World Series Advantage

[OregonLAA]

I'm having an argument with a friend and I would love some help in who is right. We are trying to decide who has the advantage when it comes to the DH and how it plays in the World Series.

One of us thinks the AL has the advantage because they pay someone like Ortiz to be their DH and a National League team has to use some bench player.

The other thinks the NL has the advantage because the AL loses a bat they're used to having all year, meanwhile the National League team is already set up to deal with it.

I'll let my side be known after I hear a few points from you guys

[maximus p]

The other thinks the NL has the advantage because the AL loses a bat they're used to having all year, meanwhile the National League team is already set up to deal with it.

 

Set up to deal with it, but still put a hitter up there that can't hit.  I wouldn't say the NL has an advantage as much as the AL has a disadvantage.  Just as Farrell (AL) didn't make the proper double switch and let his pitcher hit in the 9th, I'd say AL disadvantage, take that as a NL adv. if you want.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The Al disadvantage is still there, but it is less pronounced than it has been. With the increase in interleague play, it isn't as if the AL pitchers don't pick up a bat all season until the World Series, like it used to be.

[Taylor]

I don't think either league has an advantage because it's a wash. Whoever is playing at home has even more of an advantage than usual.

 

Edge: Lowell

[gotbeer]

I think for Boston it's a bigger disadvantage.  Where some other AL teams it might not be as bad.  And the reason why I say that is that Ortiz is pretty much a DH, where when in the NL park, he has to play a position which he isn't very good at at all, and they have Napoli sitting.  

 

For instance, if the Angels ever make the WS again, the DH would be Trumbo/Pujols.  When they go to the NL, Pujols can still play 1B, and Trumbo can play the OF.  So you still keep the bats in the lineup.  So the advantage would be more towards the AL.

[OregonLAA]

That's Boston's own fault though. Last year the Giants used Ryan Theriot as their DH

[Troll Daddy]

The answer can be found in the game 'tic tac toe'

War games

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I think for Boston it's a bigger disadvantage.  Where some other AL teams it might not be as bad.  And the reason why I say that is that Ortiz is pretty much a DH, where when in the NL park, he has to play a position which he isn't very good at at all, and they have Napoli sitting. 

 

Good point. NL teams generally won't carry players who are total defensive liabilities, when an AL team might.

[DW711]

The usual: It favors the NL.

 

Between these two teams: It still favors the NL.

[ukyah]

i disagree entirely. it's a clear advantage for the american league.

 

in a head to head matchup, a good AL team has an allstar caliber player in the dh spot, where the NL team has a bench caliber player in that spot. evidence for this inequality is found in the repeated efforts of postseason bound NL teams making a playoff push by trading for an extra bat.

 

in a NL park the AL still has the talent advantage, sure the NL is "used" to the lineup change, but the AL team has an allstar sitting on the bench for close and late hitting situations, where the NL team has an established "pinch hitter."

 

i really don't see how there's really any argument and was surprised at how much NL chatter there was.

[DW711]

i might agree more with you, but Adams is on the Cardinals.

 

He's a perfect dh for them.

 

I haven't checked out his defensive numbers..but I'm guessing they're bad.

Edited October 28, 2013 by DW711

[OregonLAA]

i might agree more with you, but Adams is on the Cardinals.

 

He's a perfect dh for them

Can you name any other NL team that has a guy like Adams off the bench? The Cardinals are deep and prepared

[DW711]

Can you name any other NL team that has a guy like Adams off the bench? The Cardinals are deep and prepared

 

I'm sure I could find a few teams that you could use one of their guys at dh.

 

Whose fault is it that other teams aren't prepared, though? The rule or the fact that most teams aren't prepared?

 

Go get Cust, Wily Mo Pena, Manny Ramirez, etc.. I'm sure guys like that could be effective/cheap and all you have to do is have them on the roster by the end of August for around 200-700k.

[OregonLAA]

I don't think you could

And those 3 guys suck

[ukyah]

dw711, your last post seems to have agreed with me by your list suggestion. all of those guys pale in comparison to ortiz, etc.

 

i knew when i made my post that someone would name adams as a counterpoint. i suggest that we keep in mind that adams was a find for the cardinals only this year and they themselves had little to no idea what he would do at this level. he's very much like evan gattis for the braves, which is to say, a miracle.

Edited October 28, 2013 by ukyah

[DW711]

Sure they pale in comparison to Ortiz. He might be in the top three as far as dhs go. I was more trying to find one guy who can play three possible games that was more near Adams skills. an 838 ops is good, but you can find someone around that either in the minors, on your current roster or on the wire.

 

No, you're probably not going to find dhs near Ortiz..but if the A's can find Moss, the Braves can find Gattis, the Cards can find Adams...than I'm sure other teams can find someone, as well.

 

Jeff baker was just cut by the Rangers so, go get him.

[Mark68]

Usually, I think the NL has a slight advantage, due to the fact that they can add an extra bat in the AL parks that they wouldn't normally have.

 

Plus, in the NL parks, the pitchers will be slightly better hitters on NL teams, due to the fact that most will have a lot more at bats than their AL counterparts.

 

In this case, I think it really helps the Cardinals, with Craig not 100%, they can DH him to "rest" him, and the Sox have to either sit Napoli or Ortiz in STL, two of their best bats.

[Docwaukee]

AL

a player on the team paid to hit and can come off the bench to pinch hit.  rarely is that player so bad on defense that they can't play the field for a couple of games. 

 

NL

pitchers hit better

managerial experience to deal with situations

 

In AL parks, it favors the AL team as most NL teams don't stash a player that can hit at the same level as most AL dhs.  especially on teams that make it to the world series. 

 

In NL parks, both teams have a pitcher that hits.  The nl pitcher is likely more experienced, but the difference is minimal.  The AL team has a better bat coming off the bench or replaces a mediocre defender with a poor one with a bat upgrade with the other player moving to the bench and generally representing a decent bat anyway.  The nl team keeps their normal lineup. 

 

the difference isn't that great but the edge is generally to the AL but in this series it's probably pretty even. 

 

not having a DH in both leagues is dumb now anyway.  pitchers can't hit and the reason for them to bat is negated by the fact that pitchers aren't allowed to own the plate like they used to.  The switching of guys in and out of the lineup is interesting, but watching a pitcher hit isn't. 

[ukyah]

AL

a player on the team paid to hit and can come off the bench to pinch hit.  rarely is that player so bad on defense that they can't play the field for a couple of games. 

 

NL

pitchers hit better

managerial experience to deal with situations

 

In AL parks, it favors the AL team as most NL teams don't stash a player that can hit at the same level as most AL dhs.  especially on teams that make it to the world series. 

 

In NL parks, both teams have a pitcher that hits.  The nl pitcher is likely more experienced, but the difference is minimal.  The AL team has a better bat coming off the bench or replaces a mediocre defender with a poor one with a bat upgrade with the other player moving to the bench and generally representing a decent bat anyway.  The nl team keeps their normal lineup. 

 

the difference isn't that great but the edge is generally to the AL but in this series it's probably pretty even. 

 

not having a DH in both leagues is dumb now anyway.  pitchers can't hit and the reason for them to bat is negated by the fact that pitchers aren't allowed to own the plate like they used to.  The switching of guys in and out of the lineup is interesting, but watching a pitcher hit isn't. 

 

 

i agree fundamentally with everything you said, and that includes the dh being in both leagues. just do it. i find the "strategic reasons" most often cited as being minor.