IS MLB READY FOR THE UNIVERSAL DH?

I've been preparing myself for months now, have you? On December 1st, the current collective bargaining agreement will expire and I'm sure negotiations for a new agreement will be very eventful. There will be many hot topics including the possibility of adding a universal DH.

All signs so far point to both the National and American leagues adopting the DH. It has more support now than it has in years past and even I have warmed up to the idea. I used to be dead set against it. I'm not 100% sold yet but I'm not opposed as I was before.

And I'm no the only one who has warmed up to the idea. I found an interesting read as I was scouring the internet for baseball news today, check out this article by the San Antonio Express-News HERE. Even World Champion Braves manager Brian Snitker has warmed up to the idea. Like me, he had his own hesitations.

“Prior to experiencing it last year (2020), I was kind of like the old guard,” Snitker said of using the DH during the pandemic season. “I was not for it. I am now. Pitchers don’t grow up hitting — they grow up pitching.”

Funny how a short 2020 season can change perspective because now he says “I didn’t know if I would, but I ended up liking it.” And then on the other hand I get Dusty Baker's point of view too. He likes baseball just the way it is.

“I’m in favor of leaving it the way it is,” Baker said of the last half-century of baseball in the American and National leagues. “… They’re both interesting in their own ways. I remember when the DH first came in the league, it was basically for a lot of older players … guys that could hit. Either your knees were bad or whatever it was, and you couldn’t play the position."

The DH was and you can argue still is for the players that couldn't handle being an everyday position player. Looks at Giancarlo Stanton, he's been stuck in a DH only role now due to his previous injury  history even though he played 139 games this season. They could've tested given him more opportunities in the outfield but did not.

Baker added, “The DH is kind of hurting some of the kids that are coming up that don’t want to play a position, and just want to DH at 12, 13 or 14 years old. You go to a Little League … practice, and after they hit, they’re ready to go home. There’s more to the game than just hitting, if you’re going to be a ballplayer.”

And he's not wrong either but like Snitker said if you are a pitcher you grow up pitching and they aren't known or expected to be great hitters. I used to be so against the idea of the universal DH because even though my favorite team plays in the American league I have always LOVED watching interleague games. The strategies are different and every once in awhile you get to witness an unexpected thrill. Do you remember watching Bartolo Colon's big hit in 2016? That's what makes baseball so exciting and those are moments that I would miss.

But now I have started to change my opinion a little. As much as I do appreciate National League baseball I am more concerned with protecting our pitchers. The last thing I want to see is Gerrit Cole go up to the plate and get hit in the hand or the leg and miss significant time. Baseball contracts are just extra expensive these days and injuries are more frequent too. I guess this is what makes me more open to the change.

Question is will we see the DH happen next season? So far all signs point to yes. Times are changing but are players and fans ready for it? I'm anxious to see what this new collective bargaining agreement brings. Did we just watch pitchers bat for the last time? My guess is yes.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Senior Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj