There has been no recent movement in talks between MLB and the MLB Players Association regarding the potential implementation of an expanded postseason or the universal designated hitter for the 2021 season, reports Evan Drellich of the Athletic. There are no current plans to revisit those talks, per Drellich, who characterizes playoff expansion and the National League DH as “dead issues” for next season.
Last summer, MLB and the MLBPA agreed to an expanded 16-team playoff format for 2020 just hours before the beginning of the regular season, with the players receiving $50MM of postseason television revenues. In a typical postseason, players receive a share of gate revenue. While Drellich cautions that another last-minute accord can “never be totally ruled out,” tonight’s report is the firmest indication yet that the broad season structure is set to revert to its pre-2020 status. (The two sides did agree on health and safety protocols last month, so the seven-inning doubleheaders and modified extra innings rules will return).
The universal DH was included as part of the health and safety protocols last season, but that was not the case this time around. Throughout the offseason, MLB tried to leverage the players’ interest in the NL DH as part of a new agreement on economic issues, particularly playoff expansion. The MLBPA has consistently rejected such a framework, fearing that lowering the bar to make the playoffs will reduce teams’ incentives to invest in their rosters.
Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported in January that MLB had offered players an $80MM pool in playoff revenues if they signed off on postseason expansion. That would’ve marked a rather significant increase over last season’s $50MM figure, but the players didn’t feel that represented much of an improvement on the status quo. As Drellich points out, the MLBPA has more reason to be optimistic about the possibility of brining in gate revenues this postseason. With distribution of COVID-19 vaccines expected to increase substantially in the next few months, the possibility of fan attendance at playoff games looks much more realistic in 2021 than it did last season.
It’s worth remembering the MLBPA is under no obligation to negotiate any changes to the playoff format. In the absence of a new accord, the 2016-2021 collective bargaining agreement remains in place to govern the season structure.
Without coming to terms on playoff expansion, however, it seems MLB is unwilling to agree to the implementation of the universal DH. Some in the league office believe the addition of the DH at this late a date would threaten competitive integrity, per Drellich, since National League teams would have little ability to acquire help at the position at this point. There’s some truth to that, but it’s nevertheless a strange argument in the wake of a 2020 season that saw MLB and the MLBPA frequently agree on significant structural changes (including the implementation of the NL DH) on the fly.
Even if this does mark the end of discussions about playoff expansion and the universal DH for 2021, the topics are sure to arise again in the near future. They’ll no doubt be key issues as the parties negotiate a new CBA after the current one expires December 1.
Good. Not a fan of playoff expansion; it makes the regular season less relevant.
Like to because other Sports have it.
Do those sports have a 162 game regular season?
So what?
Yes, the season
should be
shorter!
Like my
sentences!
No losing team had ever made the MLB postseason in a non-strike season until last year, when two losing teams made it. No losing team should EVER qualify for the postseason in ANY sport, period.
Actually the 1981 Royals were the first team to make the postseason with a losing record. So your first statement is correct but your second is wrong
There were two halves so I really don’t treat it the same way.
Well by that logic, there were only 60 games last year so I don’t treat it the same way. But the 1981 Royals were 50-53 and made the playoffs
Agreed
They made based on a second half. That’s just the way it work. They didn’t win their spot based on a sub 500 record
Then what if the division winner has a losing record? Hmm?
You could tell them to stay home in October and replace them with the non-playoff team with the best record.
Ummm …. I specifically said non-strike season., 1981 was a strike season.
also that same year cards got screwed had one of the better overall records but the didn’t win either half of the season and sat but kc got in.
1981 was a one-off, as was 2020
Dodgers won WS for each…
And how many other sports have a 162 game reg season to show who should b in the playoffs?
With the current format however, some good teams end up missing the playoffs. You shouldn’t have to win 95+ games to make the postseason. It’s good for the sport to allow some good but not “loaded” teams into the playoffs.
And currently you don’t have to win 95+ games to make the postseason, so what’s your point? In 2017 the Rockies got in with just 87 wins and the Twins made it with just 85 wins.
Because it can’t
The 2019 Indians won 93 games and didn’t get into the playoffs. Happened four other times in the wild card era where a 93 win team missed the playoffs.
He wasn’t saying that every team has to win 95 games, he was saying that if a team win 93 games then it should be a playoff team.
This garbage is because the Red Sox would win 93 games and be left out 2 behind the Yankees. You had 162 chances to win 96 games. 1 team from the AL, 1 team from the NL. PLAY BALL (not: point to first and take it, the DH, runner on 2nd like in 3rd grade, and you get a playoff team, you get a playoff team, everybody gets a playoff team.) There will be no civilization left in 100 years at this rate. Post baby boomers are the death of us all….
