http://offthekuff.com/wp/?p=72106

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Speaking at the St. Louis Cardinals Winter Warmup event on Saturday, general manager John Mozeliak says there's increased momentum building among general managers and owners to bring the DH to the National League. According to Derrck Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Mozeliak further noted the topic of the DH in the NL used to be a "non-starter" with officials, but now it's become more of a topic, which perhaps indicates actual movement within those ranks.

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If the universal DH is truly gaining momentum, then it's something [MLB Commissioner Rob] Manfred will have to take on head-on at some point during his tenure. At this point though, it seems like we're still a good distance away from it gaining enough momentum to motivate change. If there's a silver lining for DH backers though, it's that it's also difficult to see the tide ever shifting back in the other direction, meaning the universal DH is an inevitability at some point in baseball's future.

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Thought it was an interesting note. Probably just a bored baseball writer in the doldrums of the off-season, but thought I'd pass it along.

Not much new there. I agree that the momentum will always be, even if its slight, towards a universal DH and it will happen eventually.

I hope it stays the same. I like each setup for different reasons. The DH is nice because you get better hitting across the board. However I like the NL rule because sometimes you have to consider taking out your stud pitcher to score some runs.

Just a result of today's environment. Players don't want to sack up and risk injury. GMs and agents want to protect their prize pitchers.

I like the way it is now. Each side has different mindset and strategy when working through a game. From in-game decisions, to lineups, and to roster spots.

It's worked for all this time and hasn't been a problem until now.

I approve of the change.

(Not that it matters)

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Don't forget the people who autoerotic over the concept of a double switch so some middling infielder with a .220 batting average can replace a .072 hitting pitcher and call it strategy and exciting.

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Even if there are some in the anti-DH crowd that wax poetic about the double switch, why do you care?

I am slowly coming to grips with the inevitability. It helps that I don't follow the game as closely as I used to.

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Don't forget the people who autoerotic over the concept of a double switch so some middling infielder with a .220 batting average can replace a .072 hitting pitcher and call it strategy and exciting.

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Even if there are some in the anti-DH crowd that wax poetic about the double switch, why do you care?

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Because I hate interleague play. And now it is happening every day, I want the DH!

perhaps the best thing about the no-DH in the NL...it exposes the dumb managers.

the AL managers really have it easy without double switches and the dreaded decision of when to pinch hit for your starting pitcher.

if the NL accepts the DH, then the trade-off needs to be...the first visit to the mound removes the pitcher. Two visits to the same pitcher should become a thing of the past

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Because I hate interleague play. And now it is happening every day, I want the DH!

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Your beloved BoSox will play ten games each season in which you have to endure no DH. Oh the horror!

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if the NL accepts the DH, then the trade-off needs to be...the first visit to the mound removes the pitcher. Two visits to the same pitcher should become a thing of the past

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I think the "trade-off" should be that the pitcher and the DH are treated as the same player in the lineup; If you substitute for one, the other should have to come out too.

Although am a "traditionalst" but can see that both leagues will eventually embrace the DH.

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Because I hate interleague play. And now it is happening every day, I want the DH!

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Your beloved BoSox will play ten games each season in which you have to endure no DH. Oh the horror!

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Yeah. It is horrible. They've created these stupid unnatural "rivalries". The games don't matter but they do count for the post season standings. In AL East general terms, 3-4 games is going to be the difference between making the post season or not. So why stick 20 games that really aren't relevant other than to the record for post season.

If they didn't have interleague I wouldn't give two craps about it. If the interleague play didn't affect the post season potential records, I wouldn't care about it. But seeing as it DOES affect the post season records, I want nothing to do with having a Red Sox pitcher at the plate.

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They've created these stupid unnatural "rivalries".

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Won't get an argument from me on this. I believe divisional foes should face the same teams an equal number of times, at least as much as possible. In other words, dump the rivals and have teams within divisions play the same interleague opponents.

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So why stick 20 games that really aren't relevant other than to the record for post season.

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I for one would not mind unbalancing the leagues again making interleague unnecessary if they would allow the Astros to return to the NL.

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If they didn't have interleague I wouldn't give two craps about it. If the interleague play didn't affect the post season potential records, I wouldn't care about it. But seeing as it DOES affect the post season records. . .

