Article: Possible MLB Rule Changes: Universal DH? Roster size? Anti-tanking?

[wsnydes]

 

 

I don't mind some changes but I'm dead set against the universal DH, though I think pitchers swinging a bat borders on silly at times.

 

I guess I worry that MLB is going to do to baseball what the NFL has done to football. (NFL might as well not even draft running back any more, because passing is what the rules are designed to encourage)

 

The preceding opinion is worth about what you'd expect. Maybe less.

I'm right there with you on these points! Whatever that is worth, I don't know.

 

Not having a DH at least still preserves SOME strategy to the game.

 

Also, if I bring beer is it okay if I cut across your lawn? 

[Squirrel]

 

I'm right there with you on these points! Whatever that is worth, I don't know.

 

Not having a DH at least still preserves SOME strategy to the game.

 

Also, if I bring beer is it okay if I cut across your lawn? 

My point ... DH or no DH ... if the two leagues are going to play and compete with one another throughout the season, then lets drop the separate games ... either both leagues employ the DH, or neither. If you want to preserve the distinctness of the leagues, then stop inter-league play and have them meet in the All-Star game and WS ... and that's it. (And, personally, inter-league play is the thing I dislike the most. Just so you know that's where I'm coming from.)

[Nine of twelve]

I think a big problem with having the DH rule different from one league to the other is that teams construct their rosters based on how they play most of their games. To make it more fair I think the visiting team in each interleague series should be allowed one totally unrestricted roster move. Any player in the organization can replace any player on the 25-man. No 10-day limit upon return to the minors. No option used. No requirement for the player to be on the 40-man.

[Mike Sixel]

I think a big problem with having the DH rule different from one league to the other is that teams construct their rosters based on how they play most of their games. To make it more fair I think the visiting team in each interleague series should be allowed one totally unrestricted roster move. Any player in the organization can replace any player on the 25-man. No 10-day limit upon return to the minors. No option used. No requirement for the player to be on the 40-man.

Interesting proposal!

[biggentleben]

 

Yeesh, can't a guy be a curmudgeon on this site?

 

Oh, and get off my lawn!

 

 

But yeah, I think you've got a point about getting rid of interleague play when it comes to the DH.

 

I don't mind some changes but I'm dead set against the universal DH, though I think pitchers swinging a bat borders on silly at times.

 

I guess I worry that MLB is going to do to baseball what the NFL has done to football. (NFL might as well not even draft running back any more, because passing is what the rules are designed to encourage)

 

The preceding opinion is worth about what you'd expect. Maybe less.

 

Sometimes perception messes with reality, though.

 

In 2018, the average NFL team rushed for 1,818 yards. For players, 0 had over 1,500 yards, 9 had over 1,000 yards.

In 1998, the average NFL team rushed for 1,803 yards. For players, 1 had over 2,000 yards, 3 had over 1,500 yards, and 20 had over 1,000 yards.

In 1978, the average NFL team rushed for 2,269 yards. For players, 0 had over 1,500 yards. 11 had over 1,000.

 

The running back situations now look like they did in the day of Csonka/Morris in Miami on offenses that have realized that using athleticism and speed is an easier win in the current era than over-massing up the middle, so that's where offenses are built, yet still a team needs quality backs to run up just as many yards as the peak of the single-back era in the late-90s.

[biggentleben]

 

I think a big problem with having the DH rule different from one league to the other is that teams construct their rosters based on how they play most of their games. To make it more fair I think the visiting team in each interleague series should be allowed one totally unrestricted roster move. Any player in the organization can replace any player on the 25-man. No 10-day limit upon return to the minors. No option used. No requirement for the player to be on the 40-man.

 

While my favorite NL team would have an excellent setup for this rule presently when going to a DH park, many NL teams don't as they do build a roster intended to have multiple moves around rosters full of guys with defensive flexibility.

 

The value of defensive flexibility in a league with a DH is drastically lower and requires much more offensive contribution. Alas, I do not believe the DH is an issue that either side will address in mid-term negotiations, so prepare to enjoy the different rules until at least 2022.

[wsnydes]

 

My point ... DH or no DH ... if the two leagues are going to play and compete with one another throughout the season, then lets drop the separate games ... either both leagues employ the DH, or neither. If you want to preserve the distinctness of the leagues, then stop inter-league play and have them meet in the All-Star game and WS ... and that's it. (And, personally, inter-league play is the thing I dislike the most. Just so you know that's where I'm coming from.)

