Reports Say Astros Will Be Moved to the AL

[Hostile]

Reports say that the sale of the Astros is based upon an agreement that the incoming owner will accept a move to the AL so that each League can have 15 teams.

This means that every day there could be at least 1 Interleague game.

So, with that staring at fans is it time to abolish the DH in baseball? Speak up and share with us your feelings about the DH.

[Doomsday101]

Reports say that the sale of the Astros is based upon an agreement that the incoming owner will accept a move to the AL so that each League can have 15 teams.

This means that every day there could be at least 1 Interleague game.

So, with that staring at fans is it time to abolish the DH in baseball? Speak up and share with us your feelings about the DH.

Never been a fan of the DH. The pitcher plays the pitcher should bat. I think it also forces more strategic moves in the National league because of the fact there is no DH.

As for the Stros moving to the AL I hate to see that only good thing about it is Jim Crane is going to get a better deal by making the move I just hope the money he saved by doing this will go back into the team in terms of getting quality players

[Cajuncowboy]

I really wished they would go back to the non-inter-league play. I liked the novelty of the AL playing the NL in the All Star game then in the WS. As for the DH, it should have been done away with a long time ago.

[Sam I Am]

Reports say that the sale of the Astros is based upon an agreement that the incoming owner will accept a move to the AL so that each League can have 15 teams.

This means that every day there could be at least 1 Interleague game.

So, with that staring at fans is it time to abolish the DH in baseball? Speak up and share with us your feelings about the DH.

:confused: If they move to the AL, they will then use a DH. You play by league rules and AL league rules, allow a DH.

I like the DH even though I see it as unnatural. I like that it adds offense to the game. So while I see it unnatural, I do not wish it to go away. I would prefer the NL to adopt it.

[peplaw06]

:confused: If they move to the AL, they will then use a DH. You play by league rules and AL league rules, allow a DH.

I like the DH even though I see it as unnatural. I like that it adds offense to the game. So while I see it unnatural, I do not wish it to go away. I would prefer the NL to adopt it.I agree. I think it's crazy that there are different rules among divisions in one league.

Every other sports league has changed the rules to benefit the offense, and we have gotten used to that. Baseball needs to get with the times.

[Yeagermeister]

I've never liked the DH.

[MichaelWinicki]

I think the move to the AL is a good move. They need a change.

As far as the DH goes, I like it.

I like offense, and seeing a guy sent up there who's hitting .159 with 12 K's in 20AB's just bores me to tears.

[WoodysGirl]

I hate the move, but it doesn't really matter. They're going to be a doormat for every team they play against. :(

[joseephuss]

So, with that staring at fans is it time to abolish the DH in baseball? Speak up and share with us your feelings about the DH.

Seems like you could just as easily ask "Is it time to bring the DH to both leagues?".

I honestly don't care either way about the DH. If it stayed the same, was adopted by the NL or just went away wouldn't bother me.

[Phoenix]

I hate the DH. Keep the pitchers at the plate...love the additional strategery it brings :)

[casmith07]

It's the only league in all of baseball, from little league all the way up, that uses a DH.

Abolish it. It's not real baseball. It's like letting a football team kick off with 12 men on the field as long as the kicker runs off to the sideline after kicking the ball.

[casmith07]

I think the move to the AL is a good move. They need a change.

As far as the DH goes, I like it.

I like offense, and seeing a guy sent up there who's hitting .159 with 12 K's in 20AB's just bores me to tears.

On the flip side I love seeing that guy whiff on a 90mph slider in the dirt :laugh1:

[MichaelWinicki]

On the flip side I love seeing that guy whiff on a 90mph slider in the dirt :laugh1:

LOL!

If it's a pitcher batting, then you could throw a 75 mph fastball down the pipe and he'd wiff.

[casmith07]

LOL!

If it's a pitcher batting, then you could throw a 75 mph fastball down the pipe and he'd wiff.

One of my favorite things about baseball is watching guys whiff on horrific pitches. So funny :D

[bbgun]

Well, at least Houston fans will be spared the horror of watching pitchers try to be all-around athletes.

DH isn't going anywhere because the player's union will fight it tooth and nail. Too much money at stake for aging players. Plus, your average fan (me included) would rather watch David Ortiz at the plate than Justin Verlander.

[REDVOLUTION]

Pitchers should pitch. Thats all.


Chen Ming Wang ended his career running bases.

Just like QB's... pitchers need to be protected.

[MichaelWinicki]

Well, at least Houston fans will be spared the horror of watching pitchers try to be all-around athletes.

DH isn't going anywhere because the player's union will fight it tooth and nail. Too much money at stake for aging players. Plus, your average fan (me included) would rather watch David Ortiz at the plate than Justin Verlander.

All very true.

[joseephuss]

It's the only league in all of baseball, from little league all the way up, that uses a DH.

Abolish it. It's not real baseball. It's like letting a football team kick off with 12 men on the field as long as the kicker runs off to the sideline after kicking the ball.

That is not correct. The DH is used in college and high school. It is used in the minor leagues. It is also used in a lot of leagues in other countries.

[Doomsday101]

DH was put in place in 1973 bad year for baseball. :laugh2:

In some ways it shows how dysfunctional MLB is when a League plays by 2 different sets of rules. I don't see the NFL, NHL or NBA having rules that only apply to half the league.

I'm not a fan of the DH but I do think the league should play by one set of rules

[cowboyeric8]

That is not correct. The DH is used in college and high school. It is used in the minor leagues. It is also used in a lot of leagues in other countries.

Honestly I haven't seen a game in awhile (non NL), that didn't have the use of a DH.

