Rob Manfred: Talk About Universal DH Has 'Probably Moved A Little Bit'

[RealGM Wiretap]

Rob Manfred said on Thursday that talk about implementing the designated hitter in the National League is moving forward.

"I think that is a continuing source of conversation among the ownership group and I think that the dialogue actually probably moved a little bit," the commissioner said.

This season, Major League pitchers are hitting .112/.144/.143 in 2,124 plate appearances this season.

Via David Lennon/Newsday

[RoundMound]

Well it’s about time. They want to add offense and cut down game slowness; put in a ninth hitter and cut down pitching changes and double switches. The National League is the only place where multi million dollar pitchers can get injured running bases and swinging a bat, not to mention less offense. Get it done NOW!

[Neddy]

Well it’s about time. They want to add offense and cut down game slowness; put in a ninth hitter and cut down pitching changes and double switches. The National League is the only place where multi million dollar pitchers can get injured running bases and swinging a bat, not to mention less offense. Get it done NOW!

that would ruin the game for me. I have been watching NL baseball for nearly 50 years now, have not watched any AL game over 30 years in regular season because without double switch, defensive subs, pitching changes and managerial instincts that come with each selections, make the game as authentic as it can be, with lots of small but important decision makings that goes beyond the juiced batters swinging for the fences on every pitch which was what AL was epecially during the steriod era.
baseball and its old school fans pride ourselves in NL style baseball, where smarts are as important as brute force. mind games above the hand-eye coordinations only. how many times do you see a double steal that steals home in AL? a relief coming to bat in extra innings and coming through with a walk off single? the trills of the game we cherish, will be just another mindless throw, swing, and run game.
Rob Manfred goes to do away with the tradition and intricacies of baseball, might as well put a string on the ball and start calling it a blurnsball. I won't be a part of it.

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

Well it’s about time. They want to add offense and cut down game slowness; put in a ninth hitter and cut down pitching changes and double switches. The National League is the only place where multi million dollar pitchers can get injured running bases and swinging a bat, not to mention less offense. Get it done NOW!

that would ruin the game for me. I have been watching NL baseball for nearly 50 years now, have not watched any AL game over 30 years in regular season because without double switch, defensive subs, pitching changes and managerial instincts that come with each selections, make the game as authentic as it can be, with lots of small but important decision makings that goes beyond the juiced batters swinging for the fences on every pitch which was what AL was epecially during the steriod era.
baseball and its old school fans pride ourselves in NL style baseball, where smarts are as important as brute force. mind games above the hand-eye coordinations only. how many times do you see a double steal that steals home in AL? a relief coming to bat in extra innings and coming through with a walk off single? the trills of the game we cherish, will be just another mindless throw, swing, and run game.
Rob Manfred goes to do away with the tradition and intricacies of baseball, might as well put a string on the ball and start calling it a blurnsball. I won't be a part of it.

There's nothing preventing teams from still having the pitcher hit. DH is optional. It's kind of like how it's optional to have your QB also play safety in the NFL.

Traditionally, MLB attendance isn't down 6.6% either year over year. It's a new era.

The problem with all that jazz you mentioned is that it usually comes after 2 at bats where the pitcher barely got down into a batting stance.

[Don Tommy]

Well it’s about time. They want to add offense and cut down game slowness; put in a ninth hitter and cut down pitching changes and double switches. The National League is the only place where multi million dollar pitchers can get injured running bases and swinging a bat, not to mention less offense. Get it done NOW!

that would ruin the game for me. I have been watching NL baseball for nearly 50 years now, have not watched any AL game over 30 years in regular season because without double switch, defensive subs, pitching changes and managerial instincts that come with each selections, make the game as authentic as it can be, with lots of small but important decision makings that goes beyond the juiced batters swinging for the fences on every pitch which was what AL was epecially during the steriod era.
baseball and its old school fans pride ourselves in NL style baseball, where smarts are as important as brute force. mind games above the hand-eye coordinations only. how many times do you see a double steal that steals home in AL? a relief coming to bat in extra innings and coming through with a walk off single? the trills of the game we cherish, will be just another mindless throw, swing, and run game.
Rob Manfred goes to do away with the tradition and intricacies of baseball, might as well put a string on the ball and start calling it a blurnsball. I won't be a part of it.

All this means is that you are old! MLB doesn't care about you, they care about the kids! Once you've watched for 50 years (Man, you ARE old!) you won't likely drop it. Now, the young kids that can't take their eyes off their phones, that's who we have to cater to. And heaven knows they don't want to watch a bunt or a likely strikeout when they can watch a guy that plays worse defense than you hit homeruns!

You're just another old man ranting... LOL

[RoundMound]

Baseball is moving towards a realignment to create geographic rivalries (not my preference). This would more or less dissolve the AL NL thing sadly. With that said, having the DH across the board would be less of a hassle for teams that don't have the rosters for an NL vs AL series.

[AirCanadaMouse]

Well it’s about time. They want to add offense and cut down game slowness; put in a ninth hitter and cut down pitching changes and double switches. The National League is the only place where multi million dollar pitchers can get injured running bases and swinging a bat, not to mention less offense. Get it done NOW!

that would ruin the game for me. I have been watching NL baseball for nearly 50 years now, have not watched any AL game over 30 years in regular season because without double switch, defensive subs, pitching changes and managerial instincts that come with each selections, make the game as authentic as it can be, with lots of small but important decision makings that goes beyond the juiced batters swinging for the fences on every pitch which was what AL was epecially during the steriod era.
baseball and its old school fans pride ourselves in NL style baseball, where smarts are as important as brute force. mind games above the hand-eye coordinations only. how many times do you see a double steal that steals home in AL? a relief coming to bat in extra innings and coming through with a walk off single? the trills of the game we cherish, will be just another mindless throw, swing, and run game.
Rob Manfred goes to do away with the tradition and intricacies of baseball, might as well put a string on the ball and start calling it a blurnsball. I won't be a part of it.

I respect your perspective but I think this would be great for the MLB, and I would hope they start implementing more AL-NL games, I don't want to wait almost a decade to watch Joey Votto back in Toronto. Just like I don't want the Jays to get someone like Lyle Overbay because the Brewers can't offer him AB's because of no DH in the lineup. If you're an NL fan, this goes a long way for NL teams. It evens things out.

No one wants to see pitchers hit anymore.