How do you feel about the designated hitter?

[SabresRule]

This is something I've been thinking about posting for a long time.

The designated hitter has led to a long-running debate about whether it's a good idea or not.

Here's my take: it's a good thing.

I admit, it's a bit personal. I used to be a DH when I played high school baseball. I know everyone says it's good to have everyone field, but not EVERYONE can field well. I couldn't play any positions at all- drop too many balls, sometimes get distracted easily- and can do one thing well- hit the ball well. (Also, if I stay in the dugout, I could fire up my teammates. Much better than losing balls in the sun)

Also, I have felt for years and years that pitchers don't hit well, but also, they can hurt themselves (Chien-Mien Wang and Jake Peavy last year, Randy Johnson will be out for 4-6 weeks because he hurt his shoulder swinging at a pitch.)

THE PEAVY FIASCO | Major League Baseball Blog - MajorLeagueBlogging.com

This is an article that sums up my opinions- it can be dangerous for pitchers, who can hurt themselves and damage their team's chances for the season.

(Bill, if the Red Sox need a big hit to score a run, who would you want at the plate- a proven clutch-hitter in Big Papi or a hurler hitting below the Mendoza Line that couldn't hit a ball hard enough to dent a pie's crust?)

People who rave about the double switch and strategy- well, you do not play to develop good strategies and pull off double switches because it makes a game better.

In the words of Herman Edwards, "You play to win the game!"

Finally- people like to call the National League "real baseball."

Well, since 1987, the league of "real baseball" has gone 3-18-1 in All-Star Games and 6-15 in the World Series. To me, "Real baseball" means real failur in games that count.

People hype up N.L. baseball as being pure and real, the best there is- like the Dallas Cowboys, San Jose Sharks (and the AFC in Super Bowls from 1985 to 1998), they usually fall flat in the games that matter the most.

That's my opinion.

What's yours?

 

[Derwin0]

My opinion, I hate it. It removes the advantage for teams who have pitchers that can hit. Plus strategy plays a big role in the later innings when decisions have to be made whether to leave in a good pitcher, or pinch hit.

I also don't consider the All Star Game a game that matters, as no one really plays to win it.

btw, you should put a poll in the thread for this.

 

[TNGTony]

If you have a DH, I say have an offensive and defensive squad! Either EVERYONE can have a DH or NO ONE can.

Any argument made for a pitcher to have a DH can be made for every other position on the diamond!

Personally I find the DH rule to screw up the entire strategy of the game.

In case I was vague... I HATE THE DH RULE!!!

See ya
Tony

 

[mccoyrj]

I've never liked it. In my opinion it's degraded the talent level of the league - contributing to an abundance of pitchers that don't hit and hitters that don't field. :down

 

[HD MM]

Funny how all the "not in favors" are fans of the NL.

Personally, I could care less. I just think both the AL and NL need to come out of the stone age and create a set of rules equal to eachother.

 

[Ramy]

I hate it. Get rid of it.

 

[Skyhi]

Mixed feelings.

I hate it because it removes a good deal of strategy from the game. I love watching all the moves a manager in the NL makes in the late innings of a close game. I feel like AL fans are getting cheated when it comes to this part of the game.

On the other hand, it has extended the careers of many great players and its hard to argue that this is a bad thing.

I was on the opposite end from you in high school Sabres. I hated the DH because I was a pitcher and always had someone hit for me (because I couldn't hit very well). I would have loved to get in there and taken my cuts on the days I pitched.

 

[Hart5150]

It sucks watching pitchers hit.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

I like the "designated driver". If Stallworth had one, he'd be playing in the NFL this season.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

OOPS! He meant "Designated Hitter".

I used to be a purist about this, now I'm not so sure. AL pitchers can't hit water from a boat. If I had to say definitively, I'd say eliminate the DH, but keep the Designated Driver.

 

[Ilya]

I don't care about designated hitters, but I do like designated pitchers. And one comes with the other.

Designated drivers are fine too!

