Thursday, June 19, 2008

NL Ball

I know that Malach doesn't like NL ball, but that is because he's an uneducated fool. I, for one, love NL ball. I hate the DH, I think it's bad for the game. It's part of an overall problem with the game, an emphasis on homeruns instead of hitting.
What I like about the NL is that you still get to see bunts. There is nothing better, in my mind, than a well-executed bunt. In the AL, you almost never get to see a bunt. Why? Too much emphasis on swinging for the fences. While seeing a pitcher bat may be boring to some, Zambrano is one of the best hitters in the league. If he moved to the outfield, he'd hit forty a season easy (he pinch-hits fairly often). He'd probably hit .300, too. I know that most hitters stink, but I blame the managers. If the managers would make pitchers spend more time hitting, you'd see better hitting from the nine spot, like you did with the Braves in the 90s; Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz were all very, very good hitters.
Another thing I like about not having the DH is that teams steal bases. I love base-stealing, there's a lot to it. There are pickoffs, attempts by the 1B to hold the runner, and there is timing. It's a fun battle to watch that is, with few exceptions, almost entirely restrained to the NL (unless Rickey Henderson is on a team). The BoSox this year are a true exception to the "big ball" of the AL as they are playing a more NL "small ball" style, but have a good enough lineup to mix both styles and still hit for power.
I also don't like how the AL keeps incomplete ball players, guys who don't respect all parts of the game, around. Man, I tell you, you couldn't keep a lot of the old-timers off the field. No sir, they would demand to be out there. Why? Because that's part of the game. Sitting on your ass for nine innings and occasionally getting up to hit just isn't baseball. If you can't play a position, then maybe you don't belong in baseball. But I know the game changes and that this is my weakest argument, which is why I buried it in the post.
Finally, the DH has caused too many AL pitchers to head-hunt. Guys like Clemens and Pedro are the best examples. But when they got to the NL and had to face retaliation, they didn't throw at heads. It keeps the pitchers honest, it keeps the game fair. Pitchers don't get to take it easy and act tough when they aren't tough and are afraid to face retaliation. In the NL, they know that if they throw at someone, they will have to face the consequences, and that's why they don't as often in the NL.
It's a great style of play.

2 comments:

Malach the Merciless said...

I disagree, being a former baseball player I am of the school of not giving up outs. Bunting and steal give up outs.

AngryMan said...

Stealing does not give up outs. It is a great part of the game. It also puts pressure on the pitchers.
Bunting puts pressure on the other team, too, and if you are a good bunter, you can get a hit.
But do you concede my point abuot head-hunting and all around play?