Alright, everybody get off JohnMac94’s lawn…NOW!!
expand playoffs are a bad deal imo what makes bb postseason so special over the other big sports you have to actually have to earn your way in. if you can’t win your division you shouldn’t get in period. i’m torn on expansion because it weakens the talent pool but if we had 32 teams you can get rid of the wild card. 4 division each league win your division you get into the dance.
wait a minute Johnmac, it’s the millenials and beyond! We gen x’ers love traditional baseball. But no one ever pays attention to us, so it’s not surprising you lumped us in with everyone else…lol.
It’s sad though — it’ll be here soon anyway. Manfred is the worst thing to ever happen to the sport.
This is a failure on part of both MLB and the Players Association to bring the best product possible to the field to play all 9 spots in the order and also a failure to generate more revenue for the sport with added playoff rounds to re coup what was lost in 2020. This is a prime example why the Stanley Cup will always be the hardest championship in professional sports to win.
It would be great to see a 90 win team have more than just a football game if that, decide if they go home or play again tomorrow.
@hippy i’ve always believed that the new wc format should be a 3 game series. everything else in bb is played in a series format why not the bs wc series. (note i only call the wc bs because i’m from believer of win your div then you get to dance in oct if we let 1/2 the lies he in what’s the point of the grind of the regular season)
You may not like it, but it’s coming. You get one more season with the current format.
i know it it’s coming like the dh and i’ll accept and learn to deal with it but do we really need more teams in oct. bb playoffs are special because you have to earn your spot not have it handed to you.
@lordd, while I think 16 teams is too many, the very opposite point could be made. With more teams in contention to make the playoffs, it makes late season games for all but the the top 10 teams
** (sorry, posted too early)
…..top 10 teams much more relevant. I like most games (in both leagues, all divisions) in September to actually mean something.
We need a Dumb and Dumber sequel starring Manfred and Clark
Badda Bing!
i hope not them 2 morons will get hollywood and the sag into a labor argument and we won’t have bb or movies for years.
This part of baseball kills me. What the hell are they doing? Is every penny so critical that they’re totally unconcerned with terrible PR?
Hey, a billion here, a billion there, it soon adds up!
What’s a few billion amongst friends?
I’m fine with no expanded playoffs, but the universal DH really grew on me. Still lots of strategy with the DH, just a different kind. Watching pitchers try to hit really slows the pace of play.
bbatardo: I agree w you re being “fine w the no expanded playoffs”. However I disagree re the universal DH. If pitchers would quit giving in to the hype of “pitchers can’t hit” and work on their hitting, it’d be a whole different situation. Look at Ohtani, Kershaw, Greinke, Lorenzen for example. A decent amount of today’s starting pitchers have SOME experience as a hitter.
So just because 4 pitchers can hit for maybe a .200 average if they were a full-time player means we should keep watching absolute garbage hitting from their spot in the lineup?
I’m assuming you’re a Yankees fan, Kev- so how does that impact your enjoyment?
I’m a Braves fan, and I don’t want the DH. I want to watch the style of baseball I grew up watching. I don’t care if pitchers can’t hit .300 or 30 HRs, I just want to see them hit because it adds elements to the game. The NL is the league pitchers can’t just throw inside without fear of retaliation. There is more pinch hitting, which adds drama.
Kevbames42 I hear ya but it’s just hard to believe that a team that invests 20-30 mil for a pitcher per season is super excited for them to get more reps exposing their wrists to fastballs in the name of boosting their .082 average to .111. The big DH at this point does seem antiquated and unnecessarily stubborn.
9 best fielders on defense, 9 designated hitters on offense. Expanded rosters. Who wants to see a catcher hit anyway?
Outlaw. And I don’t want the style of baseball I grew up watching. May I never again see a Willie Mays embarrass himself like he did in the 1973 World Series. There are so many reasons why the DH makes this a better game.
@kev, it is called strategy. Makes the game
more interesting when you have to juggle lineups and rosters. Watching encarnacion or Cruz or any other one tool player get up from his nap on the bench and swing away is the ‘absolute garbage’. You stick with the AL, leave NL fans alone and let us keep what we want.
Halo, that’s fair. Neither of us speak for all fans. I am too young to know what you’re referencing with Mays, but my thinking is this- there is no universal line of thinking amongst fans, so how do you determine who is “right” in the argument? I believe the poll on here awhile ago was pretty evenly split? If you don’t have a strong consensus for something, why change it? That especially holds true when fans of the DH have an option to watch games with it already.
