Info on GBL for 2010

[E-TownCaps]

I found this info on the Edmonton Capitals website.

http://www.capsbaseball.ca/web/guest/ne ... est%2Fnews

I really don't like the rule of not having a DH, but it could be good for the product of the league, making it more important to have quality bats throughout the lineup.

[JPotter]

The no-DH rule is not new for the GBL. The league played with National League rules in the inaugural season in 2005 to great success. Games were shorter and pitchers did not have highly-inflated ERA's (in comparison to DH seasons).

The main consideration, in my opinion, had to be shortening the length of games. Working in St. George the last three seasons, we were happy to have games under three hours. In the first two years, four hour games were more prevalent than games under three hours.

Additionally, having the pitchers hit will better prepare them if they move on to affliated ball. We would have the pitchers occasionally hit during BP in STG and even I sometimes forgot how good some of these guys are at the plate.

I like the change for the 2010 season... let's hope I will have a chance to call some games this upcoming summer.

[Hawk87]

Get on out to Hawaii! That would be a great summer. I was opposed to pitchers hitting, but you make some good points here. But, will rosters need expanding beyond 22 if assumedly a lot of pinch-hitters will be needed?

[OttawaBallFan]

Having the DH does not make games longer. I'm looking at average time of game data for the AL and NL and they are very similar, virtually the same. Some years, the NL has longer times, although since the DH in 1973, the AL generally has longer games by about 4-5 minutes. But the AL had longer games before the DH too so the DH cannot be the sole reason.

I don't think people will mind or even notice five extra minutes if the DH causes longer games. Which baseball fan among us has ever said they think the game is too long and need to leave early? It's a ridiculous argument for leagues to try to shorten games. If you want shorter games, reduce the scoring, play 7 innings instead of nine.

As for getting pitchers prepared for the minors, which minor leagues don't use the DH? I know the IL doesn't use it but only when both teams are National league affiliates. Is it the same rule in other leagues?

[DCNationals1]

As a fan, I despise the DH. National League ball is FAR more interesting than the American League variety. I applaud the GBL for taking this step and hope it spreads throught out all the independent leagues.

I also feel that the DH in a league like the Golden does absolutely no favors to the players. Not one, and I mean none, MLB general manager is going to waste his time on a low level indy league DH. If the best a player can do is DH in the GBL, there is no future for him at a higher level. It is not fair to slot someone in that position, because you are effectively killing their career.

Again, Kudos to the GBL.

[Pietsch Fan]

[quote=""DCNationals1""]As a fan, I despise the DH. National League ball is FAR more interesting than the American League variety. I applaud the GBL for taking this step and hope it spreads throught out all the independent leagues.

I also feel that the DH in a league like the Golden does absolutely no favors to the players. Not one, and I mean none, MLB general manager is going to waste his time on a low level indy league DH. If the best a player can do is DH in the GBL, there is no future for him at a higher level. It is not fair to slot someone in that position, because you are effectively killing their career.

Again, Kudos to the GBL.[/quote]

Way back when one of the pitcher for the Surf Dawgs used to DH when he wasn't pitching, but his hitting stats wouldn't show up on his stats sheet and it frustrated him. He wanted to National League scouts to know he was a pitcher who could hit.

[GoBlaze]

Good to see the GBL going back to more traditional style of baseball. I don't follow the other Indy leagues enough to know, but I think the National league was the ONLY professional league in North America that didn't use the DH. (Not counting AAA's weird DH rules). Plus College and summer leagues use it, so the DH rule had pretty much taken over baseball.

Some of the benefits of this that others have mentioned are all true, but I'm thinking the biggest reason the GBL did this was because of how the league was becoming so heavily hitter-friendly.

[jd_aka_monty]

What's happenin' Mary?

Are you talking about Fox(y)?

That guy could mash...and enjoyed his at bats...and he was really a cool individual to be around.

I'm glad to see this change in format...interjects a much more strategic job for the managers as well. Shows off their talents, as it applies to their ability to manage the game (pinch hitting / running, switches, double switches, etc).

Monty

[Pietsch Fan]

Hey Monty,

Absolutely talking about Fox. I've been wondering a lot lately about what's become of the old players. Time to start looking them up online. My sister, Yvonne, ran into Nick Guerra the other day, so we're all caught up on him. That leaves about a dozen more (I can't remember them all, and don't really care about them *all* LOL). Hope all is well with you.

[jd_aka_monty]

I talk with quite a few of the guys from time to time. I see AW (Aaron Wilson) quite a bit, playing ball together and against each other down South. I hear from Johnny Day every now and then, etc.

Everything is pretty cool...doing quite a few more lessons than initially planned.

Hope all is well with each of you! And that James is kicking butt on the field!

Monty