MLB 2020 will bring universal DH- a game changer for the sport

With MLB implementing the universal designated hitter, they have put a real game changer in baseball moving forward.

The universal designated hitter a.k.a. the DH is not just going to be implemented this shortened baseball season, but it appears as though it is here to stay. This is a huge step (hopefully in a positive direction) for MLB that could bring more fans to the game as a result.

The concept of a designated hitter has been a hotly debated topic around the sport of baseball ever since its inception. On one hand, we have teams with a DH that can put out a full nine-man lineup of actual hitters who have a better chance of driving in runs and creating offense than a standard eight-man lineup with a pitcher tacked on at the end.

For the most part, pitchers are not suited to be capable of driving in runs as a typical position player can. Sure, we have outliers like Madison Bumgarner, Zack Greinke, Jacob deGrom, and Noah Syndergaard who always seem to be competitive at the dish. But other than them, generally, the pitcher’s spot is just an automatic out before the top of your lineup comes back up.

So, the implementation of a designated hitter for the entire league will rid us of those automatic out situations and give opposing pitchers a ninth threat to face in the box rather than just eight, which is better for offense in the game of baseball- where MLB is still trying to grow.

On the other hand, by eradicating the DH, we are sacrificing a large part of the strategy in the game that has been around since the game of baseball began.

American League teams don’t have to deal with this issue unless they are in a National League park, but when NL teams take precedent, a pitcher slated at the bottom of your lineup allows teams to be flexible with their rosters during the course of a game.

The double-switch has long been an important facet of the game where you can skip the pitcher’s spot in the lineup in certain instances if you switch out that pitcher for a position player (when your team is in the field).

For example, let’s look at a team like the Mets where they bat Amed Rosario eighth and Noah Syndergaard in the pitcher’s spot ninth with Rosario making out last the past half inning. Syndergaard is about at his end, so Luis Rojas takes Syndergaard out and implements the double switch where he brings in (let’s say) Edwin Diaz to pitch and (let’s say) Eduardo Nunez to play shortstop.

Diaz slides into Rosario’s spot in the order which has just passed and will not be back up for another eight batters and Nunez slides into the pitcher’s spot in the order, essentially skipping a pitcher having to come to the plate.

This is where the debate gets tricky because both instances have a lot of merit. On one hand, the double switch allows teams to skillfully navigate through their own lineup and jump the pitcher’s spot to keep him out of the batter’s box. But on the other hand, what is the real goal of the double switch other than to skip the pitcher in the batting order?

Shouldn’t that fact justify the move to a universal DH?

For my money, I like the way it was with two separate leagues- the AL and NL- having their own ways of doing things. The AL was a pure DH league and the NL, on a nightly basis, could implement the double switch and get more position players involved in the game where the AL would have a harder time of doing that.

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The problem lies in the fact that World Series can be swung in the NL’s favor when the series goes to an NL stadium and AL teams need to cut one of their players out of the order.

If we look at some teams today, if they were to get to a traditional World Series, once they get to an NL stadium, they would have to make serious alterations to their lineups.

Look at a team like the White Sox with two first basemen in Jose Abreu and Edwin Encarnacion. Both are intricate parts to a lineup because of the power they possess, and the move to an eight-man lineup would have to sit one of them down. Unless of course they shift drastically and move Encarnacion to third base. Advantage National League team.

The Red Sox too………well………..in past years. When they had Mookie Betts, they had him in right, Jackie Bradley in center, Andrew Benintendi in left, and JD Martinez as the DH. Come time to visit a National League park (like we saw in 2018), one of them has to go. JBJ seems like the obvious choice, but with how hot he was in the 2018 playoffs, one would have to imagine the Sox would be losing a lot either way they went with the outfield.

It is much easier for a National League team to add a hitter to their lineup than it is for an American League team to cut a hitter from the lineup, so in most World Series situations, the move to NL stadiums almost ubiquitously favors NL teams.

So, moving to a universal DH will certainly mitigate many of the shortcomings (some, not everybody) seem to think the game has.

Let’s wrap up on this:

A universal DH is going to reshape the way this game is played and it’s going to do wonders for helping out National League teams in how they construct their lineups. Look at how each National League team is going to benefit from adding a ninth hitter (particularly this year)-

The Atlanta Braves can utilize Yonder Alonso now that Freddie Freeman isn’t firmly blocking him at first base. They can also move Marcell Ozuna to the DH and bring in an outfielder like Adam Duvall or even the highly-touted Cristian Pache to take his place in left. Or maybe this opens things up for a Johan Camargo or Charlie Culberson if they want to slide Austin Riley to left field or the DH.