If you love tacos, but choose to eat McDonald’s every day because it’s easier, closer or whatever- do you rail against the lack of tacos on the menu?
Pretty sure last few polls on the DH had a pretty overwhelming yes, with a strong group saying no
Strategy? You mean like walking the number 8 hitter to get to the pitcher? I’ve been a fan of this game since the 60s. Whoever thinks there is more strategy doesn’t follow both leagues.
Outlaw. Huge fan since the early 60s. I don’t mind the pitcher hitting. What I hate is how the number 8 hitter is worked around. I dislike how the lead off hitter is less valuable. And there is a place in this game for Ohtani and Cruz and David Ortiz.
That’s a lot to give up for the novelty of a pitcher hitting. The pitcher hitting is actual the least annoying thing of losing the DH.
i agree pitchers having to bat keeps the game honest and pitchers honest.
you can bet that if MLB put in an Intentional Strikeout–what;’s the dif between that and a walk?–manager holds up 3 fingers, sends out the leadoff hitter(like Rick Reuschel just stood there)most pitchers would learn to hit. Anyhow, can anybody name a pitcher who got hit?
Actually fielding is more dangerous. So let’s put up the old Cone of Silence aaround them to protect the fragile lads.
Right. The difficulty in retaliating is worse than it was before because when other players on the team get involved because the pitcher can’t protect himself, the league jumps in, and the penalties are ridiculously unpredictable, leaving everybody unhappy.
hey you forgot wanio he has a few ss in his trophy case
Pitchers hitting < paint drying…..
I hate how ancient baseball is in terms of implementing good changes to the game. Add the Fu**ing DH already!!! What don’t they understand from a dynamic perspective. We don’t want to see pitchers pathetic attempts at batting.
No, Wendell, not “we”- you. You don’t want to see pitchers hit. I do. Luckily there is an entire league already where pitchers don’t hit, and one where they do. So we both win.
I agree about not seeing the pitchers hit. As a cards fan I saw Wainwright during an absolute filthy start of the season get hurt hitting and miss the rest of the season. Hes not the only one. I also see pitchers who have legged out a double or been running the bases come back and just have a terrible inning after because either they are gassed or their adrenaline is still sky high. Pitchers are involved with almost every play when on defense and tend to tire easier. I honestly would like to see a pitcher at his best when hes pitching. Not tired or hurt because he was asked to run the bases or take some terrible half hearted swings(against wild pitchers throwing 95). Just my opinion
@big you can’t use wanio blowing his achilles on his plate appearance he could of blown that out on the mound. also i have been anti dh in my whole life on the fact bb is a sport that the players play both sides. also where dose it stop for the dh heck how about this we have 8 designated fielders and 9 dh’s. i’m a firm believer you wanna play you have to be good at both sides of the ball. if not let’s just do what the nfl dose have a 60 man roster and have 9 guys for hitting and the other 9 for fielding
@brodie-bruce There is only the NL in MLB that presently employs the pitcher to hit. All minor league and colleges and high schools have DH’s. The point to wanting to hang on to something that is itself a dinosaur is at least silly imo. As far as Waino blowing out his achilles did happen while batting not while pitching. Neither one of us knows if it would have happened while he was on the mound because it did happen during his needless at bat.
@doug you make great points but i was brought up on the nl way of baseball and all the strategy that comes with. i believe over time i can get behind the dh but probably nevertheless really like and i’ll start sounding like my dad where “bb was better in my day”. the point i was trying to use for wanio is his injury shouldn’t be the reason to bring in the dh heck he could of blown it out grabbing a cup of water. wanio injury was fluky in the history of baseball how often do players blow out there achilles in the last 25 years of watching bb only 2 players i can think of are wanio and howard.
@Wendell
Baseball has had the DH for half of a century. You should checkout A.L games. They play over a thousand DH games every year! NL fans like the rules they grew up with and I like the different set rules for each league.
So ridiculous to go back to watching pitchers strike out. They certainly don’t know how to bunt.
I still would be for a DH but you lose it after you bring in your 3rd pitcher. I think the main objection to the DH is not the love of watching pitchers hit but teams having to use their benches, double switches, etc.
I’m still annoyed/ hate with a passion the extra-inning rule. So when players are vaccinated during the season and big crowds are at games, do we keep the Health and Safety rules?
Loose the DH after bringing in a third pitcher!!??
That’s clown talk bro…..
