Tag Archives: MLB

I hate the DH

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I’m consider myself a pretty middle-of-the-road kind of guy.  There are some things about which I consider myself fairly progressive (or liberal or non-traditionalist…whatever the label): gay marriage (absolutely for) and marriage for Catholic priests (that’s a whole other blog entry), for example; and there are other issues about which I consider myself a purist: English grammar and classroom education (online education lacks the essential teacher-student interaction).  Another issue about which I consider myself a purist is baseball, particularly the designatied hitter (DH).  Phil Rogers’ column in today’s Chicago Tribune got me thinking about the DH again.  Here’s how I really feel about it: I HATE THE DH.  There it is.  I said it.  I know I’m not alone in this sentiment, but it feels really good to say that and get it out in the open.  I agree with Rogers’ assertion that both the American League (AL) and the National League (NL) should adopt universal rules, much like the two conferences in both the NFL and NBA.  However, I wholeheartedly disagree his notion that NL should adopt the DH rule.  To the contrary, the AL should abolish the DH.  Here’s why:

  • The DH was instituted in the early 1970’s to increase the number of runs scored per game and make the game more exciting for the casual fan.  Now, I don’t know about the rest of the baseball fans out there, but for my money, I’d much rather see a 2-1 pitcher’s duel than a 9-7 slugfest.  Don’t get me wrong: few sights are more beautiful that watching a towering home run clear the fences.  But part of what makes the home run so special is that it’s ridiculously hard to do.  And this post-steroid era, when athletes are naturally bigger, stronger, and faster than their counterparts of 35 years ago, there’s no need for the offensive boost provided by the DH.  Players are hitting homers and teams are scoring runs just fine.
  • Roger’s makes a point that pitchers’ batting averages, on the whole, are pathetic.  And it’s true.  But that’s because of several reasons.  First, they only bat once every five games, so naturally they don’t get a chance to establish any kind of rhythm at the plate.  Second, pitchers are treated like such prima donnas that most of them don’t feel the need to practice batting.  Hey, fellas, here’s a something you may have forgotten: you’re a professional athlete.  Sorry if it cramps your style, but hitting and running are *GASP* are part of the game.  In fact, they essential parts of the game.  Take some BP every once in a while, talk to the hitting coach once or twice a week and perhaps your average would crack the .100 barrier.
  • Baseball is a sport that requires its players to have basic athletic skills, regardless of their position.  Professional athletes who get paid millions of dollars should be required to thrown, catch, run, and hit in each game they play, regardless of their position.  That’s the essence of baseball: throwing, fielding, and hitting.  It’s not a pick-one-or-two-of-these-components type of game.  Kids in little league don’t play much (if at all) if they can’t do all of these things.  Why should it be any different at the professional level?
  • Rogers’ mentions the need for an NL DH because the Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano strained his hamstring running to first base during Sunday’s game and is now on the DL for a couple of weeks.  And you know what?  I’m OK with that.  Z was hustling down the line like he’s supposed to, like we’re all taught in little league.  Player’s get criticized for not running out ground balls, but when a pitcher (my God, a pitcher!!!) runs and hurts himself, people get up in arms about it.  Hank Steinbrenner, in his infinite “wisdom,” went on a simliar rant last year when one of his star pitchers strained his knee rounding third base in an interleague game.  After the game, he criticized the NL for being behind the times and old-fashioned.  Hey, Hank, hate to break it to you, but running is part of the game.
  • Rogers mentions that pitchers are at risk every time they step on the field and at even more risk when they bat.  Well, aren’t all the players on the field at risk of injury?  Straining a hamstring running toward first is just as unpredictable as a blown ACL chasing down a flyball.  Should Zambrano have been given preferential treatment just because he’s a pitcher?  What about catchers?  What about outfield who risk their bodies by diving to the turf or crashing into the wall to get an out or save a run?  What if Reed Johnson had injured himself while making his amazing catch last year?  Would “outfielder proponents” be in favor of wearing pads or changing the rules to protect the outfielders from scrapes, strained muscles, broken bones?  I think not.  There are inherent risks in any sport, which is part of the reason these athletes get paid so much.
  • The DH extends the careers of mediocre defensive players who have lost (or never really had) range in the field.  The way I see it, if you can’t field a position adequately, get off the roster and make way for someone who can.
  • The DH also makes the game of baseball 10 vs. 10, when it’s a game of 9 vs. 9.  There are nine players on the field, so those 9 should be the ones who come up to the plate.  Simple as that.
  • The DH has glorified the power game.  And while it’s exciting to see 50- and 60-homer seasons, other aspects of the game have suffered, such as the art of the stolen base, how to properly execute a (sacrifice) bunt, and situational hitting.  Balance is a good thing, and I long for the day when the five-tool player is valued like he should be.  A player who can hit for power, hit for average, steal bases, field his position well, and throw out some runners should be the centerpiece of any team.
  • The DH has created two different games of baseball.  The AL is vastly different from the NL.  Each league has its own intricacies, but the way I see it, the AL is a bastardization of the game of baseball.  And of the big three sports in the United States, baseball is by far the most conservative, the one that values tradition the most, with an eye on its own history at all times.  The DH essentially scoffs at baseball history, and in effect, disrespects many of the players who played in the AL before the rule was institutued.

