American League 90 loss teams

[biggentleben]

 

Texas had a lot more talent than Miami and especially Atlanta to begin with, so I don't think that's a good comparison. 

 

So, the Giants had the most talent last year?

[biggentleben]

 

Yeah, I'd suggest the whole flaw in your stance is your idea that .500 in the AL is the same as it is in the NL if teams like Texas and Miami have comparable talent levels pre-deadline.

 

I'm not sure how anyone can look at Texas versus Atlanta or Miami and think they are on the same playing field.  If anything, I think that comparison shows even more clearly the NL inferiority right now.

 

LOL, okay, obviously the NL sucks, the AL rules, and anyone who disagrees upon this forum is lower than cattle feces. I'll back away from any attempt at actual rational discussion.

[TheLeviathan]

 

LOL, okay, obviously the NL sucks, the AL rules, and anyone who disagrees upon this forum is lower than cattle feces. I'll back away from any attempt at actual rational discussion.

 

So far you've compared teams based on records, I wasn't aware you were offering any reasons.  You even cited the addition of the DH as being harder than the subtraction.

 

I have no problem admitting the NL is better, it goes through phases like that in all sports.  It's just not true right now, the NL is not as strong top to bottom.  Largely because the bottom is SO bad.

[bluechipper]

 

So, the Giants had the most talent last year?

No, but they were definitely in the top 10. They had enough talent to make the playoffs, and that's all you need to win the WS. 

[ashbury]

No, but they were definitely in the top 10. They had enough talent to make the playoffs, and that's all you need to win the WS. 

 

http://manginphotography.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/109238090BM_Twins_Athletics0125-575x411.jpg

 

"Oh, for the love of... OK, I'm addressing this particular question just this one last time."

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

The AL is still better overall, top to bottom... again. The good teams in the AL beat each other up, the good teams in the NL pad their numbers on a lot of bad teams.

 

The AL replaces the worst hitter with an above average hitter.  It will always be the better league.

[Cap'n Piranha]

 

Same here. Go back to the ball of Chief's youth, where real pitchers had to take their time in the box as well. Glad to see you support the removal of that new-fangled DH monstrosity that is damaging the integrity of the game.

 

Just out of curiosity, how is allowing a hitter to hit for a pitcher not ok, but allowing a pitcher to pitch for a hitter is just fine.  If the overall idea is that pitchers should have to play both facets of the game, why don't hitters have to do the same?

[spinowner]

 

Just out of curiosity, how is allowing a hitter to hit for a pitcher not ok, but allowing a pitcher to pitch for a hitter is just fine.  If the overall idea is that pitchers should have to play both facets of the game, why don't hitters have to do the same?

Interesting take.

[biggentleben]

 

Just out of curiosity, how is allowing a hitter to hit for a pitcher not ok, but allowing a pitcher to pitch for a hitter is just fine.  If the overall idea is that pitchers should have to play both facets of the game, why don't hitters have to do the same?

 

A. The comment was (hopefully, obviously) extremely sarcastic in nature. I'm not 100% anti-DH, though I'm not a fan of the DH either. I'd personally prefer the DH never to have been implemented the way it was. DH should have either come into all baseball or not in either league. That baseball did not have that foresight has really caused this whole issue. Now there's been 40 years of divide, so when the change happens, regardless of which direction it goes, throughout the league, fans of one league are going to be incredibly upset about losing "their" style of play, and it didn't have to be that way.

 

B. Hitters play defense for their position. A first baseman catches throws after a shortstop picks up the ground balls. A pitcher's defensive position is throwing the pitches. A right fielder's position is catching fly balls within his range. I'm not understanding your point. It'd be akin to asking why you don't have your 7-foot center bring the ball up the court or having your running back snap the football or having your goalie lead the power play attack.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Having lived in NL cities for much of my life (SD, LA), I just can't see how anyone thinks the pitcher swinging a bat is a good thing.