I wouldn’t think so. It would eliminate most pitchers from ever having to bat, adds strategy, keeps the double switches, pinch hitting that people like about the NL game and cut down on unnecessary pitching changes and force starters to go deeper into ball games.
The only discussion is to keep it or not have it, why not a middle ground?
I love the extra innings rule, as burning out your pitchers for one meaningless game and compromising the integrity and quality of games later that week isn’t really worth it to me.
That is a legitimate decision a manager has to make. Does the manager blow out his bullpen and potentially go short handed the next game to get a win? Does he let a pitcher take one for the team to give the team a better chance in the coming days? Does he have players on the roster with options and some bullpen guys stashed in the minors or does a prospect get an early call and look?
Yeah it s only a 100 plus year old rule, let’s change everything so pitchers don t have to strain themselves for a “meaningless” extra inning game…makes sense to me. Like triple masks in public lol
What if your DH was out as soon as your starter is? So if your pitcher is laboring through three innings you have to decide if Nick Castellanos’ day is over, or if you can try to get the pitcher to finish the inning so he can bat without being pinch hit for
i dislike the dh but i can can get behind the rule if your sp is pulled so is your dh it’s the most sensible option those who want the dh get it and those of us that wanna see the strategy and in game moves of the nl game. this is the best option i can think of for those who want the dh and those with my mindset that we don’t want our style of play change.
I assumed both these issues were dead a month or more ago. I know some were hoping that they would return at the last moment.
There is very little difference between the leagues anymore but the DH. The same rules apply to both and they play each other during the season. Hell, there use to be both an American and National league President and office. The universal DH is the last holdover from a by gone era and that needs to change. But I don’t see it coming until after a new CBA and maybe not even then since both sides want it.
To the majority of fans this isn’t an important issue. Just play baseball. These so called casual fans watch maybe 2 or 3 games a week and but game ticket maybe 6 or 8 times a year but they’re most of the butts in the seats.
I miss the old baggy uniforms…..
I miss when players played without gloves.
http://www.vbba.org
I think the casual fan watches significantly less than the 50-75 games you mentioned and goes to less than 6-8 games. That’s my guess at least. Depends on how you define casual. I have season tickets yet I still only go to 20 games myself. However I do watch about 300-400 games since I’m in 15 fantasy leagues.
I have season tickets as well I go to about 10-15 a year, plus postseason. That would be good data to see how many games season ticket holders actually go to. Not sure who or how many people could make all 81 games unless you were rich or retired.
Thanks for nothing grand proobahs! Your continued mediocrity saddens me…..
Okay, well, the Braves will play Pache in Center Field, responsible for 50% of the out field, Acuna is Right Field, responsible for 40% of the field and Ozuna will patrol the foul line. I exaggerate. I perused his stats with the glove and Ozuna isn’t that bad but with Pache/Acuna, this can still be a highlight reel favorite out field.
@salary, If Ozuna is guarding the foul line, he still might trip, fall and face plant!
It’s his shoulder that’s the issue not reaching balls in his range
no ozuna will run for and climb the wall while the ball drops 10 feet in front of him not sure how ozuna won a gg.
I’m fine with expanded playoffs. But not 16 teams. That’s just ridiculous. I’m fine with 12… maybe 14.. just maybe.
12 teams makes sense, top 2 teams in each league get a by, then seed #3 at home faces #6 and #4 at home against #5 in a best of 3 series , ( all 3 games at home) then the winners go to a best of 7 series against the top 2 seeds.
So they end up keeping the worst rule change to ever happen to baseball. One of the best things about baseball is that there is no limit. If a game goes 20 innings, so be it. No need to put a runner on 2nd (which will also negatively affect relievers’ ERA and blown saves).
I kind of get it though if they’re planning on doing 7-inning double headers. You don’t want a marathon 18-inning game game when you have to play another 7 innings in a few hours, and we all know that 7-inning double headers are only really being used in case a team catches you-know-what and has to make up like a week’s worth of games. I don’t see the 7 inning double headers sticking around past this season.
Other than that, I absolutley agree. It’s the worst rule ever, imo. There is a very small percentage of games that even make it past the 12th inning. Between 2011 and 2016, just .75% made it to at least the 13th, a grand total of 109 of 14577 regular season games.
It’s a lame solution to an exceedingly rare problem
If they did it after 12 innings, fine, whatever. It’s a rule designed for one reason – to get the game over with. Nobody is making money in extra innings so why have them- fans not liking it is irrelevant. I despise the rule but I think it is likely here to stay.
I don’t think we’ll see too many 7 innings DHs. The vaccine is coming available very soon to the public so it shouldn’t be much of an issue if the players can get through April.
