Since the thread discussing changing our playoff format to MLB's new frmat was gathering a lot of steam (since MLB is doing it, maybe we should to), I wanted to bring up the idea of DH vs. No DH.
We know that interleague play in MLB will require AL teams visiting NL team to give up the DH for a series, and that there will basically be an interleague series going on at all times.
So, I was thinking... at the begining of the season, what if each owner declared their park as an "AL park" or an "NL park," and for the year, visitors played by the rules of the home team?
Interesting idea. The problem I have with that suggestion is that as a PBM league, that would add a fairly significant amount of strategic decisions to the game which I think instructions would not aptly cover. Hence, it would be an advantage to the home team which, I think, already has a significant enough advantage. It is the owner's choice but to yield a strategic advantage is really no choice at all.
I agree with Warren, in no DH leagues there is a lot more strategy (ie. double switches). I also feel it would give the home team too big of an advantage with Strat running the away team.
For a couple of years back in the mid 80's the Federal League was a non DH league. The games were played face to face back then. The idea was dropped due to lack of offense. I don't remember what the vote was, but; a majority must have not liked it for us to have abandoned it. I agree that in a play by mail league it would be much harder to script your team for a non DH lineup. I think it is a good idea just not practical. As far as adding teams to the playoffs, I'm for anything that adds teams to the playoffs. The more teams that have hope the more teams will build their teams for a chance for the playoffs.
I agree there is more strategy in a non-DH league, but in addition to that, I'd like to point out that if teams could sort of randomly opt in or out of the DH rule in their own park, it would make the team-building phase a little tricky- how many games am I using the DH rule? How many at-bats do I actually need?
If we wanted to have one league in which nobody used the DH that would be fair- everybody would have the same home advantage/away disadvantage as everyone else and everybody would know that they needed pinch hitters but no DH. Letting teams set their own home rules sounds like a cool idea but it doesn't sound practical.
Actually another league I'm in (with some other ARBA owners) does have a DH and a non-DH league with a similar structure. It actually works pretty well and I'm not sure the advantage for home teams is that much greater for the non-DH league. I enjoy the added complexity (my team's in the non-DH league) but that scratches my double-switch itch. Not lobbying for similar consideration in ARBA. (Also, such a big change would impact roster construction and would have to be put out a season.)
