It is time for the "traditionalists" and those who think that in 2027 the real life MLB will not have a DH to get over it. The disparity is clear in the enormous advantage AL teams have in a short series against their NL counterparts. I will give you three reasons why the DH should be voted in to the National League. Inter-league Play. With 2013 came a restructuring of the leagues. When Houston moved into the American League, this left each league with 15 teams, unbalancing them both and forcing even more inter-league matchups. Nearly every day of the regular season we are having these games occur and the National League is at a huge disadvantage. Even though the majority of their ballgames are against the NL, they still have a much higher proportion of games against the AL. Even the most creative GM will not spend money... most times a lot of money... for a DH who cannot play in the field and will only be used in these games. Not only is it a large portion of the budget, but the player not being in the starting lineup will cause ripples in the team's morale all year long. Which brings me to my second point... Free Agency. This is a two-fold concept. A National League team is hesitant or even unwilling to extend their aging stud hitters to a long term deal in fears that the player will lose his ability to play the field. It has happened numerous times across the league, and if you ask any NL GM, defense plays a huge factor in signing a player or even extending their own aging player. With a DH, the older player can always be slotted there and kept on their team. Secondly... some of the best hitters each year in free agency will never be signed by a NL team due to the simple reason that they cannot play defense. The AL on the other hand has that luxury and can continually upgrade the position as better hitters become available. This also affects the market as a whole. By more teams being able to sign these hitters, you will see more trading and even a more active free agency market as bidding escalates on the DH type hitter 3. OOTP sucks at substitutions and strategy. Even the GM who micromanages every single strategy option to maximize their offensive output will see dozens of occurances throughout the season of OOTP failing to do what a real life NL manager would do. Pinch hitting, bunting, double switches, etc, are all a part of a NL game and none are being utilized correctly by the AI. Even in post season play where it matters most. We need to seriously examine the direction that this topic should be headed. I have provided three very vaild arguments for the DH in the NL. I see no reason why this should not happen, and the only way to see if it can is to put it up for a vote by NL GM's ONLY. Thank you.
The NL should have the DH. Its usually old people who disagree, but if even PAgamer07 thinks it should happen...
I've seen the light. Let the NL have the DH. It will make the FA market a lil more cut throat. And who doesn't love a lil more bloodshed?
I'm fine with this, although I'm not sure as to the short term effectiveness. Most teams already have a large portion of their budget wrapped in players. Its going to take a few seasons before some if not most teams have the money to spend on a suitable DH. In terms of in game strategy though, I'm sure it will have an immediate impact. I'm sure purists like Timpegoose wont want to see this happen, but tbqh this is our league to shape and form how we see fit. We've already done that with a number of things (including a drastic change to the draft - which is arguably a bigger more unrealistic change then adding the DH would / will be).
Nah, keep the NL with no DH. The purity of the game just doesn't fit by having the NL have a DH. I may not be an NL GM but for purity sake of the game I'd be against it. Same reasons I feel that Wrigley and Fenway should never be taken down, or old Yankee Stadium should never have been torn down. The history of the games there is too much to just replace it or get rid of them. It's the same feel I have for the AL with DH and NL without it.
Well I expanded a little more on my thoughts after I posted the original so if you re-check my post you'll see what I meant.
I understand that, but this isnt real life, its a game. If you care so much about the "history" of baseball then we should really go back to the days when neither league had the DH. We've drastically changed multiple things in this league, I just dont understand why you would be against changing something that affects the competitive balance of the league.
kdpnutter I'm not saying you are wrong or right, we are in 2026 as to say the league would or wouldn't change by then is difficult to say. Plus this league while looking as realistic as we can, we have the chance to do what we want with the league.
I'm not discounting others opinions on the idea of a DH for the NL. I am merely just stating my point of view for what I feel on it, I just have a big belief in keeping certain historical aspects to the league. I mean heck to NeuroticTruth point, I wouldn't be opposed to going back to pitchers hitting in both leagues, but from a sheer historical aspect you think of AL with the DH and NL without. I understand the issues with the game management and not handling it very well. I just like to keep some of the regular aspects since we already have blown up the draft and everything else. Ruth, Cy Young, Cobb all did it and had to hit. I maybe in the minority of things and that's fine but just my perspective.
So you honestly feel that the NL will never have the DH in real life? I'm betting they have one before 2020, especially with Selig out of office.
On a serious note, I can really only get on board with this if I can get a "humidor" in Coors. Just looking at this season for the Rockies: Home 68 Games 424 Runs Allowed 6.2 RA Per Game 410 Runs Scored 6.0 Runs Per Game Road 66 Games 289 Runs Allowed 4.3 RA Per Game 241 Runs Scored 3.6 Runs Per Game While I may be more competitive at home, I think that's because it's really just a crap shoot in Coors when you have both sides averaging 6 runs per game. You add in a DH and that could potentially jump up to 7 runs per game which is nuts, imo. There's no way to effectively combat that when putting together a roster and then the whole pitching staff gets pissed all the time because they're putting up shitty performances.
Damnit, Jesse. Why couldn't we post this before I traded Costa?! Anyways, I'm a baseball "purist," and I'm all for this.
No, I don't believe they will. NL has shown they can win World Series without it, and I just believe there are too many that feel it would change the landscape of things too much if they changed it. Even after Bud leaves the Commissioners office.
I think it's time for the NL guys to join the big boys. Wish we had some more NL owners chime in here.
I would be absolutely shocked if the MLB doesn't institute a DH in the NL within the next 10 years. I'd place a large wager on it happening. I mean, it wasn't too long ago that interleague play, the wild card, the second wild card, divisional realignment, and the Astros moving to the AL seemed like they would completely change the landscape of baseball. Baseball needs to adapt, and the DH in the NL is just an inevitable movement towards modernization.