There’s no reason for the players to get the vaccine. They already have a 99% chance of surviving and having minor to no issues. This vaccine has a 95% success rate. So why lower their chances.
I disagree with putting a runner on 2nd in the 10th and 11th especially, and I strongly disagree with your comment. Everyone should get the vaccine, including you.
Lol, that is not at all how math works. Say the entire league gets covid. If 99% of all of the major league players survive, you have 1% of all major leaguers not surviving. If that’s 1000 players total, then 10 players would not survive.
Now say they all get the vaccine. 95% of the players now cannot get covid. So only 5%, or only 50 players, get it in the first place. Then 1% of them do not survive, which is one half of a player, or either 1 or 0.
people should have the choice to get inoculated especially for a virus that seems to have a fast mutation rate. again not saying don’t inoculated but should be up to the individual and this will the last i speak of thus don’t wanna send this chat down the political rabbit hole.
Catches “you know what”…herpes?
If the runner placed on 2nd scored, it did not count against ERA. You can’t get a blown save if the pitcher comes in during a tie game. That said… I don’t like special extra inning rules either. Great for Slo-Pitch though.
Poorly thought out. Baseball has always suffered from its callous disregard for the fans and a desire to grow the popularity of the sport and they’ve continued that here. Watching NL pitchers attempt to hit is painful and embarrassing. Universal DH a no-brainer. Similarly expanded playoffs are low hanging fruit as well. See the NFL, NBA, NHL and every major sports league world wide for reference. Along with fixing the infuriating blackout rules which, for example, prohibit territories like Guam from getting live West coast games or fans in Iowa from getting the Cardinals, Royals, Twins, Cubs, White Sox or Brewers are simple touches that would enhance the fan/viewer experience and drive the growth of the league.
Not every fan wants the DH. It irks me to no end when fans that want it speak as if there is some poll suggesting 98% of fans want this.
No, a lack of a Universal DH isn’t a callous disregard for all fans. I know those of us who don’t want it weren’t exactly given a reprieve out of some noble gesture with them having listened to us, but I’ll take the W nonetheless.
I’ll take it you’re a pirates fan.
The guy that runs this will post 4 “Fan” statements that agree with his Chicago Liberal point of view and say “see, everyone agrees!”, you can look it up.
You are talking about every major sport that is seeing flat or declining viewership, right? Or are you talking esports which is seeing increasing viewership. People have more choices today not just in what sports to watch/follow, but also what sports to participate in.
Baseball is suffering not because of having the DH or not but for a host of reasons of which the failure to attract young fans is probably the biggest. Take a look at the numbers for Little League. Take a look at average age of fans by sport.
Also, it is not that pitchers are inherently incapable of hitting. It is largely because pitchers just focus on pitching and don’t practice hitting so they end up not being able to hit.
MLBTR ran a poll here on who wants the universal DH and it was split virtually 50/50. So having one league with it and one league with out it is literally the only way that they can “listen to fans” on the issue.
And on your expanded playoffs point, you are completely missing the fact that a large chunk of fans like baseball so much because it’s DIFFERENT than the other major sports. Why would baseball try to be like every other sport on tv when it would lose the fans that like it because it’s unique? It’s still going to be “slow-paced” compared to the other sports no matter how you change it, so they should be leaning into the unique angle, not running from it.
Stan Lee, thank you!
bb is the “american past time” because of its slower nature me personally i like the slow nature to an extent (would love to see more action on the base paths and more contact this walk hr or k just makes for a boring game). the slower pace of bb gives fans a chance to really study the game and have discussion with your friends/family over a few man sodas.
also stan spot on bb appeal is it uniqueness take that away then you get a boring copy-cat game
Don’t want the DH, I love the NL game so much better than the AL game. I missed all the strategy and how a team can be forced to take out their stud starting pitcher or stud reliever for a pinch hit opportunity. A manager in the NL has much more to manage in the game.
I loved seeing a pitcher who throws inside a lot or hits a lot of batters have to go to the plate himself.
True most pitchers don’t hit as well, but that’s like saying a shortstop that is great defensively should have his own personal hitter because he isn’t a good hitter.
@zerbs i agree you have a universal dh now what next do we start dh’ing for positions that you traditionally sacrifice off. for def. i.e. c,ss,cf
Knowing these fools, this means probably by April we’ll have universal DH and expanded playoffs.
manfraud really blows!
I honestly miss Selig. He was a good commissioner and all the ladies thought he was cute. Bring him back!
Good. Both of these cheapen the game.