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Well are not all AL teams in the same boat? I thought the AL was so superior to the NL these 20 pushover games against the NL would be seen as a welcome in season repose with or without the DH. Anyways, instead of taking away a style of baseball that many enjoy for a few games a season , a simpler solution would be to just have the DH in all interleague contest.

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. . . I want nothing to do with having a Red Sox pitcher at the plate.

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Sorry, I did not realize BoSox starting pitchering is so fragile to risk a handful of plate appearances.

Watching Jon Lester "bat" has destroyed my faith in NL rules. College ball goes with a DH, AL goes with the DH, and watching a game in either of those is not a drastically different product. Besides, if it weren't for a fishing trip, the DH would already be in both leagues. I'm fine if the NL likes it this way and keeps it, but I wouldn't be upset if they decided to change either.

Personally, I like the idea of the pitcher batting, but I recognize that the ideal doesn't carry over into the real world. They are a free out way more often than the double switch comes into play.

X's and O's aside, the thing I really want to maintain is the difference between the AL and the NL. The DH is a minor difference right now, but it's enough of a wrench to prevent an MLB MVP and I think it makes winning the pennant a bigger deal. It is such a minor thing, but it's something I really enjoy about baseball.

I think the NL DH is an inevitability because it's beneficial to the MLBPA and the owners. Time frame is the better question. <5 years, is my guess.

I didn't know how much I liked the DH until the Astros went AL and I didn't have to watch pitchers hit anymore.

I want to watch goof offense. If the majority of pitchers aren't going to make an attempt, then give me the DH.

Hint.. you can still bat your pitcher if you want.

Don't like it, but don't hate it enough to gripe about it either.

if there is going to be a DH (and its not going away in our lifetimes), then it should be in both leagues.

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I want to watch goof offense.

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Maybe the Astros will hire Spavital.

I hate the DL rule.

If you don't play the field, you shouldn't get to bat.

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I hate the DL rule.

If you don't play the field, you shouldn't get to bat.

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You hate the disabled list?

I say if you can't hit, why should you get to pitch? If your OPS is below .400, you have to go to the minors and can't pitch in MLB until you raise it.

The last thing teams want is pitchers spending the majority of their practice time hitting.

Hmmm...now how could we fix that?

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The last thing teams want is pitchers spending the majority of their practice time hitting.

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How pitching staffs are used today the only pitchers that get BAs are generally starters and there is no reason they could not get enough BP to handle a bat in a halfway competent manner on those days they don't throw. Still, unlike position players, a pitcher can make the show no matter how inept they are at the plate, all that really matters if the can get the opposition out.

At the lower levels, most of the best players can pitch and hit well. Apparently, that's impossible at the professional level. Weird...

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Well are not all AL teams in the same boat?

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No. They play the fake rivalry which means that the same teams play each other every year. By definition, they are not in the same boat.

I get it, you jack off to a double switch and don't want to part with the idea of an almost automatic out every 9 hitters.

I don't want to see a Sox pitcher have a Chien Ming Wang incident and end his career over a meaningless exhibition.

So either get rid of interleague or DH in both.

I hate the Diamondbacks soooo much.

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They play the fake rivalry which means that the same teams play each other every year. By definition, they are not in the same boat.

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Um, did I not already address that interleague rivals should be done away. By being in the same boat I meant that all AL clubs have ten games a season in which there would be no DH.

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So either get rid of interleague or DH in both.

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DId you eve read my previous post?

As an Astros fan, it's been a pretty easy adjustment to the DH. I don't mind not seeing the pitcher come up to bat and kill a rally.

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They play the fake rivalry which means that the same teams play each other every year. By definition, they are not in the same boat.

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Um, did I not already address that interleague rivals should be done away. By being in the same boat I meant that all AL clubs have ten games a season in which there would be no DH.

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So either get rid of interleague or DH in both.

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DId you eve read my previous post?

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Sure I read it. I just don't agree with your conclusion.

Then I don't have a clue why you brought up interlegue rivals. I agreed with you, they are silly. Interleague games are necessary however under the current alignment of having an equal number of teams in each league.

What was wrong with my proposal of just making the DH the rule for all interleaved games if the horror of pitchers hitting is just too much for you to handle, why must the NL have to go to the DH for league games to satisfy you?