148 days until MLB Opening Day 2022

[Bleacher Creature]

I miss baseball already.

[Heartstrings]

1. Me, too!

Go Brewers!

[Diamond_Dog]

2. Same here.

And I am not even sure what my team will be called next year! The Cleveland Indians/Guardians are being taken to court over the name Guardians apparently by another team in Cleveland (a roller derby team) claiming that they have the rights to the name Guardians.

[The Polack MSgt]

3. Pitchers and Catchers report in 102 days

https://www.springtrainingcountdown.com/

[Auggie]

4. I love the game but I hate the DH. It dumbs down baseball.

Not official yet though it sounds like it'll happen.

[Brother Buzz]

6. Dusty Baker (Jr) is in your camp

Dusty often talks of the nuances and strategies of a significant part of the game the fans have no clue about. It's gonna be a skill set that gets lost.

I heard someone suggest the DH should be tied to the pitcher, or whatever player he's hitting for, and when the pitcher or player is pulled and replaced, the DH has to be replaced too. Bow howdy, if that was enacted, managers would really, really have to start managing the bench.


Does college baseball mess with this designated hitter stuff?

[Auggie]

7. The double-hook rule

It was supposed to be tested in the Atlantic League this year. Don’t know if it was or not.

The DH rule, to be known as the “Double-Hook” rule (because the DH is removed from the game at the same time as the starting pitcher), will be in effect the entirety of the 2021 season, while the change to the mound distance will be made in the second half.

Why bother? Sounds unnecessarily complicated.

Question: does the DH morph into a lefty/righty specialist depending who the starter is on the opposing team because you know he’d be lost after 5, 6, or 7 innings? What if you needed a bullpen game? Instant advantage for the opposing team. Does Double-hook reduce the importance of the DH position? What am I missing here?

[Brother Buzz]

8. It doesn't have to be complicated, but it sure would reduce pitcher changes

[Auggie]

9. If the starter is effective, sure ...

but you never know. Guys have bad outings.

Here's a thought from the players' union perspective via the New York Post:

But I have doubt that the union will support this because while it promotes starting pitching, it instantly de-emphasizes the number of DH at-bats in both leagues — and, thus, their compensation. Clubs that use openers, in particular, could start an inferior hitter likely to get zero or one plate appearance and keep better offensive options for later. It also would expose pitchers who are hitting less regularly to have to take at-bats in both leagues, which could promote injury. -- Joel Sherman, NYP https://nypost.com/2021/10/28/new-rule-to-consider-with-pitchers-likely-done-hitting-after-series/

Universal DH sounds like a reality. It kills the game for me.

[Scottie Mom]

5. Me, too.

Got home and watched re-runs of Flip or Flop.

😪