Hank blames the National League
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- June
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Hank Steinbrenner, of course, is quite upset.
“My only message is simple. The National League needs to join the 21st century,†he told The Associated Press. “They need to grow up and join the 21st century. Am I (mad) about it? Yes. I’ve got my pitchers running the bases, and one of them gets hurt. He’s going to be out. I don’t like that, and it’s about time they address it. That was a rule from the 1800s.
“This is always a concern of American League teams when their pitchers have to run the bases and they’re not used to doing it. It’s not just us. It’s everybody. It probably should be a concern for National League owners, general managers and managers when their pitchers run the bases. Pitchers have enough to do without having to do that.â€
Have to say, Little Stein makes a good point.
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on Monday, June 16th, 2008 at 8:52 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
my sentiments exactly
I’m sure he’d have the same reaction if it had been Beckett or Kazmir.
Say what you want about Hank, but I like him–what he says is totally outrageous, but there’s too much truth in it to be ignored.
Hank is a putz.
Talks too much and is 15-25 IQ points short of being a decent moron.
I disagree completely. Pitchers are athletes too, so if they can’t run around the bases, then something is wrong with them, not the system. It was a freak injury, bottomline.
SOX getting smacked..
I’m liking this Phillies/Red Sox game
Wonder if there is a Red Sox blog like this one with people demanding that Timlin be DFA’d? Wow. He makes LaTroy look like Bob Gibson.
But if they get rid of pitchers hitting they won’t get any chick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLECMCargd8
Timlin needs to pitch every game.
Wah…Wah…
If he was so valuable, why did you rake him over the coals in arbitration?
Tell Little Stein that the Yanks have the best record in the history of inter league play.
Got say this about Hank, he certainly doesn’t hold his tongue.
He did however back off his comments from a few weeks ago on Mussina, he realized the error of his ways.
“Timlin needs to pitch every game.”
I’m not sure I’ve seen a less effective pitcher this season. I know he’s had a nice career with what, 3-4 World Series rings? But heartless Theo has to be ready to give that guy the gas. He couldn’t get me out.
Bill from NJ, quarterbacks are athletes too (moreso than pitchers) and they don’t play defense or special teams anymore. Why? They’re too valuable. Same goes for pitchers.
I like that Hank is speaking out, but until he and other AL owners confront MLB about interleague play, nothing will happen.
You ever see an NL pitcher have this injury?
How about pitchers who go from the AL to the NL?
No?
The NL pinch runs pitchers for slow hitters in some cases.
This is a flat out fluke injury.
Hank sure does make things…interesting.
The DH is an abomination.
Mussina’s 9-1 since Hank said he needs to be more like Jamie Moyer.
He’s doing something right
who is worse Hawkins or Timlin?/ Timlin is toast, before tonight his ERA is in the 5.50 range.. he is 40, they should call up one of there 100 prospects and dump him.. why don’t one of the sux moron/trolls tell us about there zillion stud prospects..
isn’t hansen like the best 8th inning guy in baseball?? they told us he was a can’t miss.. he has been missing for about 3 yrs. already. sux fans think they invented baseball.. this is a team with there new influx of young guys still have basiaclly a FA and trade laden team, but they are the architects of how to build a team from within.
lowell— trade
lugo– FA
pedroia– internall
youkilis–trade from Oak.
Varitek–trade seattle
Manny–fa
ellsbury–internal
crisp–trade
drew –FA
papi–FA
but they know how to build from within
daisuke–fA
shill–trade/robbery
beckett–trade
etc..
yeah they have proven how to build from within..
the boston mythology is a JOKE>>>>>>
I hope Beckett gets hurt soon. That’s the only thing which will deliver me from my profound state of depression.
Think about this. For how “great” the Sox have played and how “awful” the Yanks have been this seeason and with fans jumping off bridges and bandwagons the Yanks will be only 4 games back in the loss column of the “mighty” Sox.
The more Hank speaks the more he sounds like an idiot.
sux get lasted, they sure are a good road team………
I mean give them the ring they are a can’t miss team…..
why do they even play the games????
Papelbum looks to be soemwhat mortal this year…Okajima is Farnsworth like with runners on base when he comes in.. THe sux are flawed like all these teams……
If the Yanks hit the way they should they can compete with these guys even without Wang…..
