Occasionally a pitcher hitting would give us a nifty memory, but....
I LOVE THE DH.
There, I said it.
The Mets are SCORING. And I love it.
Team hitting is a "cumulative effect" sort of thing. When your # 9 hitter is an automatic out hitter, the offense scores less. When it scores less, I have to believe the other 8 hitters press a little to try to score.
You end up with 2021 dreck.
In 2021, the Mets averaged just 3.9 runs per game.
In 2022, through last Monday (as I write this), 44 games, they are averaging 4.7 runs, despite early season lack of ball carry.
Up 8/10 of a run per game year vs. year. That wins a lot more games. *And they've scored even more in the last week).
Part of it is the better player mix, but a big part is the cumulative effect of NINE hitters hitting. When guys are hitting, everyone feels like it is party time. Everyone feels like scoring is inevitable, not iffy.
All these hitters (well, pretty much all) get to play. Clearing Cano off the roster was genius addition by subtraction - the remaining guys each get more ABs, and are there ANY fans who are moaning that he is gone? Please step forward and be fitted for your strait jacket.
And you still have a Jankowski or yes, a Plummer, in a back-up role, where they are best suited - pinch run, pinch hit, occasional starts. (Maybe Plummer is better than that).
Back to hurlers. Pitchers, you see, can't hit a lick.
SO MANY minor league hitters, in fact, can't even hit high minors pitching (they just released a guy who was hitting .132 in AA Monday...and as I write this, lots of Mets minors guys are really struggling, too, under .200 at the plate).
How then can anyone expect pitchers to hit major league pitching? A few can somewhat, most not at all.
And hitting pitchers have more chances to get hurt at the plate.
I love scoring runs. I wanted the NL to have a DH for years. I've got it, and could not be more thrilled. No one is taking my DH away from me, ever again.
Are you thrilled, too - or are you still a purist? Purists, I define, as guys who like 8/10 of a run less per game to see baseball as it was originally drawn up. But as it was drawn up, pitchers used to hit better when velocities were several MPH lower - recently, most couldn't see the fastballs, much less make contact with them.
Nope - I like hitters hitting, and pitchers pitching.
That's MY traditionalist side.
14 comments:
As Ernie Banks would say, "Let's play two". Don't think he was talking about the DH position, but now that we're used to it, I would like to see the DH used for both the Pitcher and Catcher. At least on this team :)
Honestly no I don’t, one reason I did like pitchers batting was that it speeds the game up. 3 extra outs (or almost automatic out) a game
Yes there is strategy and when a pitcher gets a hit or bunt it is more exciting or frustrating but really it about pace of play
So I would sacrifice the DH for games in the 3 hour range
Eddie
MetsTwitter continues to panic at any sign of someone on the Mets being human.
Peterson gives up 3 in the first and, according to them he's garbage.
Me? I don't panick anymore because I know this team is capable of producing enough runs to win over a bad start.
The Mets' DH spot is hitting .226 with 7 home runs and 35 RBIs on the season. If you take out Pete's stats from DH (he would be in the lineup at first, the DH for the Mets is hitting .206 with 2 home runs and 19 RBIs. So, the DH has not had much of an impact for the Mets. Which follows what has happened in the American League for years, the average American League team only averaged about 18 runs more a year then the average National League team, which is about 1 run every 9 games.
DH for the catcher? As long as it is optional, I like it. After all, watching some Alvarez bombs this week, he's gotta hit. NOT defense-first with him.
Eddie - I would do other things to speed things up - the video replay timeframes are too long, for one
Mack, Twitter/Facebook commenters are very impulse-driven.
Rob, I think it will be different for the Mets at DH this year, when all is said and done. If these Mets stay healthy, now that it is warmed up, I think the DH will have an offense multiplier effect - translation: we'll score lots of runs.
After last year's dreary offense, I want as much offense as is humanly possible.
I am also concerned about pitcher health - Megill, Max and Jake are hurt without having to hit - hitting just gives our staff more ways to get hurt.
Nice observation, Rob. Very interesting stats. In the AL, the DH has been very effective when you have an Ortiz or a Cruz on your team. Washington figured that out quickly.
Buck and the Mets have taken a different approach, using the DH as a "rest stop" as he rotates the reserve players through field roles to keep their proficiency up. Pete has adjusted very well to the DH spot. Others, like McNeil's uncharacteristic 0-5 yesterday are not thriving at that spot. Pros and cons to this strategy.
Don't go away, folks - Tom and Mack Recap at 9 AM
Paul that has been one of the Mets' few weak spots - Smith and Davis production has been low. Maybe Plummer competes with them for DH ABs? Or Guillorme.
Guillorme should be playing 2B every day until he coools off.Even then his defense says play him. Canha,McNeil and Escobar share DH,3B and LF.
I live for the 9am Recap and keep up the good work. I love the DH too as the Mets have always had at least 2 or 3 players that were only suited for DH anyway and anything that will keep the pitchers from hitting is a plus with injuries when batting becoming another issue. I wonder if Luis G. is becoming our Justin Turner as the guy who was under used and is now flourishing under Buck's system with Plummer becoming our Max Muncy but whatever it's fun to watch.
Guillorme?
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