Finally some good news in baseball. Ban the DH.
why don’t they make the rule the catcher has to walk the ball back to the pitcher aswell changing every damn thing these 2 retards are gonna ruin this sport if they don’t get there asses kick out now !!!!
Thatd be a good idea because it would allow the catcher to get that extra fielding in much like an outfielder or shortstop. I’m all for the catcher walking the ball back to the pitcher ^_^
Only if he walks backwards to the mound & then skips back to home plate like a nancy boy while the fans laugh & throw handkerchiefs at him. Now that’s entertaininment!
Schroeder had to walk the ball back to Charlie Brown every time because he couldn’t throw.
Best MLB news I’ve heard in awhile
I say they do a 28 team post-season. Pirates and Orioles are out, everyone else gets a shot. The first 162 is kinda like a second spring training to pad stays before the real season starts.
Here come all the people saying how much strategy there is without a DH even tho it’s only a matter of letting the pitcher take the at bat or pinch hitting for him. And then bring a bullpen arm to replace said hitter. Because that involves so much thinking not.
The strategy without the DH is much more than a pitcher hitting. If you don’t understand that then you don’t understand the game. Maybe just watch your kids play wiffle ball might be for you people.
It’s not more strategy but it’s a different strategy that I like to see occasionally. I don’t understand why anyone wants universal DH when we actually have the best of both worlds right now.
My kids are still in my balls.
The Yankees winning 29 championships don’t really count as they were playing against guys with part time jobs in the offseason.
Butchers, blacksmiths, milkmen, you name it.
That is even worse then saying the Montreal Canadiens should not have 24 Stanley Cups because there were only 6 teams in the league and prior to the expansion and draft they had a monopoly on guys from Quebec ( Richard Brothers etc) m
@wendell and you think yankees players didn’t have to work jobs in the offseason back then other than a handful of guys didn’t have to work in the offseason. so it’s kinda a mute point
Baseball is like the dude who would sell his car to pay for gas money.
Just disappointing more than anything. It’ll be there next year. Hoping once the DH is leaguewide, they’ll revamp the schedule. Ridiculous that in a 162 game season virtually half the markets don’t see the other league’s best players. I know interleague play is a thing, but it should be where every team plays one home-and-home series with the other 29 clubs. Gives all AL fans chances to see players like Freddie Freeman, Javy Baez, Nolan Arenado and NL fans to see dudes like Mike Trout, Gerrit Cole, George Springer on a more regular basis.
Of course, that would require MLB and the MLBPA to actually work in unison to grow the game in a productive way by marketing it and making it more accessible to fans. But that’s too much to ask.
Yesss Dude, like the NBA has it. Where LA and BRKLN play a regular season game to build hype.
I think baseball is like the dude who’s wife is getting railed and used as c*m bucket, but still holds onto old memories because he loves her.
And honestly 162 games is crazy like, we don’t neeeed that many games to settle who’s best. As much as I love baseball, Go Dodgers, I’d rather players be healthy than play a dragggged long season.
i’ve never been a fan of interleague play before il play in the mid nineties as a young kid had no problems watching griffey play in set and i’m here in stl and that was in the 90’s. with today’s tech you can watch any game you want. i think most fans if they have the time to watch another game than there home team there gonna watch teams in there div/league to see how your team stacks up.
There is no upside to the universal DH in my opinion. No young fan is going to be attracted to baseball because the NL has the DH, but a % of loyal NL fans will be angry and lose some enthusiasm for the sport. Do AL games get higher ratings? Do AL teams have higher attendance? As an AL fan I love the DH, but it’s not a dramatic difference that’s going to make non baseball fans interested in the game. The biggest thing I’d like to see Manfred do is stop talking about how terrible baseball is and embrace the sport for what it is. I happen to love baseball but every year I’m told by it’s commissioner how terrible it is and how it needs to be changed.
If the NL had the DH it would attract the Nelson Cruzs and Marcel Ozunas to teams like the Dodgers.
I absolutely loved watching LAD pummeling opposing teams with a relentless barrage of sluggers.
If that’s your thing you should petition for the Dodgers to join the Frontier Baseball League. You could watch the Dodgers beat the Sussex County Miners 83-0 nightly. You would have a blast.
careful tribe with them comments they make to much sense dh or lack of dh isn’t going to draw new fans and only alienate life long fans. tbh what will go a long way to fix the sport is get kids playing little league and make it easier to watch games on other mediums without blackouts. i’d get the mlb package if i didn’t have to backdoor local games
These are the two worst negotiators on the planet. No one gives an inch. Nothing gets done until the last second. They fight to compromise rather than find value for both parties. Awful.