I agree, it is a bit weird. And I did read your previous post too. As long as there are 15 teams (or any odd number) in each league though, it's going to stick around. I wouldn't mind if it went away either because I rather enjoyed the uniqueness of what that meant in the WS.

[wsnydes]

 

Sometimes perception messes with reality, though.

 

In 2018, the average NFL team rushed for 1,818 yards. For players, 0 had over 1,500 yards, 9 had over 1,000 yards.

In 1998, the average NFL team rushed for 1,803 yards. For players, 1 had over 2,000 yards, 3 had over 1,500 yards, and 20 had over 1,000 yards.

In 1978, the average NFL team rushed for 2,269 yards. For players, 0 had over 1,500 yards. 11 had over 1,000.

 

The running back situations now look like they did in the day of Csonka/Morris in Miami on offenses that have realized that using athleticism and speed is an easier win in the current era than over-massing up the middle, so that's where offenses are built, yet still a team needs quality backs to run up just as many yards as the peak of the single-back era in the late-90s.

This is interesting. With as frequently as the NFL tinkers with the rules, I wonder how much of an impact that has on these figures. The rules skew heavily to the advantage of the offense today. I'd also argue that a team rushing for 450+ more yards on average is a very different game than it is today. I'd think that would take more depth in the RB corp than what is required now.

 

It would be interesting to know how the top offenses of those eras compared.

[mikelink45]

I like the NL/AL difference and the arguments it creates as well as the strategies it forces on the  manager. I love the idea of 3 mound visits per game.  It's like the Intentional walk - wave your hand in the dugout and make the change.  Sometimes I think managers like to get on tv and enjoy their walk in the spotlight of the camera.

 

I like the clock - the NBA has learned to adjust to many changes including the time clock and now people cannot remember when teams would just hold the ball because Mikan and the Lakers had too much talent to take them on at full speed - 19 - 18 Fort Wayne Pistons Minneapolis Lakers 1950-51 (RS) / Nov 22, 1950 / at Minneapolis -  and the NBA widened the lane because Mikan was too good.  Changes happen.

 

The anti-tanking rule is a bad one.  Sometimes a team is just bad - and this would keep them that way.  This is too hard to administer.  Remember our team's record over the last ten years!

 

I do not like reducing rosters to 28 in September.  Many times this is the only place rookies get a chance to prove themselves and at the same time give vets time to heal and rest before the playoffs.  Keep it at least at 30.

 

I love the three batter rule!  I have wanted to limit the teams to four pitchers per game and of course that will never happen, but this could!

[Squirrel]

I agree, it is a bit weird. And I did read your previous post too. As long as there are 15 teams (or any odd number) in each league though, it's going to stick around. I wouldn't mind if it went away either because I rather enjoyed the uniqueness of what that meant in the WS.

Right. It used to be 16 and 14 teams in each league, but they changed it when they broadened interleague play. So, if interleague play is here to stay, then either universal DH or no DH I’m both leagues.

[biggentleben]

 

This is interesting. With as frequently as the NFL tinkers with the rules, I wonder how much of an impact that has on these figures. The rules skew heavily to the advantage of the offense today. I'd also argue that a team rushing for 450+ more yards on average is a very different game than it is today. I'd think that would take more depth in the RB corp than what is required now.

 

It would be interesting to know how the top offenses of those eras compared.

 

The interesting part, though, is that feature backs were very rare, even in an era with a lot more rushing. As far as total offense, here are the total yards per team at each point:

 

2018:5,635 total offense; 3,804 passing; 1,831 rushing

1998: 5,082 total offense; 3,279 passing; 1,803 rushing

1978: 4,810 total offense; 2,541 passing; 2,269 rushing

 

Definitely an increase in offense, but I'd argue that could be as much to do with that added athleticism I mentioned before as the league rules.

[biggentleben]

 

I do not like reducing rosters to 28 in September.  Many times this is the only place rookies get a chance to prove themselves and at the same time give vets time to heal and rest before the playoffs.  Keep it at least at 30.

 

The proposal, as I understood it, was not to reduce the overall roster, but to reduce the active roster per game. In other words, you could have all 40 players travel with the team, but you would need to declare 28 active players. Far too often in recent years, we've seen games that use over 25 players.