To a sport like baseball, it is good to have all the best batters you can, simply for interest. I loathe watching a pitcher bat, that isn't their focus and it weakens the competition. Many of these pitchers have hardly ever had to bat due to the DH in high school and college. If you abolish the DH you have to abolish it throughout baseball.

Also, there would be guys in the AL that would simply be out of job because they can only hit and can't field their position. For example Vladamir Guerrero.

I don't like the DH, but I prefer it. Just my opinion.

[cowboyeric8]

Also good news for the Rangers. With the Astros in the schedule that just adds more W's :D

[casmith07]

Also lost in the shuffle is they're adding another wild card team to each league for the playoffs.

[peplaw06]

Also lost in the shuffle is they're adding another wild card team to each league for the playoffs.I hate this. I like symmetry in playoffs. I'm trying to figure out how this will work...

Wild Card 1 and Wild Card 2 play a "play-in series" best of 3 or 5? Then you have the other 3 teams sitting around for a week after the season?

[windward]

I hate this. I like symmetry in playoffs. I'm trying to figure out how this will work...

Wild Card 1 and Wild Card 2 play a "play-in series" best of 3 or 5? Then you have the other 3 teams sitting around for a week after the season?

One game playoff, from what I understand.

[joseephuss]

I hate this. I like symmetry in playoffs. I'm trying to figure out how this will work...

Wild Card 1 and Wild Card 2 play a "play-in series" best of 3 or 5? Then you have the other 3 teams sitting around for a week after the season?

That is what I was wondering. Freaking MLB seems to make everything so complicated.

[cowboyeric8]

I hate this. I like symmetry in playoffs. I'm trying to figure out how this will work...

Wild Card 1 and Wild Card 2 play a "play-in series" best of 3 or 5? Then you have the other 3 teams sitting around for a week after the season?

That would be the only way it could work right? I don't like it. In baseball byes hurt the momentum of your team, but in your example I guess it is hurting the 3 best teams so I guess that would be ok.

[cowboyeric8]

One game playoff, from what I understand.

Oh gotcha. I don't like that at all. You could be 10 games better than your wild card opponent and they win 1 game and they're in? Yuck.

[Cajuncowboy]

Speaking as a Phillies fan from back in the 70's I loved that the pitcher hit because Steve Carlton was a very good batter. He had a career batting average over .200 (good for a pitcher) and he had some power. He had over 10 HRs. He was impressive as well with Runners on base as he drove in over 100 RBIs.

Maybe I'm too much of a purest, but the DH rule deprives us of that kind of player and the strategy that comes with it.

[peplaw06]

One game playoff, from what I understand.That's even worse. If this was in place this past season, then after the Rays and Cards amazing comebacks, they would still have to play a one-game playoff or they would be for naught.

They already do one-game playoffs for wild card ties. If you play 162 games and finish behind the first wild card you don't deserve a one-game winner-take-all with the team who is ahead of you.

[Duane]

Also good news for the Rangers. With the Astros in the schedule that just adds more W's :D

Sadly that's true. I don't look for the Astros to rebound anytime soon.

[Hostile]

Seems like you could just as easily ask "Is it time to bring the DH to both leagues?".I did. That is one of the poll options.

[cowboyeric8]

That's even worse. If this was in place this past season, then after the Rays and Cards amazing comebacks, they would still have to play a one-game playoff or they would be for naught.

They already do one-game playoffs for wild card ties. If you play 162 games and finish behind the first wild card you don't deserve a one-game winner-take-all with the team who is ahead of you.

Completely agree.

Also to add in on the DH debate. I like the way it is now where the leagues are different.

[Doomsday101]

Sadly that's true. I don't look for the Astros to rebound anytime soon.

Depends if the new owner is willing to put out the money to get the players.

[MichaelWinicki]

Depends if the new owner is willing to put out the money to get the players.

And rebuild the farm system. The Astros prospect list is pretty scant.

[Doomsday101]

And rebuild the farm system. The Astros prospect list is pretty scant.

I agree. However it seems as soon as the Astros get a star player he is traded off or leaves. I understand this past year that if Drayton was looking to sell the team then he was not going to make any big time investment.

My hope would be Jim Crane does, if all Houston is going to do is grab players just to throw out on the field then it is going to be a brutal baseball season

[Stautner]

I just hope whatever they do they keep the interleague play to a minimum. I like the fact that unlike other sports in baseball there is still some mystery between the two leagues. I like that everyone doesn't play everyone so that when the playoffs come around there is still some mystery as to how things stack up between the playoff representatives from one league versus the other. I'm not necessarily a big fan of the DH, but I like that there is some personnel strategy involved when playing an away game against a team from the other league. I like that all teams aren't trying to build cookie cutter clones of each other throughout baseball because the rules in each league require somewhat different things to be successful.

[Yeagermeister]

I don't like the DH because it makes some pitchers brave because they don't have to bat. They will hit a batter and not have to worry about getting hit themselves. Clemens was the worst at that. He'd drill a batter and never have to worry about getting paid back.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Honestly I haven't seen a game in awhile (non NL), that didn't have the use of a DH.

To a sport like baseball, it is good to have all the best batters you can, simply for interest. I loathe watching a pitcher bat, that isn't their focus and it weakens the competition. Many of these pitchers have hardly ever had to bat due to the DH in high school and college. If you abolish the DH you have to abolish it throughout baseball.

Also, there would be guys in the AL that would simply be out of job because they can only hit and can't field their position. For example Vladamir Guerrero.

I don't like the DH, but I prefer it. Just my opinion.

how can you not like the DH but prefer it?

[cowboyeric8]

how can you not like the DH but prefer it?

Oops. Have no idea why I put a don't in there. Thanks.