will we ever win?

Old fart Conlin flips the script, bucks tradition

Daily News crumudgeon and occasional imaginary ruler of the world, Bill Conlin, lately famous for insulting Latinos and bloggers, has written a new column attacking MLB's National League because the league insists on making the pitcher bat. The catalyst of this Conlin column was that Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang hurting himself running the bases in a recent inter-league game, prompting the always awesome NY Post headline "Yankees' Wang Hurt" and Steinbrenner's son to call the National League a bunch of idiots. The gist of Conlin's argument is twofold, that without a DH the NL lacks the excitement of the AL, and the AL is more dominate than the NL because of the DH.

Pitchers hitting might be "real baseball" by definition. But it is not better baseball. Nor is it more exciting baseball. The 21st century editions of the DH League can beat you lopsided with muscle in the middle and little ball skills at both the top and bottom of their lineups. When's the last time you saw a plodding NL pitcher somehow reach base with two outs, then get first-to-thirded by the leadoff hitter? In what is clearly the dominant American League, No. 9 and No. 1 hook up like that all the time. The Phillies will find that out once again when they visit Oakland next week at the start of a daunting California-Texas-Georgia road trip.

The problem is that Conlin doesn't back up either of those points. Arguing whether the AL baseball is more exciting than the NL baseball is like arguing as to whether watching paint dry or the grass grow is more stimulating- it is still baseball. The excitement of 1-9 small ball is about as exciting as whether to pinch hit or not to most fans. The American League is more dominating than the NL based on what- World Series victories since 1973 (when the DH was introduced), results of inter-league play, or some other sort of statistical measure? Conlin is using the Bill O'Rielly style of debate here- simply state that everyone knows that A is true (when it may or may not be) so therefore B is also true. And if Conlin's excitement argument is carried to its logical conclusion than why doesn't baseball also employee a designated hitter for other positions where offense may not be the number one priority- namely catchers?

Why? Because the DH is a bunch of bullshit. It is like the shootout in hockey- a clumsy add on that attempts to lure fans. It allows one hitter to mask their shortcomings (and still get paid) and allows a team to use their offensive skills without the risk of the hitter messing up in the field like a modern day Greg Luzinski. It also makes the manager's job a hell of a lot easier, because according to Conlin, apparently coming from an American League background was why Charlie Manuel couldn't correctly employ the double switch for his first two seasons with the Phillies. Universal DH implementation is also why a supposed athlete like Wang couldn't master the simple art of running 90 feet without injuring himself, and why no pitcher except maybe a fossil like Jamie Moyer can bunt. Give me a break. Bunting may take some skill and practice, but running? I am sure Ken Brett is turning over in his grave because Steinbrenner's son thinks American League pitchers have turned into some sort of china dolls.