The DH rule was a business decision. More home runs plus you can protect your pitching a bit. But come on. My kid can run the bases. Hell I can, and I don’t exactly have a team of coaches and trainers.
There is no doubt that this is a fluke injury.
Having said that, the NL does need to join the rest of organized baseball and stop living in the past. Doing something just because you’ve always done it that way is no reason. They should recognize pitchers as playing a specialized position, just like the NFL has special rules for QBs and punters (roughing).
The only conceivable reason I can think of for the NL not doing it is because they think it saves them money from not having another hitter in the lineup. Not exactly a positive reason.
It’s not a good point. Pitchers are athletes, and they can run in a square without killing themselves. If Prince Fielder can do it… CMW can do it. It was a freak injury, and lets be honest, the DH is the more artifical rule, not the pitchers hitting…not to start a DH debate here though.
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it is absolutely amazing seeing the major mood swings and desperate moves desired on this blog! if anyone thinks that what cashman says to 2 “special†radio guys is reality, than perhaps i can finally move this bridge in my back yard, but i count at least 9 internal options to replace cmw’s innings. first, give giese a shot. have kei start but on a short leash. allow karstens, horne, mccutchen, marquez and white chances to show or blow. hughes and kennedy aren’t dead and will be back this year. don’t cry about the 40 man roster as we have several 60 day options available and we can always dfa hawkins, traber and stewart. cashman didn’t trade for santana for nearly the exact same reasons he won’t trade for sabathia. i see him making his usual stealthy moves instead, probably including a pitcher or 2 never even named here. and i refuse to obsess about the offseason until halloween arrives as a fan since 1957, let me advise us all to go with the flow and admit we don’t know.
How much do you think Wang’s previous calf problem had to do with this?
When NL pitchers train in spring training, do they do base running drills? Do AL pitchers do base runnning drills? Mike Mussina said pitchers run – but in straight lines in the outfield, they don’t run the bases.
Even an athlete, well-conditioned, can injure themselves when they have their bodies do something they’re not used to doing. I would think that making a turn around a base at a good clip in order to score is not all that easy to do, and perhaps even awkward for someone not used to doing it. Most of the time, the athlete is not going to get hurt, or at least not going to get hurt badly, but every once in a while, they are.
To me it is just not a good idea in interleague play to put AL pitchers in the position of having to do something they aren’t trained to do/used to doing. These are not exhibition games – they count. I don’t care if the AL has won more games in interleague play than the NL. The point is that AL pitchers are put in a precarious position. Plus, I asked in a prior thread, but I would like to know what the record is of AL teams in NL parks. Is there a place to look up that kind of information?
Dan,
Playing football and running around the bases is a little different I think.
It’s my birthday today and I can’t think of a better present than to see the BoSux only ahead of the Yankees in the loss column by 4 measly games. We’ll “cover” the Wang injury and mark my words….we’ll have 1st Place in NY by the end of June…..Good Night, Boston ( & your trolls ) you can take Gargantua Colon and his glass back and the rest of your pitching staff ( which is NOT that good this year and the stats bear that out ) and ride off into the sunset. Keep that Tampa Bay rivalry going…it’ll be you and them racing for 2nd place and NOT EVEN the Wild Card at the end of the year….ya BeanEaters !
If the NL doesn’t want the DH, they shouldn’t have to have it; but in interleague play, you have to use the DH at all times on both sides. That’s my humble opinion, anyway.
Timlin’s ERA is now over 7… he is officially worse then Hawkins and people that is really really bad…
isn’t Delcarmen and Hansen like 2 of the 3 best setup men in baseball???
the sux trolls have been telling us about these guys for 3 yrs.. Isn’t Hansen like a young Mariano??? I especially look forward to 2 more years of Lugo fielding.. He is a great fielder especially throwing to 1st…
no way fat papi will be back in 2 weeks, no friggin way.. and he will not be that productive…
And don’t ask me about the World Series, because I haven’t thought this out 100% yet!!!
it was a fluke injury, but Hank is right. The NL should join modern day society. Much like they no longer sell 8-tracks or pagers at electronic stores, so too does the NL need to get with the program.
plus NL fans are always complaining about the AL having the advantage in interleague, WS and ASG because of the DH. Well, isn’t it time to stop crying and get their own? The DH in the AL was instituted (Ron Blomberg reprezentin’) to help us catch up with the Senior Circuit, well now we’re far past them and they need to catch up with us, so whats stopping them?
I don’t think he has a good point. I think he needs to grow up and stop being such a little prissy female.
OMFG I’m sorry for the language but I was shocked in awe in Tampa A ball making his 2008 debut
1 for 3 w/ a 2B and a SO
CJ Henry
Also back Francisco Cervelli
Asking the pitcher to run the bases, instead of flat out run, is a little like asking a hockey player to do a triple salcow.
Just because he can run doesn’t mean he can run the bases. Different thing.
Stuart…the Sox drafted Youks
He wasn’t traded from Oakland you dolt
Grow some balls, get rid of the DH, and have pitchers play both parts of the game like it was created. That seems logical to me. Shut up Hank!
Stuart is so jealous of the Red Sox that it’s laughable
“Also back Francisco Cervelli ”
Sweet! Let us know how he does.
How about getting rid of interleague instead? It takes away from the All star game and the World series.
I think NL play is actually a little more exciting than AL play but MLB should have it all one way or the other, not half and half.
Stuff happens,
It is Carl Pavano time.
Yea Stuart Aaron is right about Youk. Youk was just thought of so highly in the book Moneyball where Beane wanted him and proclaimed him “The Greek God of Walks”
For some reason I find Hank amusing & regardless of what he says to the press I think he’s pretty harmless. I have to say I agree with what he said even if he sounds like a spoiled brat.
I’m an AL fan but the DH sucks. Watching the Sox game. Francona could have left Lopez in with the pitcher’s spot coming up the next inning and only down 4-2. Instead he brings in Timlin who can’t even get through an inning and gives up the game. Way to burn through the bullpen. But the NL is all about strategy and shouldn’t have to give that up because a Yankee pitcher got hurt. Besides, watching Colon hit was hilarious.
I also think Timlin is through. Nice career, but go play golf already.
Sweet! Let us know how he does.
0 for 3 in his debut, the good thing is he gunned down a runner already so they are 1 for 2 running against him.
But CJ game one XBH that’s a big thing for him.
Why doesn’t MLB, which controls every other facet of how ML baseball is played, make one set of rules with regards to the DH?
The reason we have this situation with the DH in only half the games played is that in the 70s (whatever year it was), the two leagues had much more individual authority; when they couldn’t agree on the DH, the AL went their own way with it.
Well, in this day and age, when we have a stronger MLB office and essentially no separate league structure (I don’t even think the AL and NL have separate league presidents anymore. Has anybody missed them?), why doesn’t Bud, when he’s not busy solving the PED issue, or trying to price-fix draft signings, just use the power of his office and order one set of rules?
Looks like the blush is off the Okajema rose.
I think the amusement factor of watching pitchers hit exists for AL fans because they see it so rarely. Once the novelty of a pitcher taking terrible hacks wears off, you realize that your batting order is essentially 8 long, with an automatic out tacked on that makes Robbie’s beginning to this season look good by comparison.
Wang’s injury seems to have been a freak thing. The team ran conditioning drills in spring training, which involved running. Wang was hurt running on flat ground; the base had nothing to do with it. It’s just what happens when a guy takes a bad step and 150+ pounds of weight drives his foot into the ground.
Ron – right on both counts.
I hate watching pitchers attempt to hit, with a passion. This is baseball, not cricket. Innings in which pitchers are due to bat are far more predictable, because there are certain moves that are almost automatic. There’s no denying it makes the actual game play less interesting… and the all the vaunted intricacy of the double-switch doesn’t make up for the decline in quality of the on-field product.
That said, you have to say this is a total fluke accident.
Steve Philips is dissing Hank right now about the NL rule. I’ll be honest it’s a horrible injury but com’on Hank your SP needs to learn how to run if anything.
haha I love Hank
love ya Phillies Muuuuahhhhhz…
Steve Philips disagreeing with Hank about the DH – proof positive that the NL is wrong.