Come on, Bud Selig.  If you do one thing rigth in your tenure as MLB Commissioner, abolish the designated hitter.  The DH “experiment” has run its course.  Please get rid of it.

Opening Day 2009

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In what is becoming an annual tradition, I'm sporting my Cubs "BELIEVE" bracelet.
In what is becoming an annual tradition, I'm sporting my Cubs "BELIEVE" bracelet.

Ah, Opening Day.  The best day to be a baseball fan, no matter which team claims your loyalties.  The Cubs championship drought has been well-documented, so I won’t get into that again.  But what makes Opening Day so great, especially for us Cubs fans, is the hope that this year is THE year.  We all hope that “next year” is finally here.  And at the start of this day, our team is in first place and poised to make a title run.  It’s plainly obvious from the picture and from previous entries that I’m die-hard, lifelong Cubs fan.  And to that end, I DO BELIEVE that this year is the year.  We say it every year, but looking at the numbers, it’s tough to see the Cubs not making it deep into the postseason, let alone winning the whole thing.  The Cardinals are going to challenge the Cubs for the Central title, which is think is good for the North Siders.  But in the end, the Cubs starting rotation is too deep and the lineup is much more balanced than last year’s 97-win team.  The bench is pretty deep, too.  My only concern is middle relief; the back end of the ‘pen, anchored by Marmol (MARMOL!!) and Gregg, is killer; it’s just a matter of getting to those two guys.

And I’m not alone in my prediction of the Cubs going all the way.  Click here for yet another reason why I like Tim Kurkjian, of ESPN‘s Baseball Tonight.

“Go Cubs, go!  Go Cubs, go!  Hey, Chicago, whaddaya say?  The Cubs are gonna win today!”

30 of 30(‘s)

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I turned 30 on couple of days ago, and frankly, it was weird.  I’m not freaked out, like some people get when they reach this “milestone.”  It’s weird in that I’m starting another decade of life.  It’s weird how much older 30 seems than 29.  It’s weird because it doesn’t seem any different from age 29, except when I say out loud “I’m 30.”  I used to use the phrase “you’re only as old as you feel” when I worked retail.  I said that to men who would come into the store and hesitate to buy an item because they felt they were “too old for that.”  The way I see it, I certainly don’t feel too old for anything.  In fact, I don’t feel like I’m 30, which is contributing to the weirdness of the occasion.  I still make crude fart jokes, poke Marty incessantly when we’re together, dance around my apartment in a silly manner when I’m giddy, and get excited to play new video games.  Again, I don’t feel like I’m 30, but I am.  So…there it is.

In honor of my 30th birthday, I thought I’d make a list similar to the monthly 12 of 12 I try to post.  This time, however, the list is comprised of things I hope to see and/or do while in my 30’s.  I’ve got a decade to complete the list, so I think I’ve got a pretty good shot at checking off everything.  Here goes (in no particular order):

  1. Watch the Cubs win the World Series.
  2. Pay off my student loans.
  3. Go whitewater rafting in the Grand Canyon.
  4. Learn Chopin’s “Fantasie Impromptu.”
  5. Write and publish a book.
  6. Meet U2.
  7. Buy a house.
  8. Go to Wimbledon.
  9. Watch the Bears win another Super Bowl.
  10. Learn to write left-handed.
  11. Celebrate Oreo’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th birthdays.
  12. Get married.
  13. Add a different stamp to my passport.
  14. See my parents retire.
  15. Win a tennis tournament.
  16. Become fluent in Tagalog.
  17. Learn Spanish.
  18. Get tenure.
  19. Present at an international conference.
  20. Buy a new car.
  21. See a sunset on the beach at Boracay.
  22. Drive on the Autobahn.
  23. Skydive.
  24. Watch FSU win another NCAA college football national championship.
  25. Have a child.
  26. Swim with dolphins.
  27. Visit all 30 (ha!) MLB parks.
  28. See Niagra Falls.
  29. Learn to cook more Filipino food.
  30. ?
You’ll notice that #30 was left blank.  That’s where you, the reader, comes in.  I’d appreciate your suggestions.  They could be silly or sincere (I prefer sincere).  In any case, I look forward to reading what you think I should do in my thirties.

