438 5378 Rob Reed brian.joura^3202 Re: Hank Steinbrenner says that the NL should take on the DH. What's your take? [Reply to #5378] 6/20/08, 8:58am I have no idea if Rob read what I wrote before he wrote his piece. That's one of many downfalls with the moderated comments that FBG uses. Anyway, here's what I said on the original discussion in regards to strategy/double switch: And whether you want to admit it or not, there is a lot more strategy in the NL. And it’s not the double-switch. Anyone who says that is an idiot. It takes very little strategy to execute a double-switch (although I’ve seen Major League managers bungle it). Instead, the strategy comes through with decisions where the outcome is not cut and dried. You’re losing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning and your pitcher comes up with a man on second base - should you pinch hit for him? Your sixth place hitter gets on first base. What should you do with your seventh hitter? Should you bunt and risk an intentional walk that brings your pitcher to the plate or do you swing away or do you play hit and run? You’re up in an obvious pinch-hit situation. But your pitcher (let’s call him Johan Santana) is probably a better hitter than the dreck you have for a bench. Should you follow the standard move and PH or let the pitcher hit? The other team threw at your star hitter and the umpire did not issue a warning. Do you have your pitcher retaliate? If so, what’s the likelihood that they throw at him the next time he comes to the plate? You have Don Drysdale or Bob Gibson or Rick Ankiel or Dontrelle Willis or any other good-hitting pitcher on your team. Do you bat him somewhere other than ninth to maximize his value or are you concerned about the psyche of the player batting behind the pitcher? Those are five situations, common ones, that happen all of the time in NL games where a manager gets to prove his worth. How well does he know his team? How well does he know individual mental makeup (Ned Yost decided just this year that Jason Kendall was strong enough to bat behind the pitcher)? How well does he know the other manager? Those are all strategy questions that don’t exist with a DH. I’m sure other readers could come up with additional ones. [brian.joura from Asheboro/NC] Replies: