd rather watch a 1-0 or 3-2 game every right than 7-5 or 5-2. That is ridiculous and boring.

 

1) Those things you speak of aren't great feats of strategy that only supreme baseball minds can grasp. It's just stuff that is done by the book. The only thing of consequence is whether to keep a starter in or pinch hit late in the game. Making the pitcher hit is archaic and stupid, period. (See? I can speak in close minded absolutes too!)

2) There's nothing in here that makes any sense so I'm not going to address it.

3) I won't argue that because it's a matter of personal preference.

 

found this interesting.....

 

As I've said, it's only a matter of time.