Colorado Rockies could benefit from the universal DH in 2020

By Aaron Hurt |

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait at the Colorado Rockies Spring Training Facility at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 19, 2020 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images)

On Monday, we finally got a glimpse at what a season could look like for the Colorado Rockies and the rest of Major League Baseball.

The owners approved a proposal that has many conditions for returning to play in the midst of a pandemic. It still a long ways to go and will go through a heated negotiation battle with the MLB Players Association before there are actual games played, but this is a big step in towards a 2020 season for the Colorado Rockies and the rest of MLB.

There is a lot to go over with the proposal, but there was one condition that really stuck out to me. That is the use of a universal designated hitter.

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As a baseball purist, I despise the DH with a passion. It takes away from the in-game strategy of sticking with pitcher in the middle innings when he is due up to bat or pitching around a batter to get to the pitcher. It also minimizes the strength/depth of a team’s bench because pinch hitters are used less frequently.

However, as I took the concept of the DH and applied to the current makeup of the Rockies’ roster, the idea has grown on me and it can be explained in two words: Chuck Nazty.

With the DH implemented, that means the Rockies now have the ability to have Charlie Blackmon‘s lethal bat in the lineup every day and take his defensive liability out of the outfield. The starting outfield could then consist of the young/fresh legs of David Dahl, Raimel Tapia, and Sam Hilliard.

Also, over the course of shrunken 82-game season, Bud Black will have the luxury of giving players such as Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story the day off by sliding them into the DH role. This could be very advantageous since the Rockies have had a thin bench the last few seasons due to a weak farm system.

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My hatred towards the designated hitter will remain but if the Rockies can use it and Charlie Blackmon to their advantage it might just find a soft spot in my heart.

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