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Thursday, November 24, 2011

Lucas: Eliminating the DH could cheer up Astros fans

Greg Lucas: Father of the DPH! (checks old 70’s desk drawer for possible floating mandie pills)

There IS a compromise rule available that would allow aging hitters to still get some extra at bats but keep much of the strategic moves available in games at the same time.

It is called the DPH…or designated pinch hitter. In recent years I have read similar concepts, but I will allow that the original idea for the DPH may every well have been conceived by yours truly as far back as 1979 in Buffalo, New York.

On a talk show I hosted on WEBR radio I had as a live in studio guest, the late Joe Reichler. Reichler had been a long time New York sportswriter who later fathered the Baseball Encyclopedia and later worked out of the Commissioner of Baseball’s office. One of our topics on the show was the DH controversy. I revealed my idea for the first time then.

...OK, so what about this DPH as proposed to Joe Riechler? I still have the follow up letter I sent him in New York in 1979 and his reply. He said he liked the general concept but doubted MLB would undertake any changes at that time. So what was this DPH thing?

In a nutshell is allows for a hitter to be used twice in a nine inning period and a pitcher to be pinch it for once without being removed. It did call for having the pitcher in the batting order.

Repoz Posted: November 24, 2011 at 02:03 AM | 16 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: astros, history

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1. Gotham Dave Posted: November 24, 2011 at 02:14 AM (#4000473)

The DPH is kind of a nice idea but I think the complexity makes it more of an aesthetic problem than the DH already is.

2. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: November 24, 2011 at 02:24 AM (#4000475)

How about just being able to put one position player and one pitcher back into the game after being removed, once each? So a manager could DPH for the starter, but would only be able to do it once. Does he do it with two on and two out in the 4th? To lead off the 6th? Meanwhile, the DPH can be used to hit for a reliever later in the game, too, so he can get two plate appearances in a game. But the reliever can't go back in afterward. The DPH can stay in the game for defense, because in the case he hasn't technically been removed.

3. catomi01 Posted: November 24, 2011 at 02:36 AM (#4000479)

My thoughts on the suggestion can be summed up in one word: no.

4. OCD SS Posted: November 24, 2011 at 02:54 AM (#4000484)

When every NL team has their pitchers bat in games and work on their hitting through all levels of the minor leagues, then they can make a case for abolishing the DH. Until then, being forced to watch pitchers hit is a greater aesthetic trauma on the game of baseball than the DH.

5. Matthew E Posted: November 24, 2011 at 03:21 AM (#4000490)

"You know, the trouble with baseball is that it's too simple. Isn't there anything we can think of to make it more complicated?"

6. Benji Gil Gamesh is not being paid to be that guy Posted: November 24, 2011 at 05:14 AM (#4000539)

If pitchers were as consistently hopeless at hitting as they are now when baseball was being invented, we'd have 8-man batting orders or some version of the designated hitter.

7. Morty Causa Posted: November 24, 2011 at 05:20 AM (#4000543)

Yes, exactly. The answer the anti-DH-ers have is like the one in law: when the reason for something ceases to be, it becomes hallowed tradition.

8. PreservedFish Posted: November 24, 2011 at 05:55 AM (#4000554)

Perhaps the Astros could choose to play without the DH in order to accommodate their fans.

9. Tricky Dick Posted: November 24, 2011 at 01:03 PM (#4000599)

Perhaps the Astros could choose to play without the DH in order to accommodate their fans.

And maybe the Astros' AL opponents can show some good will and sportsmanship and agree to forego the DH when they play the Astros?

10. AndrewJ Posted: November 24, 2011 at 01:51 PM (#4000601)

I'd either a) move to an eight-man batting order -- no pitcher or DH hitting -- or b) tie the DH appearance to the fate of the starting pitcher -- when the starter's knocked out, you MUST pinch-hit for the DH.

11. AJM Posted: November 24, 2011 at 02:28 PM (#4000608)

move to an eight-man batting order

That would be an improvement, the Astros have been using a 4 man lineup for a few years now.

12. ray james Posted: November 24, 2011 at 02:54 PM (#4000615)

I know this will sound really complicated but how about this: when the Astros move to the American League, they will have to play by the rules employed by the American League.

13. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: November 24, 2011 at 02:56 PM (#4000616)

I think the DPH was first proposed in the 19th century.

14. Rusty Priske Posted: November 24, 2011 at 03:01 PM (#4000617)

#12 DING DING DING! WE HAVE A WINNAH!

15. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: November 24, 2011 at 05:23 PM (#4000641)

This is why the pitcher should not be eligable for the MVP in the AL. He doesn't bat. Wait, that adds value to his position. Ok, this is why the pitcher shouldn't be eligible for the MVP in the NL. Because he bats.

16. OCD SS Posted: November 24, 2011 at 05:33 PM (#4000644)

I think this is just a matter of math: 1 down, 15 to go.

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Thursday, November 24, 2011

Lucas: Eliminating the DH could cheer up Astros fans

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