Universal DH and Three Batter Minimum: the Right Direction for Baseball

We learned recently that North America’s Major League Baseball (MLB) and its players union are exchanging some interesting proposals for rules changes. While news reports state that these rules may may agree upon for the 2019 season, I think it more likely that we wouldn’t see the two largest ones until 2020 at the earliest. That’s because the universal designated hitter (DH) and the three-batter minimum for each pitcher are radical changes with ramifications not only for the daily pace of the game, but also for teams’ payrolls and rosters.

Possibly Imminent Changes

We’ll get back to those in a moment, but first let’s cover some changes that could be implemented right away. These are several rules that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has the power to institute unilaterally: a 20-second pitch clock, reducing mound visits from six to five, and placing a runner on second base to start extra innings beyond the 10th inning in spring training games and the All-Star Game. All of these were proposed and discussed somewhat last year, so the union and teams are on notice that they may be put into practice soon (maybe even this upcoming season).

The runner on second base after the 10th inning proposal is clearly an experiment, since it only applies only in somewhat meaningless games. The mound visits limit is an adjustment (from 6 to 5) after the larger number worked well enough after its implementation last year. The pitch clock is more intriguing because it’s something new at the major league level. However, it’s been trialed both in college and in the minor leagues, so there is plenty of data suggesting that it’s both possible and that it works to improve the pace of the game.

The Two Big Proposed Changes

So let’s take a deeper look what I see as the two big proposals here, each of which promises to improve the game of baseball. These are: the universal DH and the three batter minimum for each pitcher. While controversial, each one improves either the excitement or the pace of the game.

The game of baseball needs to adapt if it’s going to reach new generations of fans. Today’s media and attention economy is extremely saturated, and most people do not have the patience to watch a whole game. Because I want the game itself to continue in the long run, I support changes that will speed it up and make it more exciting for viewers, even if some of these change the purity of the sport.

Universal DH

The proposed designated hitter (DH) rule applies to the National League, one of the MLB’s two separate leagues. Since the early 1970s, the American League has had the DH, while the National League has required its pitchers to hit as well. As a National League fan myself, I’ve always liked the matchups and chess games that result from letting pitchers hit. But as a realist, I recognize that the American League generates more offense, which is what most fans want to see.

This change to the universal DH is probably inevitable. Most baseball people, those pro and con regarding the National League DH, generally acknowledge it’s a matter of time before it becomes implemented. I’m actually surprised that it’s taken so long to get to this point.

I’m also surprised that there are any National League owners still opposing it. Reportedly, the DH change is being pushed not by the league but by the players union. I can understand why the players want it overall, but it’s hard to fathom why the league and its owners wouldn’t want this also. Sure, it will cost more money to bring in another established hitter, but it would seem that drawing more fans means more revenue for your team overall.

The DH rule change would generate more offense, which means more compelling viewing for most fans. No other sport lets some of its best players sit on the bench and puts marginal hitters in to pretend to generate offense when a game is on the line. Most pitchers are not professional hitters. Meanwhile, the American League’s DH has let a certain kind of hitter thrive: the big slugger (often an aging veteran) who could rake at the plate, but is not a good enough athlete to be a plus defender in today’s league.

Three Batter Minimum Per Pitcher

Similarly, the three batter minimum for each pitcher would mark a big change to the game. Before being yanked from the game, each pitcher must face at least three batters. The situational late-inning pitcher, often a left-hander, has been a staple of the game who comes in often to get just a single out. The late innings are a chess match of pitching changes to exploit favorable match ups.

But at the end of the day, the lefty-righty advantage is only a few points at most. Balance that with the reality that all the late inning delays turn off the average fan. With people changing the channels, it’s time to speed up this ponderous part of the game.

The sport of baseball, like all other athletics, is constantly changing. To keep fans and attract new ones, it needs to change even more. Even a purest like me no longer sees a choice; the game must innovate to survive. Instituting the universal DH and the three batter minimum for pitchers would be positive steps in that direction.

Reference: https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-proposes-three-batter-minimum-032408224.html
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