Is baseball getting to be too easy for the manager?

[AlpineSK]

I got thinking about this once I started my test season.

Both leagues now have the DH, so the NL does not have to worry about things like double switches, bunting is far more rare, and pinch hitters are a thing of the past.

With the minimum batters faced (which I promptly turn off) hitter/pitcher matchups are far more rare. Lefty specialists are also going the way of the dodo.

And finally, as roster sizes grow pitcher counts on rosters grow as well, especially since you don't have to worry as frequently about things like pinch hitters. Pitcher inning management seems A LOT easier to me this year.

When I start my actual franchise after the full release for the major league season I'm thinking that I might just revert a lot of the rules to "pre-covid" rules. Historical, which I play a lot, thankfully, will give me a good 30+ seasons to mess around with how baseball was.

Thoughts?

[MathBandit]

DH has a lot more strategy than no-DH.

"Pinch hit for the pitcher slot every time it comes up (except letting SP bat maybe 1 time)" is not particularly difficult or challenging. It's much more strategically complex to decide if you pinch hit for Andrelton Simmons in the 6th with bases loaded and 2 outs of a tie game knowing that Gleyber Torres will have to play SS after.

[rpriske]

I agree with MathBandit.

Also, complaining that it is too easy to manage and immediately turn off the (great) new rule that is a challenge while managing?

[BusterKing]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

DH has a lot more strategy than no-DH.

"Pinch hit for the pitcher slot every time it comes up (except letting SP bat maybe 1 time)" is not particularly difficult or challenging. It's much more strategically complex to decide if you pinch hit for Andrelton Simmons in the 6th with bases loaded and 2 outs of a tie game knowing that Gleyber Torres will have to play SS after.

hmmmm, NO

[AdequateRandomGaming]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

DH has a lot more strategy than no-DH.

"Pinch hit for the pitcher slot every time it comes up (except letting SP bat maybe 1 time)" is not particularly difficult or challenging. It's much more strategically complex to decide if you pinch hit for Andrelton Simmons in the 6th with bases loaded and 2 outs of a tie game knowing that Gleyber Torres will have to play SS after.

Hmmmmm, no. Hypothesis on a situation that MIGHT happen twice a year is not a great example to prove it's superior strategically.

[Maddox]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

DH has a lot more strategy than no-DH.

"Pinch hit for the pitcher slot every time it comes up (except letting SP bat maybe 1 time)" is not particularly difficult or challenging. It's much more strategically complex to decide if you pinch hit for Andrelton Simmons in the 6th with bases loaded and 2 outs of a tie game knowing that Gleyber Torres will have to play SS after.

How is that situation unique to a lineup with a DH though?

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by AdequateRandomGaming

Hmmmmm, no. Hypothesis on a situation that MIGHT happen twice a year is not a great example to prove it's superior strategically.

Thinking you should PH twice a year with no DH kind of proves my point. If you have a reasonable bench you should be PHing (or PRing/Defensive subbing) multiple times in most games.

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by Maddox

How is that situation unique to a lineup with a DH though?

Because without a DH your bench just PHs 3-4 times for the pitching slot and there's no thinking required.

[BusterKing]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

Because without a DH your bench just PHs 3-4 times for the pitching slot and there's no thinking required.

Sorry to say but you absolutely make no sense.

[DaBears]

Then why, if you look at box scores for AL vs NL games through the DH in AL only years do you see 0-1 pinch hitters most nights versus using 3-5 of your bench players in real life in the NL? I’m not saying DH or non-DH is best (have my opinion, but not the point here), simply that history would disprove that there is a lot more strategy to DH leagues than non-DH. At best, it might be equal - but certainly not more.

[robc]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

DH has a lot more strategy than no-DH.

I definitely disagree. Deciding if you should pinch hit for a pitcher that is pitching great, but is coming up to bat when when his team has a small lead later in the game is a much more interesting decision than ... not having the decision to make at all. Maybe modern baseball has made other changes that has reduced the impact of no-DH, like starters not going as deep into games and carrying more pitchers on the roster - but that isn't a weakness of the no-DH rule.

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by DaBears

Then why, if you look at box scores for AL vs NL games through the DH in AL only years do you see 0-1 pinch hitters most nights versus using 3-5 of your bench players in real life in the NL? I’m not saying DH or non-DH is best (have my opinion, but not the point here), simply that history would disprove that there is a lot more strategy to DH leagues than non-DH. At best, it might be equal - but certainly not more.

History also shows teams having their 2-hitter sac bunt regularly.

[Mr. Marlin]

Bah. In MY game that little league abomination know as the DH never becomes a thing! That pitcher years a jersey like everyone else. He can go out an take his AB like everyone else. And by God if he's putting hitters on base he had dog gone better be able to get HIMSELF on base! or it's back to AAA for him!

[neugey]

There may be a smaller volume of decisions for managers to make as of late, but the decisions that remain take on greater consequence.

[EnderCN]

I tracked the Brewers for half a season a few years back and there was less than 1 significant decision per month between both teams based around pinch hitting for the pitcher. This was just never a difficult part of managing. There are a few fringe situations that happen rarely but the vast majority of the time there was no real strategy involved. The choice of who to pinch hit you can argue is significant, the act of whether or not to pinch hit is generally trivial.

[SirSaab]

IDK, ask Don Mattingly. Dude can’t seem to move his most dynamic hitter out of the 9-hole for no particular reason other than “we talked about this during spring training.”

[Primary]

*sees a double switch once*
wow so much strategy

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by Primary

*sees a double switch once*
wow so much strategy

Lol yup. Boomers hate to be told that the game used to be fairly simple and they still pretty significantly misunderstood what good or even decent strategy was.

[cepwin]

One thing about the new rule is it doesn't say a pitcher can't hit. For example, if a pitcher happens to be a good hitter (there are some) not only can they be their own DH but if they come off the mound they can continue as DH (Please correct me if I'm mistaken on this.)

[AdequateRandomGaming]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

Lol yup. Boomers hate to be told that the game used to be fairly simple and they still pretty significantly misunderstood what good or even decent strategy was.

There are a lot of older users on the forums. Coming in and using a very well known pejorative insult to describe them says a lot more about you than it does them.