 

Yeah, it makes for some interesting double-switches, I'll give you that... But the overwhelming majority of the time, it leads to some really boring baseball. If the opposing pitcher needs a strikeout, he can get them nearly on demand if the opposing pitcher is at the plate.

 

I don't like seeing a bad baseball hitter walk to the plate in hopes that 5-10% of the time, the manager will get to do something interesting with it. No matter how interesting that 5-10% may be - which it's generally not - it doesn't outweigh the 90-95% of the time the plate appearance is groan-inducing.

 

With that said, I think the AL will hold an advantage over the NL until the senior circuit adopts the DH (which I think will happen at some point). Having a legitimate hitter - even if he's riding the pine - on the roster that most NL teams don't have is going to give the junior circuit a permanent advantage until the two leagues adopt the same rule set.

[Cap'n Piranha]

 

A. The comment was (hopefully, obviously) extremely sarcastic in nature. I'm not 100% anti-DH, though I'm not a fan of the DH either. I'd personally prefer the DH never to have been implemented the way it was. DH should have either come into all baseball or not in either league. That baseball did not have that foresight has really caused this whole issue. Now there's been 40 years of divide, so when the change happens, regardless of which direction it goes, throughout the league, fans of one league are going to be incredibly upset about losing "their" style of play, and it didn't have to be that way.

 

B. Hitters play defense for their position. A first baseman catches throws after a shortstop picks up the ground balls. A pitcher's defensive position is throwing the pitches. A right fielder's position is catching fly balls within his range. I'm not understanding your point. It'd be akin to asking why you don't have your 7-foot center bring the ball up the court or having your running back snap the football or having your goalie lead the power play attack.

 

Umm, pitchers also play defense for their position.  They have their own gold glove award and everything.  They are often required to field ground balls, and cover first base with regularity, as well as backing up plays and field throws from the outfield.  No pitcher throws the ball, and then just stands on the mound for the duration of the play, and it's because pitching is not defense.

 

As to your point about a center bringing the ball up the court, or a goalie on the power play, I couldn't agree with you more, as that's the exact point I'm making; a pitcher hitting is analogous to a running back snapping the ball, or a goalie playing point on the power play, or a 7 foot center running the offense.  They have a specific skill set that they use in a certain way, and don't try to cross over to other skills.

[biggentleben]

 

Umm, pitchers also play defense for their position.  They have their own gold glove award and everything.  They are often required to field ground balls, and cover first base with regularity, as well as backing up plays and field throws from the outfield.  No pitcher throws the ball, and then just stands on the mound for the duration of the play, and it's because pitching is not defense.

 

As to your point about a center bringing the ball up the court, or a goalie on the power play, I couldn't agree with you more, as that's the exact point I'm making; a pitcher hitting is analogous to a running back snapping the ball, or a goalie playing point on the power play, or a 7 foot center running the offense.  They have a specific skill set that they use in a certain way, and don't try to cross over to other skills.

 

Okay, I'll use a better analogy. You wouldn't have your first baseman shifting to shortstop. Guys have defensive skill sets that are used best. Pitchers are best used on the mound. It is incredibly rare than anyone not pitching has the skill set to be successful on the mound. The Braves' Andrelton Simmons may be the rarity, though he already hits like he's pitching...

[TheLeviathan]

 

Pitchers are best used on the mound. 

 

I think you just made a great case for the DH in both leagues.

[biggentleben]

 

I think you just made a great case for the DH in both leagues.

 

Once again, I'm not opposed to it. I think baseball has royally screwed it up as bad as anything in the game in the last 50 years, and, yes, that means more than PEDs/steroids/etc.

[USAFChief]

Once again, I'm not opposed to it. I think baseball has royally screwed it up as bad as anything in the game in the last 50 years, and, yes, that means more than PEDs/steroids/etc.

"Baseball" didnt screw it up. The National League did.

[biggentleben]

 

"Baseball" didnt screw it up. The National League did.

 

Major League Baseball should not have allowed one league to go forward and another to not. Either both or none. It'd have saved so many issues that have arisen now over the last 40 years.