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| Yes | 43% | 137 votes | Total: 317 votes | |
| No | 57% | 180 votes |
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Add to FavoritesThe Designated Hitter rule is a joke. It should be banned forever. Abner Doubleday is probably turning over in his grave.
The AL took a successful game and changed it in 1973. Much like Coca-Cola changed their formula in 1985. The difference is that Coke drinkers were smart enough to know a good thing when they have it, the AL fans weren't. The AL is now playing artificial baseball. I know AL fans may be saying that they have dominated the All-Star games and have won several World Series titles. That's true, but that doesn't change the fact that the AL is not playing real baseball. The next thing the AL will do is legalize aluminum bats.
The DH has taken most of the strategy out of AL baseball. The AL managers no longer have to decide if they want to try and keep a pitcher in the game or pinch hit for him. All the AL managers have to do is pick the starting lineup, add a pitcher and a DH and let the pitcher pitch until he gets tired. My mom could manage in the AL. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but not by much. It takes much less to manage in the AL than in the NL.
In the NL a manager has to constantly be looking ahead. How is the pitcher doing?
Should I pinch hit for him in the next inning? What if he can't finish the inning? Do I just replace the pitcher or do I bring in another player as well and flip-flop the batting order? If I just bring in a pitcher do I let him hit and stay in the game or do I use a pinch hitter? If I use a pinch hitter, he gets on base and we extend the inning by another 2-3 batters do I keep that pinch hitter in the line-up and put the pitcher into the place that made the last out? Or do I just put that pitcher back in his original place in the batting order? How many players will I be using if I just put the pitcher in and then pinch hit? If I decide to flip flop with the pitcher and another player who do I choose? Do I take out a good defensive player or good offensive player? Do I take out a player with speed or power? The same questions may be asked about who he puts in. Does he use a good defensive player or a good offensive player? A player with speed or power? When the pitcher is batting, should I have him bunt and move the runner along or let him swing away?
The knowledgeable fans are also sitting in the stands analyzing these moves and curiously watching to see what the manger does. You can't beat NL baseball! It's played the way baseball was meant to be played and the way it was actually played for nearly 100 years as it became known as "America's favorite pastime".
Learn more about this author, Art West.
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No
THE DH
When today's fan thinks of the DH rule, they are thinking about how awful it is to have the AL use one and the NL keep the pitcher in to bat. The debate is usually whether or not the AL should switch it's rule so that they will once again bat with their pitcher, just like they did before 1972. Around that time, they needed to drum up the offense. In 1968, there was only one hitter who batted over .300, and that was Carl Yastrzemski (.301). After the season, the rules committee voted to lower the mound down to 16 inches in height, were it is today.
However, there was another pattern that had developed around this time. You see, back in the Joe McCarthy-John McGraw-Wilbert Robinson days of the 1920s and 30s (those are the managers of the NY Yankees, NY Giants, and Brooklyn Dodgers respectively) the hot new trend was platooning players. That is, using a different player against left-handers, as opposed to right-handers. So, what they needed to do was expand the maximum roster size. At the time a team was only allowed to carry sixteen players on a roster. It was expanded to 25. It still is 25, except after September 1st, when the roster expands.
Anyway, back to the 1960-1970 era. Like I said, there was a trend of lower scoring, but, because there was lower scoring, pitchers were completing more games and thus, there wasn't any need for a deep bullpen. Also, there has just been recent expansions. It started in the AL in 1961, and then in the NL in 1962. And the again in the AL in 1969. This much expansion in a short period of time leads to more jobs. But, it also dilutes the talent pool that is on your bench. So, given the choice,teams wouldn't platoon their players anymore. Why would you when the guys off the bench are .150 hitters. Something had to be done.
So the combination of 1.) Poor offense, and 2.) A large roster that is not being used, and is costing money, came to it's natural conclusion. That was the DH rule. It allowed you to use the best player off of the bench, and eliminated a poor hitter from the lineup. That is why the DH rule came into effect to begin with. (Side note: The DH rule was first proposed in the 1920s, by Bill Veeck Sr.).
The question is whether or not it is necessary to have one NOW. Well lets take a look at the two reasons that it was instituted in the first place. 1.) Low scoring offenses. Well there's no problem there nowadays. 2.) Large rosters that are not being used, and costing money. Lets think about that one for a while. There is platooning going on. There is a need for a bullpen nowadays.
However, there shouldn't be. When a pitcher is lifted for a pinch-hitter, that creates the need for a bullpen. And with so many pitchers spread out across so many rosters, there is actually a diluted pool of talent to pick from in the bullpen. This is creating the opposite effect in the NL. Instead of having good hitters coming of the bench or platooning. You are using sub par pitchers, who end up costing you runs and money. There really isn't any need to keep 7 or 8 pitchers, who aren't starting, and aren't closing on your bench. It's a waste of money. Especially since the best middle reliever can only give you 80 or 90 innings a year. That works out to ten games.
If the NL was to use a DH it would be money that is better spent. And, it would lead to a better balance between offense and defense.
'Wait,' you say, 'The AL uses a DH and there isn't a better balance between offense and defense.' That's because they are unfortunate enough to be picking from the same diluted talent pool as the NL when they are going to their bullpen. Once the NL adopts the DH rule, ALL OF BASEBALL will be better.
There is one other thing that has to be pointed out when we're talking about the DH rule. There are more leagues than just the AL or the NL. There is also the entire minor leagues, youth and amateur baseball, And also foreign and winter leagues. Over the last 35 years that this rule has been in effect there are only two leagues that have NOT adopted the DH rule as of yet. That is the National League of MLB, and the amateur ranks. It makes sense that the amateur ranks (i.e. Little League) don't use the DH because they would want to develop well-rounded athletes. To give them a chance to play every position. It makes no sense at all though, that the National League would insist on putting an inferior product on the field. It's time that the United States of America catches up with the Venezuelan Winter League, Central League in Japan, and there own minor league system. Put in a designated hitter.
Learn more about this author, James Mills.
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