This all should have been put to bed in January.
That the article is about there being no further talks, indicates that it was put to bed in January. You got your wish!
We are here talking about it. You missed that part.
Read a lot of Wendell’s edgy comments and was smh, but he hit the nail on the head about the flow of the game. Pitchers hitting does interrupt that. That concept of ‘game flow’ is exactly what is a key issue for MLB. The world is all about instant communication, instant gratification and brevity today. No one has a long attention span anymore. NFL adapted by keeping the clock running and making runs that favor the offense. Baseball just takes too long for a game and the entertaining parts of play aren’t predictable or fast moving enough to keep people’s attention.
7 innings games actually help. They mimic what people really do at the ballpark. Lots of people leave after the 7th inning. I’d suggest that more HR is good in that it provides ‘action’.
I’d scrap the homerun trot and just have the player do a victory pose/ celebration. If a guy is on first when a homerun is hit he doesn’t circle the bases. He goes directly from 1st to home plate saving running halfway around the diamond.
I’d also penalize pitchers for walks. 4th walk and your day is done if you are the SP. 3rd walk if you are the 1st reliever and 2nd walk for all additional pitchers. To save a bullpen can I’d prohibit the removal of the RP till the end of the inning. The RP pitcher might walk additional batters and still be in the game till the end of the inning. I’d have the next batter for the RP team penalized for each additional walk the RP throws beyond their 2 or 3 walk limit. The penalty is that the next batter for the RP’s team starts his AB with one strike per additional walk. Three additional walks would mean the batter loses the AB (doesn’t show as a plate appearance) and the team only has 2 outs the next inning.
These rules speed up the game by forcing pitchers to throw strikes and should boost offense.
Flow of the game can be solved if the rules catered to pitchers and not players/position players. Very simple changes….
-enforce the strike zone by the book
-raise the mound back to 15 inches from 10
-if a fence can be moved back, move it back.
-if a fence can be raised higher, make it higher
-higher seams on the baseball, better grip and action
-stop warning pitchers for every hit by pitch
-stop changing baseballs every time they hit the dirt
There, flow.
So those of us who don’t have short attention spans basically don’t matter is what you’re saying? Cool. Got it.
Of course there are no discussions regarding playoff expansion or universal DH at this juncture. Nothing has happened to change either side’s position. Expect these to be major sticking points in the CBA negotiations. Coming next off season.
Thank God.
Man-fraud is the worst thing ever happen to baseball.
As my team is in al east I would love the 8 team structure to become the norm. The jays had some great teams that would have been given a chance back in the 00-10’s, and that certainly would have pushed harder around trade deadlines etc to be even better. It wasn’t long ago that Boston and the Yankees spent half a billion plus combined each year.
The universal DH is great for fans in the sense it gives the aging stars a place in the game. No one wants to see a Nelson Cruz for example trying to play left field at 40…but that doesn’t mean some kid doesn’t want to go to a game looking for his at bats, having his cards, slotting him 4 hole on the video game ball team…think of all the sluggers over the years to extend their careers with the dh…..not to mention the obvious ability to health of players by giving a rest day and no more free outs with the pitchers hitting.
Way back when, Jr. was playing CF with the Reds (actually happened) at Nats Park and there was a rumor about him going to NYY. I told him not to be a carpet bagger like his father and chase the money. He grabbed his crotch and spit. Note, MONEY MONEY MONEY. Other than TB12 (and maybe George Forman), who wants to see anyone over 35 playing sports? Bring back pitchers hitting in the AL, that’s what we need. AND, and, there should be a constitutional amendment banning Astroturf. YOU ARE NOT FANS, YOU’RE 12 SECOND ATTENTION SPAN SUGGAR ADDICTS.
one is good, one is bad. its a shame only two NL East teams will be in.
There will be a work stoppage next season.
THANK GOD. The communists, far left are losing all over!!!
So MLB keeps the worst of the rule changes from last year (7 inning doubleheaders, runner on second in extras) but the rule change that actually makes the game more watchable and entertaining for the average fan – the DH – they are going to exclude. Got it. Makes sense.
I would have guessed the universal DH would have been a no-brainer. First, it provides another job for a veteran hitter whose days donning leather have passed him by. Makes even more sense now because we have 26-man rosters.
Secondly, I never understood the wisdom of MLB playing with two sets of rules; One for the AL and one for the NL. That would be like the NFL saying it’s okay for the AFC to have a two-point conversion option but it’s a no-go in the NFC.
