NL vs AL

[stringer bell]

After seeing a bit of the Atlanta series and now watching Twins vs. Brewers, I will say it. I like National League ball better than American League ball (with the DH). NL ball rewards pitchers who can hit a little, it emphasizes versatile players and there is so much strategy to be debated on an almost daily basis.

 

I know it's painful to watch some pitchers hit and somebody once said nobody goes to the game to watch the manager think, but I'll still take a crisply played 3-2 game won by a pinch-hitter or a guy brought in on a double switch over a 8-7 slugfest.

[Vespasian]

I agree with you. In fact I seem to like NL rules more and more as I get older. It'll probably never happen, but I think it would be fun if the league switched up interleague play for a series so that NL rules applied in the AL parks and AL rules applied in the NL parks. Just so fans could get a different twist without having to drive to another city.

[glanzer]

Fair points, but I prefer the AL and the DH. It's possible that this is due to following the Twins all these years and just growing accustomed to the style of play. I am a fan of offense first and foremost. Tonight's 8-6 game is more interesting to me than a 2-1 game full of strategy. That said, I also am a huge fan of interleague play and seeing the Twins visit NL cities and play by NL rules on occasion. I hope baseball never changes the unique rules between the leagues. I think that's one of the things that makes baseball so great--every team can play on a different sized field with its own dimensions and half the teams play by a different set of rules.

[Guest USAFChief]

I live for the double switch.

[Alex]

The DH allows the great hitters of the game to stay a bit longer, and I think that's a good thing, even if there is something elegant about making everyone hit.

 

One of the best reasons I've seen for everyone going to the same rule is not only the above idea but the fact that AL teams often give significant cash to one of their best hitters but they end up often having to sit him regularly and maybe even in key games down the stretch with the new schedule. This, combined with the idea above, even without the fact that I'm partial to seeing players do what they are good at, would put me in the camp where I'd like to see DH rule as common.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Some aspects of NL ball are a lot of fun (mainly the double switch) but let's be honest... Seeing an automatic out at the bottom of the lineup through the first 6+ innings is AWFUL.

 

Give me the DH every day over seeing a pitcher swing a bat even once.

[Riverbrian]

I like both... For me personally... Bad defense is my biggest turn off in the game.

 

The DH allows bad defenders to do what they do best.

 

On the other hand... I'm a big fan of NL strategy. I like the bunts... The double switch and I love watching a pitcher hitting .088 shock everyone with a dribbler up the middle.

 

I'm perfectly content with the configuration.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Ever since sabermetrics started to teach me just how misused and awful the bunt is such a large percentage of the time, I don't understand how anyone doesn't hate bunting.

 

Bottom of the eighth, tie game, runner on first... Bunt away.

 

Pretty much every other situation, a bunt is just going to make me angry because it's the wrong move.

[Craig Arko]

Ever since sabermetrics started to teach me just how misused and awful the bunt is such a large percentage of the time, I don't understand how anyone doesn't hate bunting.

 

Bottom of the eighth, tie game, runner on first... Bunt away.

 

Pretty much every other situation, a bunt is just going to make me angry because it's the wrong move.

 

Don't tell Rod Carew that.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Don't tell Rod Carew that.

 

He can believe whatever he likes but the numbers are solidly in the "don't bunt" camp.

[Riverbrian]

Ever since sabermetrics started to teach me just how misused and awful the bunt is such a large percentage of the time, I don't understand how anyone doesn't hate bunting.

 

Bottom of the eighth, tie game, runner on first... Bunt away.

 

Pretty much every other situation, a bunt is just going to make me angry because it's the wrong move.

 

I'm not defending the bunt from a strategy standpoint... I'm just saying I like watching em.

[stringer bell]

Don't tell Rod Carew that.

There's a difference between bunting for a hit and the sacrifice bunt. Carew was too good a hitter to sacrifice, but he was a great bunter for hits.

[Danchat]

I prefer the DH. I like it as an opportunity for injured or older players to still bat but not field. When the based are loaded with two outs and the pitcher bats, that just takes something away from the game.