OT: Will the NL adopt the DH soon?

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

And I agree completely about neutralizing the defensive shifts. If a batter keeps hitting into the shift, he is going to see it for the rest of his career. And his production will be greatly diminished. But if he learns to slap the ball the other way and puts together a few 4 for 5 games, watch how quickly they will end. It seems to me that batters who have seen a shift in the past should be taking a little extra batting practice in spring training to learn how to hit to the opposite field.

It is embarrassing that almost no one tries to beat the shift. My biggest complaint isn't about delays per se, but the lack of any action. Strikeouts are at an all-time high, and stolen bases are nearly forgotten. Get back to basics, and the game would be fine.

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

It is embarrassing that almost no one tries to beat the shift. My biggest complaint isn't about delays per se, but the lack of any action. Strikeouts are at an all-time high, and stolen bases are nearly forgotten. Get back to basics, and the game would be fine.

Absolutely. How many times have you seen a lefthanded hitter line a ball into right field, which is normally a single, only to see the second basemen who is playing in short rightfield throw him out as if it were an infield groundout. Yet if the batter took a simple check swing and tapped the ball toward leftfield, he could trot to first base with a single. If I can figure that out, why can't the team figure it out?

Every team in every sport spends countless hours trying to come up with counters to their opponents offensive and defensive switches, yet baseball hasn't figured how to counter the defensive shift. And it isn't even complicated. I find the whole thing baffling.