Depending on where you fall in this debate, you’re either thrilled or still upset over Rob Manfred’s decision to deny the players request of the DH in the National League. The union proposed the idea, but the commissioner is more worried about the pace of play rather than making the game more exciting with another hitter in the lineup rather than seeing a pitcher try to put down a bunt in the second inning with one out and a runner at first.
Thanks a lot, NL owners.
The National League has no intention to adopt the DH anytime soon, NL owners privately say. It quite likely will be a different story when the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2021.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 8, 2019
Here’s more from Bob Nightengale in USA Today.
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Major League Baseball has no plans to adopt a universal DH before the 2022 season, two officials with direct knowledge of the decision, told USA TODAY Sports after the completion of their owners’ meetings in Orlando, Fla.
“It’s not happening during this CBA,’’ one official told USA TODAY Sports.
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in December, 2021.
All right, so the hope is that the next CBA the players get the universal DH that they want. It was obviously a long shot for that to be put into place in 2019, as the MLB Players Association wanted, but some fans were hopeful the DH would finally be implemented full time in the NL by 2020. That won’t be happening for at least another three years.
I was very confident something was going to break in the right direction for the DH and so, this episode title now looks dumb.
It’s coming! Someday, maybe, hopefully. Fine, I’ll deal with not having it, I guess.
MLB purists: 1, me: 0.
Earlier on Friday, Forbes reported that MLB is considering shorter TV breakers to help speed up games.
We also provided other ideas to help improve the game and fan interest.