Man i have a good feeling about this guys…..this could be a good thing he will be fresh for october
^ Sounds like someone is frustrated with a loss tonight.
yeah jon i heard phillips.. i cant stand him or any espn anlyst for that matter
i mean joe
Pete,
I can’t believe you could agree with Stein on this. It’s ridiculous. Pitchers are athletes and its only because of a change the American League made that we think they can’t also hit and run. I’ll admit that interleague is largely a marketing ploy, but I don’t think the NL should change out of concern that AL pitchers might get hurt running the bases. It’s just a very weak argument that amounts to sour grapes. Wang is a baseball player, injuries happen, and Stein should know whining about rules that have been in place for over 100 years is borderline pathetic.
The Phillies seems like a scary good team..
Next up-Mets vs. Angels
Beckett’s a pretty good hitter, though. And Carlos Zambrano.
Interleague play is a joke. Why do the Yanks and Mets have the disadvantage of playing each other so many times while the red Sox and Phillies play weaker teams? If they must have interleague play make it fair. The Yanks and Red sox are battling for the division every year? they should play the same schedule so that they base who wins the division on a equal playing field
Buster Olney likes Bronson Arroyo and Joe Blanton…eh I am not a fan of either of those.
Is there any other league in organized baseball that doesn’t use the DH? Colleges?
It was the AL that changed the rules to bring in Designated Hitters. Don’t ALL the players need to learn how to run the bases?
I would like to see the Yanks make a move for a quality starter.
Trade bsit would be Melky or Cano or one of those super duper potential Hall of Fame prospects we have on the farm. The ones that are destined for greatness
Joe from Long Island
MLB would love to abolish the DFH, but the players union would never agree to it, as they like having the 14 DH spots which earn their members high money contracts.
Likewise, MLB owners don’t want the DH in the NL because it’d would contribute more to salary increases. A 25th man/bench player earns less than a DH typically.
I actually like the different rules. It helps maintain a separate identity between the two leagues.
Buster Olney likes Bronson Arroyo and Joe Blanton…eh I am not a fan of either of those.
Those 2 names are like a giant zit on our as..s
Alan Horne come on down to the price is right.
I think you’re right about MLB and the business aspect of this.
I happen to disagree with you about the DH, but I do respect your position.
Have a good evening.
Watching pitcehrs batting is boring. Fans paying money to watch ballgames deserve better offense plays.
My last post was addressed to YankeeJosh.
But everyone can have a good evening.
I really hope we see Horne or McCutchen or Marquez… the rest Kei Igawa
and Jeff Rat face Karstens have not earned a damn thing !
P.S. OT but did anyone notice Bartolo Colon’s velocity was at 88 mph tonight ?
Jason@HK
June 16th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Watching pitcehrs batting is boring. Fans paying money to watch ballgames deserve better offense plays.
But what about the double-switch!?
lol NL’s for girls.
I think the Red Sox can see us now,
we are only 5.5 games out of first place!!!!!!
Remember when Arroyo sucked when he played for the Sux. Then, he became good when he went to the sucky NL. Now, he sucks in teh NL and would be worse than Timlin in the AL.
Point made.
We could get CC cheaper than Blanton because Beane likes to rape teams in trades and can sell off crap for a hell of a lot of good stuff. I wonder what he would do given a payroll like the Yanks…
Dunno if anyone was watching the Sox – Phillies game, but Cole Hamels is batting over .300.
ITs amazing how people get all jacked up on minor league players. Most of those guys a great portion of them unfortunately wont make it or wont make a dent on the major league level. I think they need a trade if they want to shoot for October’
Trade proposals:
Kennedy, Melky for Oswalt.
or
Cano and Kennedy for Reyes- then give Reyes to Cleveland for CC
Bob from NJ- yes football is different, but that doesn’t change the analysis. The point is that sports have become specialized, and the specialists are paid a lot of money for their talent. Quarterbacks are protected, both in usage and by the rules of the game, in order to protect an asset. When you take a specialist out of his element, you expose him to risk. With pitchers, you’re more worried about your pitcher getting hit by a pitch than in running the bases because pitchers are not as good at recognizing movement and location. But you’re worried about protecting an asset.
Plus, the “football is different” comment ignores the fact that a pitcher can get just as messed up by a 95 mph fastball as a QB could playing special teams.