Fox Sux, Part 2

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They did it again: Fox Sports screwed up yet again and chose to broadcast the Tampa Bay Rays game here in the Boston area.  Why?  I have no idea.  Perhaps it’s because I live near Boston, and since the Rays are in the Red Sox’s division, the coverage up here was tuned in to that team.  That’s the ONLY explanation I can think of.  But even that argument doesn’t hold water because apparently Fox broadcast the Cubs in Washington, D.C. area, which is very close to Baltimore, home of AL East team and division rival of said Sox.

Look, I’m happy for the Rays.  Theirs is a feel-good, improbable worst-to-first story that’s great for baseball.  But we’re talking about the Cubs here: one of the charter franchises of the National League, one with a storied past, with tradition, with a rabid, dedicated national fanbase.  Tampa?  They can’t even sell out their own stadium.  The way I see it, if the Rays’ OWN fans don’t care about the team (except when it’s for some wonky promotion for national TV), what makes the bigwigs at Fox Sports think that anyone else around the country cares about them?  If it’s truly about the numbers, then why didn’t Fox go with the Cubs broadcast nationwide?  They do it for overblown, overhyped Yankees/Red Sox regular-season matchups, so why not do it for a division-clinching game for another marquee MLB franchise?  Oh, that’s right: because FOX SUX.  It’s not like the 100-year thing for the Cubs hasn’t been covered tad nauseum this season.  There’s not a baseball fan (or perhaps even casual sports fan) who doesn’t know about the Cubs’ “curse” or World Series drought.  THAT is reason enough to broadcast the Cubs game over the Rays game.  If that’s not drama, I have no idea what is.

The Cubs are in the playoffs again, winning the NL Central title for the second time year in a row and third time in six years.  Thankfully, TBS has broadcast rights to the NLDS.  They’ll have their hands full covering all four series simultaneously, but I’m just glad it’s not Fox.  Unfortunately, Fox has rights to the LCS and WS coverage.  I can only hope that if when the Cubs make it to those rounds, Fox will send their “A” team to cover the games, even though I can’t stand Tim McCarver.  Joe Buck is an excellent play-by-play announcer, however, and because there’s no other playoff story bigger than the Cubs this year, Fox needs to wake up and smell the ivy.  Stop disrespecting Cub Country and give some other major market franchises NOT named the Red Sox and Yankees their proper due.

Team MVP

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Yup, it’s another Cubs update.  But, what can you expect?  Not only are the Cubs in first place in the NL Central, not only do they have the best record in the National League, they have the best record in all the majors.  And I learned yesterday that the last time that happened was 1908, the last year the Cubs won the World Series.  Exactly a century ago for the North Siders.  Coincidence?  Perhaps.  I dunno…I’m just sayin’.

Anyway, my two favorite players on the Cubs are first baseman Derrek Lee and right-handed setup man Carlos Marmol (MARMOL!!)  Lee is the best defensive first baseman in professional baseball and a pretty darn good hitter, too, despite his recent struggles. He’s a career .282 hitter with a career OPS  or .870, plus he’s a three-time Gold Glove winner.  Go ahead, find me another active first baseman who can field better than D-Lee, I dare you.  And Marmol?  He’s only turned into the one of the most (if not THE most) dominant reliever in the majors, with a high-90’s fastball and a slider that’s just filthy.  Stupid filthy.  In 29 games this year, he’s struck out 54 batters while only walking 12 in 36 innings and posting a miniscule 1.75 ERA and leading he majors in holds.  As Mike and I have been saying for about a year now, Marmol is the next great closer.

The way I see it, despite the contributions of Lee and Marmol, which have been tremendous, the Cubs’ MVP thus far has been rookie catcher Geovany Soto.  Let’s start with the numbers: in 53 games, he’s batting .296 with 9 HRs, 38 RBI, and 19 doubles, along with a .942 OPS, all of which place him at or near the top among rookies and catchers.  Not to mention that he calls a great game, works well with Cubs’ pitchers, and has the ability to throw out runners (he’s caught 11 of 24 would-be base-stealers).  And he’s done all of this from the bottom half of the batting order, starting the season in the #7 spot and recently moving up to the 5-hole.  Keep your eyes on Soto; he’s a superstar in the making.  Remember this folks, you heard it here first: Soto will be this year’s Rookie of the Year (with Fukudome coming in second).

(Cast your votes for the MLB All-Stars.  Vote now and vote often, up to 25 times.  Needless to say, I’ve already voted for Lee at first and Soto behind the plate, and I wrote in Carlos Marmol.)