Radical Baseball: Designated Fielder!

One of my ideas is to extend foul territory 45 feet toward second base on a curved line from foul line to foul line. That should help to kill off bunting.

But to the subject of this post: the designated fielder (DF). Some Radical Baseball history:

TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2011 Re-organizing MLB and resolving the DH.

DH resolution:

My original 2006 radical baseball ideas included replacing the designated hitter (DH) with three designated fielders (DF) and having six batters. Everyone who bats must field. My new idea is one DF with eight batters. This addresses the preferences of the current conferences better known as the American and National Leagues. The pitcher does not bat but every batter must play the field. Cool.

If the players object, offer to increase the active roster from 25 to 26. That would ensure approval by the players as it impacts at least 80% of players who are trying to make an MLB roster or trying to stay on one..

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2011 8 men bat: resolving the DH impasse

Now that the two separate leagues, American and National, no longer exist as independent entities, having different rules in what amount to conferences in one league (MLB) is really stupid…

This is the 40th year in which AL and NL have a different rule, the designated hitter (DH)… I am now suggesting as a compromise: a designated fielder (DF) with only 8 batters…

To accommodate the players union, the owners should offer to expand the rosters from 25 to 26 players…

The additional advantage would be that the better and more popular batters would bat more frequently…

Eight batters is much better. Fewer batters is always better. Plus, it resolves the 39 year impasse over the stupid DH rule.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2011 Wither DH? How about DF?

Dump it. Dump the DH. As I have written previously, replace DH with DF (Designated Fielder) and have only eight players in the batting order. Players would agree as they would with any change that might reduce payroll or playing time if the owners offer to increase the roster by one. At least 80% of the players would see that one extra spot as lengthening their careers.

What kind of idiot would not want Albert Pujols to have 800 PA instead of 600? 33% more for the same money. If the owners had any sense they would not just embrace the DF with 8 batters, they would push it as hard as they could.

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I know, it would reduce the “strategery”, which invariably revolves around bunting or some other boring thing. Look, baseball is really simple, especially compared to basketball and more especially football. We all think that we can manage a baseball team. I think I could manage the Yankees but I could never coach the Knicks and I wouldn’t even dream about coaching the NFL Giants. We need to stop dwelling on old restrictions to progress.

Who goes to the ballpark to watch the pitcher try to bunt a runner along? Who wants to see the NL number nine batter at all? In either conference, who even wants to see the 7,8,9 batters? Since I probably cannot get rid of all three at once I’m hoping that the overwhelming logic of eight men bat (and also play the field) could actually prevail.

Come on, get behind this! Start chanting at games:

DF!

Eight men bat!

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