There is only one pitcher to watch hit and that it Micah Owings. The Diamondbacks bring him in the pinch hit and the other team made a pitching change to counter and Owings hits a game tying two run homer sometime earlier this year. he is beast. Even when he was injured, they used him as a bench player to pinch hit. I think they want to teach him first base or the corner outfield spots so when he isnt pitching, he can hit through the game. Hilarious
There has never been a DH in cricket, lol – sure would be funny to see one though.
Cricket is different in that some of the bowlers can actually hit quite decently nowadays – but they also have no choice.
I don’t see Shapiro giving up on CC this season, he’s aiming to make the playoffs there is no doubt about that. I see him going the year w/ CC making a playoff push and taking the draft picks when they let him go.
NL teams lose nothing and gain offense when they play in AL parks.
AL teams are at a distinct disadvantage when they play in NL parks because their pitchers don’t hit often.
In fact since the minors all have the DH, some AL pitchers bat for the first time in their professional careers in interleague games!
Hank has a good point but since many people just don’t like him his message gets lost.
Wang is out until at least late August and that is bad but its happened and thats the end of it. I dont need Lil Steinny running his mouth about how interleague is a sham because some people like it and some dont until it is done away with everyone should deal. If he wants to prove his determination and passion to the fans instead of complaining about the wrongs of pitchers hitting he should go out and force Cashman to send out a haul to pick up C.C. and then sign him to a big, fat, Yanks type contract. Thats what Daddy woulda done so show us that Jr. can handle his team or shut your mouth.
I agree with Hank that pitchers have enough to do without having to worry about hitting or running. However, that is not why CMW got hurt. He could have gotten hurt running over to cover first base. This is an unfortunate situation for the Yankees. But we’ve been down before and come through okay. This will show us what this team is made of.
I just listened to Cashman’s interview on the fan website – I think starting Giese on Saturday is the way to go.
Just think how good I felt when the next pitcher he mentioned was Mr. High Fastball – Kei Igawa.
Horne and McCutchen need to do whatever they can to prevent me from ruining another evening watching the Kei-ster serve’em up nice and easy.
If Igawa is pitching again this season in the Yankee uniform I move to organize a serious protest that guy doesnt belong here he is an ok AAA pitcher and thats it he is not even a bad major league pitcher. A bad ML pitcher is Barry Zito, or Jarrod Washburn Kei is not even on that level.
I heard the Cash interview too. I think him stating that Igawa was pitching the best at AAA tells you something. Its tells you Cash may think we are all idiots. Anyone who has seen igawa pitch knows he is not a major league pitcher. Its not like he had one bad outing he has had alot. Further, he looks like someone who was taken out of the stands to throw, like he won a contest. He looks as though hes pitching batting practice. How could Cash say that guy is doing well? He is awful at the major league level. Oh, I think he said Igawas era in the minors is 3.79? if so that translates to what 8.00 in the AL?
Despite all that has happened I look forward to Joba’s first pitch count-less start on Thursday against a bad SD offense.
“Despite all that has happened I look forward to Joba’s first pitch count-less start on Thursday against a bad SD offense.”
Despite the fact that he’s on my fantasy team, I hope the Yankees walk Adrian Gonzalez every time he’s up, lol.
Here is a novel idea. Lets get rid of interleague play until the World Series. There is no need to change rules in the middle of a season.
Adrian Gonzalez, Jody Gerut and Brian Giles will be tough outs. And the Pads also called up Chase Headley.
Chad Jennings is the man he has a great blog down covering SWB to be honest I think thats likely more fun than covering the ML team. Check it out sometime.
Its an awful injury. However even before this happened I had hoped the Yanks would deal for a quality starter becuase I amnot comfortable with Rasner, Kenneddy or Hughes. So maybe they make a move now, and something positive can come out of this awful injury to Wang, He was very steady for them
Philly is an absolute launching pad. Alex would hit 60+ easily there. 374 to left center and the ball carries like crazy.
Here is a novel idea. Lets get rid of interleague play until the World Series. There is no need to change rules in the middle of a season.
Draws too much money. That is never going to happen interleague is here to stay.
Another thing is we got to cut the BS our pitcher got hurt jogging not busting it down the line, this is a man’s game IDK many ball players that play so fragile and then have to be given excuses. Wang’s injury is unfortunate but guess what that’s baseball.
Brandon- Adrian Gonzalez ok, the rest of that team doesnt scare me at all the Yanks swept a team with a scary offense Tejada, Berkman and Lee thats legit. I think Razzy will pitch solid tomorrow and I look for Joba to make an example of the Pads on Thursday to be quite honest.
Berkman, Lee and Tejada were not a problem for Joba. Why are the Padres’ hitters any different?
Mets whooping on the Angels.
How does it draw too much money? I dont get it.
How does it draw too much money? I dont get it.
Fan attendance for these games are at an all time high. Interleague has been a money making success team to team and for the MLB.
Figgins being an F’n pest again
Berkman, Lee and Tejada were not a problem for Joba. Why are the Padres’ hitters any different?
Gonzalez is actually a better hitter than his stats show. He plays in a pitchers park that holds alot of his would be runs. See here is when a team’s play makes it look like thier players suck.
Adrian Gonzalez
RISP: .305/.376/.610
RISP in June: .421/.522/.737
Brian Giles has a .410 OBP % he’s hitting .304 overall
RISP: .273/.432/.473 that .432 OBP % is gonna be a pain
Giles is batting .359 in his last 10 games
Jody Gerut is batting .371 in his last 10 games
RISP: .435/.500/.652
RISP in June : .750/.778/.750
Don’t take this team for granted. They are actually a quite fiesty team.
I couldn’t disagree with Hank more. I want the AL to get rid of the DH, the NL games are much more fun when the pitcher has to bat. Does it suck that Wang got hurt? Yeah, of course. But join the 21st century? A big component of my baseball enjoyment is that the game goes back to the 19th century, essentially unchanged. I think having a DH is a huge problem. If anything, I want the AL to go back to the 19th century and leave the 21st behind.
I hate the words feisty or scrappy to define a team mostly because the Yankees lose to these kind of teams. Tampa, Angels, Orioles etc. I know that Joba will handle them fine. He is at home with no pitch count the kid will be throwing GAS. Anyone agree with me that Melancon needs to be at AAA already enoughs enough the Yanks take it too easy on these kids he is obviously too good for Trenton and I think hes earned that promotion.
The “Baseball Tonight” sycophants on ESPN were criticizing Hank, so I agree with Hank wholeheartedly. Yes, I recognize the hypocricy of my statement…
Seriously though, I like the DH rule and I’m not really enamored with interleague play, but this was a fluke injury. No one at fault, as much as we’d like to have someone to point our collective fingers at. Time to work on short and long term solutions and wish Wang the best for a speedy and full recovery.
Hank is just sore and venting, and I don’t blame him. His prize pitcher just went down just as things were starting to come together for the team. The thing I like about Hank is, he is a fan just like us and goes through all the associated emotions. That’s pretty cool and besides, I’m a sucker for a good tirade.
This was just a freak injury. At least with Bruney you could see the slip on the wet grass probably twisted his foot in some obscene way to cause the injury. I really don’t think we have to baby our pitchers to the point where they can’t run the bases. These are highly conditioned athletes.
I like what Hank said. It’s devastating to lose Wang for this season, and it’s stupid to lose him because he had to do something that is not required of an AL pitcher.
Hank’s a dope and should go back to shovelling horse manure. Who told us our pitchers aren’t allowed to practice baserunning?
The best thing about interleague play is that it shows fans who only watch AL games how much better the game is when played by the actual rules.
Pitchers aren’t fragile little babies. Interleague games are no surprise — you know where they fall in your schedule. So, prepare for them. I’ve always been a Yankee fan, and therefore favor the AL, but I’ve also always thought the DH was a really odd invention. If you’re going to play the game of baseball, it makes sense that you should be prepared to play the whole game. Sure, I know pitchers are a specialized role. But by that thinking, couldn’t you make an argument that catchers should get special treatment? Maybe have a designated runner?
Anyway, when you change the rules you change the whole game. Lowering the mound, tightening up the zone, livening up the ball, bringing in the fences, all tilt the game toward the hitters, making specialized, highly tuned athletes necessary for pitching. That’s what makes good starting pitchers so valuable and so hard to find. Shift the variables in favor of the pitchers and you change the requirements for being a “good” pitcher. And if the DH went away, you’d wind up with different types of pitchers, and a different game.