Finally, who wants to see pitchers hit (?). And do clubs really want to take the chance that a deGrom, Bieber or Cole gets plunked on the knuckles attempting to bunt?
You would think the MLBPA would have trumpeted the benefits of using universal DH. Besides, I thought it worked pretty well last year. Thoughts?
Both sides want it and it’ll be included in the next CBA. Right now they can’t agree to it because they’re gearing up for a huge battle over the coming CBA. Neither side will give an inch at the moment.
It doesn’t create another job. I don’t understand why that’s always an argument for it.
If I own a restaurant with 10 employees and I fire a server to hire a cook because I feel like the server can’t cook a good burger, I didn’t create a job.
If you add a DH the rosters are still the same size. You’re not creating a job. You may be giving an aging player an opportunity to hang on, but you also may be taking a roster spot from a more complete player in the process.
What they really mean is it’s taking an existing roster spot and turning it into a potentially higher paying job.
Unless you have a David Ortiz-, or Nelson Cruz-level hitter, most teams use the DH spot as a rotation position. Rotate one of your regular position players through the DH spot to give them a “half day” rest, or promote a top prospect and put one of your weaker fielders at DH. It increases a team’s options, allows them to maximize the investments they have in existing players, and removes one potential way pitchers can get injured. Ultimately, it’s why front offices now in the NL are also in favor of the DH.
Great!!!! More pitchers hitting!!!! Can’t wait to see that.
Are they going to hit or bunt or perhaps slap the ball to the other side. Or will they pinch hit for him to put the game in the hands of the bullpen but wait you had to use the pen early yesterday. Many many strategies than just simply watching a pitcher hit. You kids just don’t get it. Go play your x boxes and let us watch real baseball.
Question remains, how much of next season will be lost before these two sides can come to an agreement? Have they figured out the shape of the table yet?
The MLBPA hired a true sports union negotiator in Myers after the last CBA. This negotiation is going to be the most difficult since the one in 1994.
Judging from the comments on here it seems like the DH is a very divisive issue. Seems to be about a 50/50 split. If only the MLB could figure out a way to play half their games with the DH and half without. That would be a perfect compromise to please two sets of fans!
I’m just glad playoff expansion isn’t happening. I suppose there’s a case to be made for it, in terms of profitability. But there’s no case to be made, zero, that it’s good for the competitive integrity of the sport. Nobody needs break even teams, propped up by circumstance making runs at pennants.
Stepping back from arguing whether or not there should be a DH, this is a decision that MLB should make in November for the following season. Teams should be able to plan for the upcoming season knowing under what rules they will be playing and not have surprises dumped on them at the last minute. MLB needs to get its act together.
just amazes how how of touch baseball is with the rest of the sports world. going to stick with the traditionalists expectations, except when the news/ media tells them its a trendy social justice issue. no DH appeals to exactly 2% of the general population. awesome…MLB hates itself, and, unfortunately, its no surprise that hatred trickles down into many of the players’ personal lives. “Hold up, I want to watch this pitcher bat…” — no one, ever.
The poll on here was not 98% versus 2%. You are free to have your own set of opinions, but let’s not try to make our own set of facts.
Manfred and the players union are a joke. They have ruined the game.
I’m happy to see the regular postseason format back but I would have liked to see the universal DH. I assume it will become permanent next season as part of the new CBA so at least we’ll only have to see pitchers poorly attempt to hit for one more year
I think universal DH is a must in the next CBA
For the longest time, I was all for the ways things have been in the NL….as time has passed, I have been more and more disgruntled with the fact that America’s pastime has two sets of rules..the game we invented is being played on a more fair playing field all over the world except here..
I would rather see Bower, Nola, Thor pitch that hit..If there are runners on 2nd and 3rd in the 6th inning of a losing end of a 2-0 score, I do not want the star pitcher removed..I do not go to the park to watch them hit..
since the AL is not likely to give the DH up, then I say get this over with already and institute the universal DH..just Do it..
There is equal stupidity with the owners and the players..they quibble over every little dollar..just petty..
2021 may be the last hurrah of real baseball in the NL.
I’m so pleased that they aren’t going to permanently change the DH.
Stop messing with THE HISTORY OF THE GAME.
This is baseball. We baseball fans are stat nerds.
It really makes my ADD wild to know that there was an entire season that was cut short, where pitchers didn’t even bat.
Back to normal!!! Thank god
Water water freeze > watching pitchers bat.
Sad thing is I’m actually being honest about.
You’re gonna hate me but I’m also in favor of electronic strike zones and light up balls for night games.