The New York Mets now have the perfect spot for Dominic Smith where Pete Alonso was blocking him at first base. They can also move Yoenis Cespedes to the DH (a guy with a checkered injury history) and plug in someone like a JD Davis who would otherwise have to come off the bench.

The Washington Nationals looked beautiful until Ryan Zimmerman opted out of the season because they could’ve had him in there everyday and switch he and Eric Thames on and off at first base. But even now, they have an extra infielder available to use like a Starlin Castro or Asdrubal Cabrera, and now plug one of them into either second base or DH with a crowded infield of Trea Turner, Carter Kieboom, Howie Kendrick, and Eric Thames. Maybe even both Castro and Cabrera against lefties if they want to sit Thames.

The Miami Marlins can insert both Jesus Aguilar and Garrett Cooper, two first basemen, in their lineup. They also, going into the 2020 season as planed, were going to probably test out Jonathan Villar in center field. Now they don’t have to do that and can plug Villar in at the DH.

The Philadelphia Phillies are a little crowded in the infield, but they can now move a Scott Kingery out to center field and a guy like Jay Bruce can move to DH- a role made for Bruce some would say.

The Chicago Cubs can utilize this rule in a bunch of ways since their lineup is already so stacked. But this is tailor-made for a guy like Kyle Schwarber who many believe belongs on an American League team so he can be the DH, unlocking his true potential. Now the Cubs can keep him and see how he does in a mostly DH role.

The Cincinnati Reds are interesting too because now Mike Moustakas can’t hurt them in the field if they so wanted to move him. Moose was moved to second base a couple years ago and clearly demonstrated he didn’t belong at second. However, being on a National League team with third base already taken, Moose had to be moved somewhere. Eugenio Suarez is locking down third base on Cincinnati. Now the Moose can transition to a DH role and Nick Senzel can get major reps at second.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have some young guys to try out but their positions are actually holding them back because with someone like Will Craig, first base is already taken by Josh Bell. With someone like Ke’Bryan Hayes, third base is blocked by Colin Moran and/or Kevin Newman. Now things can be opened up and the younger guys can find slots to fill in. Someone like Gregory Polanco (checkered injury history) can also slide into the DH role and open up a spot for a Travis Swaggerty.

The Milwaukee Brewers are helped in that this DH role is perfect for Ryan Braun. Braun is already on the back end of his career. He was supposed to retire after 2020 but announced he may want to come back for 2021. Forget that, he might even be able to stick around for a few years if he can just DH all the time.

The St. Louis Cardinals have a big problem with Matt Carpenter in the field and now they can DH him (a notoriously better hitter than fielder) and throw out Tommy Edman everyday at third base. Better for Edman to get playing time. Much better for Carpenter to get his feet under him again as a pure hitter.

The San Francisco Giants have Evan Longoria and Pablo Sandoval traffic jamming third base. Now their lineup can open up and have both of them in the order.

The Colorado Rockies can now utilize their big prospects like Brendan Rodgers and Garrett Hampson now that they can DH either Ryan McMahon or Daniel Murphy.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are loaded as we all know, so a universal DH can ensure a guy like Joc Pederson plays everyday against both righties and lefties. Or it can open up a spot for Matt Beaty to be the DH after providing a spark in the pinch hitter role last year.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have been looking for somewhere to put Jake Lamb ever since Eduardo Escobar came aboard. Now they have their solution. Plus, guys like Kevin Cron can get more at-bats, guys like David Peralta don’t have to play the field everyday, and younger guys like Pavin Smith, Seth Beer, Daulton Varsho, and Alek Thomas can also find open spots.

The San Diego Padres have a guy named Josh Naylor who would be perfect for a DH role with Eric Hosmer blocking first base. Also, the Friars could utilize both Austin Hedges and Francisco Mejia in the lineup together as they are creating a traffic jam at catcher. Hedges seems like the more sound defensive catcher. Mejia is a big prospect who everybody is still waiting on to break through. Maybe a DH role will help him get his big break.

It will be a small sample in 2020, but the universal DH is going to open up many MLB lineups and I’m excited to see how the game is changed as a result.