That said, I’m not really a fan of interleague play. It seems like a silly gimmick to me, and it introduces some potentially significant unfairness into the various races. But if it’s going to continue, then it has to be a part of every team’s preparations. And games played in National League parks should continue to be played by National League rules. Otherwise, why have a National and American Leagues?
I fail to see how NL games can possibly be more fun to watch. The pitcher batting is a joke and unless you’re looking for a laugh or Micah Owings is hitting then you’re just watching an ugly at bat or a bunt. Is that really exciting? If there wasn’t a money factor I’m sure the NL would love to eliminate pitchers batting because I doubt any NL owners want their pitchers running into a catcher at home plate.
And about Wang’s injury… We realize it was freak, but also, let’s be honest, the injury occurred on the base paths. I don’t care if it’s a freak injury, it was still lead to by him having to bat. If Wang never bats then that injury most likely never happens… If my mom makes me drive to the supermarket to get some things and while I’m driving there my tire explodes and my car hits a pole, it was a freak accident, it could happen any time, but the bottom line would be it happened then and the main cause is my mom telling me to go out to the supermarket…
Hank definitely has a point, and this being about the money sounds about right. The continued dominance of the American League is an open secret at this point. The New York Times did a good job of breaking down the AL’s dominance in a March 30, 2008 piece at http://tinyurl.com/534nfq.
The appeals to immemorial custom might be more compelling were the brand of baseball in the National League visibly superior. However, there is no aspect of play in the NL that is not performed just as well, if not better, in the AL, from hitting for power and/or average to fielding to stealing bases to pitching. And the “thinking man’s game” rap is another bit of misdirection, since fans come to see the players play, not the manager. It would be more honest for the NL owners and their apologists to admit that it’s about spending money on a DH and ditch the traditionalist fig leaf.
Dfox,
It is also possible that his foot had a weakness and it was going to give out eventually whether he was on the bases or pitching off the mound.
“Have to say, Little Stein makes a good point.”
Hey Pete – the Mets’ genius announcers just said Hank’s statement was the most idiotic thing said all year.
It was the bald idiot with the lisp who makes you want to punch something every time you hear his “baseball knowledge.”
tonyb, that is certainly a possibility but the bottom line is it happened on the bases so that’s what you have to blame. We’ll never know if it would have happened otherwise.
I’m just saying, sometimes there is nothing to blame. Sometimes there just is what is.
What a ridiculous comment by a ridiculous owner. “They need to grow up and join the 21st century.” HA! You’ve gotta be kidding me! The NL is “real” baseball folks being played like it’s supposed to be played. The DH is the lazy way of playing the game.
nothing like an off day and a couple of wins (via the inept astros) in a row to get the pinstriped chests puffed up.
kinda odd how the complexion of baseball has changed in recent years. you’ve got folks on this thread wishing for a beckett injury, others becoming philly fans for the night. remember when the yankee fans were above even thinking about the sox. now we get gems like “the sox can see us coming in their rearview mirror”. who is checking their reaerviews in june?
I blame Oswalt.
He should have struck Wanger out.
Hank is an imbecile.
wow. could you imagine if there was Internet (as we know it), when George Sr. was mouthing off in the 70s and 80s.
I understand why some people would get on Hank’s case now…but seriously, I would think he’s not even close to the level of crap his dad used to spew out before and on a much more regular basis.
haha… actually hank, i’m pretty sure the DH rule was adopted in the 1970’s, not the 1890’s… little stein is awesome
Hundred millions of fans are heartbreaking.
Inter-league games should follow DH.
No pitchers should hit.
Do you ever see hitters to pitch?
NL are living in stone age.No wonder few of their seats could sell-out.
Hank could learn any number of things from the 19th Century, starting with the quaint Victorian concept that the top man in a tradition rich organization sets the tone for that organization.
MJR-Your point is well made, as I was there for Big Stein’s act in the ’70s. The thing is that Hank knows so little that he comes off as a totally incompetent blowhard, as opposed to GeoMIII who was a blowhard but hardly incompetent.
The fact is Hank is in love with seeing himself in print/on TV/on the Internet. I’m looking forward to his first “fatal” gaffe (like Big Stein’s Nixon contributions/Howie Spira dealings) & subsequent “ban” from MLB. It can’t come soon enough (just as long as nothing bad happens to brother Hal’s check signing hand”).
“youkilis–trade from Oak.”
Wrong
In 2001, the Boston Red Sox drafted Youkilis in the 8th round
When I was a kid we used to play baseball every day and run around the bases, and no one ever broke a tendon. I don’t know if this is relevant but it seems strange that one trip around the bases can be so hazardous.
Hank just needs to shut – up, he’s giving all Yankee fans and the organization quite the embarassment – although I agree with him, it’s not going to change anything.
Now, Hank´s words are worth for MLB to do exactly the opposite: SEND BASEBALL BACK TO IT´S ORIGINAL FORM. Erase the DH from earth and make pitchers be integral part of their teams, hitting and running like everybody else, JUST AS WHEN BASEBALL WAS REAL.
As for the business reasons for the DH, it would be a good practice to evaluate exactly what it has done good for baseball.
BWAHAHAHAH! Yankee pitchers are so clumsy they can’t run a basepath, and you guys want the NL to sell out like you did 3 decades ago?
I thought New Yorkers were tough, but apparently not. A-Rod purses for EVERYONE!!!!
I have to agree with Hank. You will agree too if Joba breaks his ribs, or Moose breaks his legs, or Petitte collides with other player while running the bases. And, remember this tragedy can happen to any pitcher, including Cliff Lee, Dice K, Brandon Webb, and many many more pitchers that you pay for an arm and a leg simply to watch their games. What do you think if your favorite pitcher, either Joba or Dice K, has to be hospitalized to 6 months simply because he’s hurt running the bases?
This is ridiculous. These are atheletes. My 12 year old brother can run the bases without hurting himself. And if you’re that concerned, then just take the strikeout or walk the bases. Its not like the league is forcing these guys to run hard.
Maybe we should just get them giant, padded baby carriages and cart them around the bases while trying to avoid bumps and sharp turns.
I like Hank’s outbursts. He is the frustrated fan inside all of us when things aren’t going well. How many of you first thought that if it wasn’t for national league rules, Wang would not be hurt?
Hank’s outbursts also allow others to give a rational response on what the Yankees will do now. I like the fact that he is held in check by Hal and Cashman, but I rue the day Hank gets total control, since he may act on his impulses.
Someone needs to check and see how many times we have used a pitcher as a pinch runner in both AL games and Interleague games. Hank is whining like a baby here. So now we should expect,maybe in a extra inning game,none of our pitchers to be used as a PR ever,huh?
Sorry Hank, if your an athlete in baseball you ought to be able to run around a diamond, something all of us did about 300,000 times growing up. This argument about running in a straight line vrs on a curve is even more stupid.
Many more pitcher injuries in BOTH leagues are involved in covering 1st base or fielding bunts, but I don’t think that is a reason to stop that.
Hank is sorta right – there shouldn’t be different rules, But how about abloishing the DH? I know people don’t like to watch pitchers hit but I fear it will become like football – 9 hitters and 9 fielders, all specialized. With no DH, a bum like Giambi would have been cut 4 years ago. A load like Ortiz wouldn’t be so clutch if he had to stand at first base for 4 hot Sundays every July and August.
The DH is bull. It has made a mockery of the 3,000-hit mark and put solid but not great players like Molitor in the Hall of Fame. His career would have been over 5 or 6 years earlier with no DH. Even regular players get to pad their stats with days “off” as a DH.
And yeah they have it on all levels, but I’ve seen high school kids tagged as good hit, no field and vice versa at 15 or 16! how the hell are they supposed to learn if they are DH’d for! High school never DH’s for the pitcher, it’s always some poor kid at second base or right field.
The DH sucks, period.
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Uh, stu, as many have pointed out, Youks was a draftee. You’ve also entirely neglected the pitching staff… don’t Buchholz, Lester, Papelbon, Hansen, Delcarmen, and Masterson count for something?
And Yankee Lover,
>>>>>>>>
This year the Sox play Arizona, Philly, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Houston. As of today, those teams have a .528 winning percentage.
The Yankees play San Diego, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Houston, and the Mets. As of today, those teams have a .470 winning percentage.
Which team should be complaining about getting a bad draw again?