Would the Atlanta Braves be ready for a 2019 Designated Hitter rule?

Atlanta Braves surprise: if NL DH happens now, they could already be set

Okay, never mind how slow the off-season has been going for the Atlanta Braves. Let’s put that on hold for a bit.

The surprise of the entire Winter, though, may be the leak of the rule changes that MLB and the MLB Players Association are discussing… with the chance – albeit remote – that big changes could happen immediately.

Here is the summary as told by MLB Trade Rumors this morning – and which James just told us more about earlier (emphasis added):

"The two most notable changes that’ll jump out to readers are surely the Union’s proposal for a universal designated hitter — possibly beginning as soon as the 2019 season — and the league’s proposal that all pitchers must face a minimum of three hitters per appearance (barring an injury). Other especially notable concepts under discussion include expanding standard rosters to 26 players and shrinking September rosters to 28 players. Both were proposed by the league with an eye toward the 2020 season."

For now, I’d like to focus on that designated hitter bit.

Rant Injection

Those who have followed my writings over the years will know that I have fought this tooth and nail – I am a follower of the Old School teaching that when you put 9 players on the field, those same 9 players should be both your defense and your offense. Barring substitutions, that’s it.

In recent years, however, I have felt compelled to admit that there has been a definite inevitability to this abomination to nature and All That Is Right and True.

The lower minor leagues use the DH exclusively. High schools and colleges do this (for reasons that are unclear to me since the pitchers at that level are often your best athletes on the field other than CF’s and SS’s).

Only the upper minors are still holding to the practice – and then only when National League affiliates are matched up against one another.

As things stand, I am being dragged – kicking and screaming – toward the DH rule for this lone reason: this next generation of pitchers can’t even defend themselves adequately at the plate simply because they aren’t getting the reps to do so.

Thus the age of the hitting pitching is simply withering on the vine. The creeping doom is therefore upon us. I am compelled to yield to the overlords of our sport. Yet nothing will ever be considered pure again.

Okay, that’s the end of the rant portion of this program… now let’s talk about practical matters.

The Mets Lead the Way?

Word is that the New York Mets may have internally justified their acquisition of Robbie Cano partly based on the assumption that the DH would become a National League add-on by the time that his usefulness as a defender ends. If so, then kudos to them on thinking ahead.

Here’s the middle of a Joel Sherman tweet storm, talking about the rule changes and that topic in particular:

4/Also stronger movement toward adding the DH in the NL. Here is something to keep in mind: 1 HUGE reason #Mets agreed to take on final 5 yrs of Cano's contract was their internal strong belief that the DH was coming to the NL. Also if there is a universal DH, the PA knows
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 6, 2019

My suspicion is that even the Mets will be caught a bit off guard if the ‘Universal DH’ becomes a thing this year… although that could make Yoenis Cespedes more useful sooner than otherwise.

More from Tomahawk Take

However – oddly enough, the Atlanta Braves could be set up to take advantage this season.

That brings us to Brian McCann.

Heap is on a single year contract, but a DH role would make all the sense in the world… particularly if Atlanta were to acquire J.T. Realmuto to be the primary backstop.

(In fact, you could argue that the occasion of a DH in the National League could increase the Braves desire to acquire him)

Suppose, though, that a Realmuto trade doesn’t become a reality? There’s another option you may have heard about: Evan Gattis, who is still available on the free agent market.

Hey, having players with DH experience isn’t a terrible thing at all. The temporary transition to that task is often difficult… and having capable hitters to do that would clearly be helpful.

Next. We're all Peter'ed Out. dark

Look, I don’t like it, and I don’t wish to embrace it, but if MLB and the MLBPA indeed come together on some of these rule changes, the Braves at least stand a chance to look like they are prepared… as opposed to some of the awkward lineup selections we’ve seen in years past during inter-league play.

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