 

[Will94]

I hate the DH. Baseball is the ultimate game of strategy and things like the double switch add to that. Also, extra inning games get very interesting in the NL and it allows AL starters to be head hunters without having to step into the batter's box themselves. Lastly, if a player isn't good enough to start at a position, then he isn't good enough to start.

I have no idea why the NL has done so badly in recent All Star games or in the WS. In this age of free agency, I would think that many (most?) players play for both leagues during their careers.

 

[Ira Lacher]

It sucks watching pitchers hit.

Then how come pitchers are usually the best hitters on their high school teams? They're also usually the best athletes, playing shortstop or centerfield when they're not on the mound. The pro game effs up their hitting because they're not expected to hit. If the expectation were changed, then pitchers would be better hitters. And by the way, who's the only MLer ever to hit two grand slams in one inning?

Answer -- Tony Cloninger, Atlanta Braves, 1966 -- PITCHER!!

 

[DodgerKing]

It violates the first rule of baseball. Baseball should enforce it as such.

1.01
Baseball is a game between two teams of nine players each, under direction of a manager, played on an enclosed field in accordance with these rules, under jurisdiction of one or more umpires.

The use of the DH means that there are 10 players.

 

[DodgerKing]

It sucks watching pitchers hit.

Only because they don't hit. Most of those I see in the NL are pretty good hitters. If they got to hit regularly (ie Ankel and Ruth) you would see there true hitting skills come to life. Afterall, they hit at every level of baseball until they played professionally. Not because they can't hit, but because they don't want them getting injured while hitting and running, and they want to give another hitter the opportunity to have more ABs.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

It violates the first rule of baseball. Baseball should enforce it as such.

1.01
Baseball is a game between two teams of nine players each, under direction of a manager, played on an enclosed field in accordance with these rules, under jurisdiction of one or more umpires.

The use of the DH means that there are 10 players.

Not really. There are nine players on the field and nine players in the batting order in games where the DH is used.

 

[DodgerKing]

Not really. There are nine players on the field and nine players in the batting order in games where the DH is used.

Not what it states. It states nine players each without making a distinction of how many can be on the field at one time.

Also, rule 3.03

3.03
A player, or players, may be substituted during a game at any time the ball is dead. A substitute player shall bat in the replaced player’s position in the team’s batting order. A player once removed from a game shall not re-enter that game. If a substitute enters the game in place of a playermanager, the manager may thereafter go to the coaching lines at his discretion. When two or more substitute players of the defensive team enter the game at the same time, the manager shall, immediately before they take their positions as fielders, designate to the umpire-in-chief such players’ positions in the team’s batting order and the umpire-in-chief shall so notify the official scorer. If this information is not immediately given to the umpire-in-chief, he shall have authority to designate the substitutes’ places in the batting order.

Since the DH is a substitute for the pitcher on offense, it violates the rules in this sense as well.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Not what it states. It states nine players each without making a distinction of how many can be on the field at one time.

Exactly. It doesn't say nine players in the lineup, nine players on the field, nine players in total. Without the distinction, how can it be breaking the rule??

Plus, since we are quoting rules, there obviously is a rule that allows for the DH:

6.10
Any League may elect to use the Designated Hitter Rule.
(a) In the event of inter-league competition between clubs of Leagues using the Designated Hitter Rule and clubs of Leagues not using the Designated Hitter Rule, the rule will be used as follows:
1. In World Series or exhibition games, the rule will be used or not used as is the practice of the home team.
2. In All-Star games, the rule will only be used if both teams and both Leagues so agree.
(b) The Rule provides as follows:
A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher and allsubsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game. A Designated Hitter for the pitcher must be selected prior to the game and must be includedin the lineup cards presented to the Umpire in Chief.
The designated hitter named in the starting lineup must come to bat at least one time, unless the opposing club changes pitchers.

The pitcher is not being substituted for or removed from the game, another player is designated to bat for him.

 

[BillD1984]

I think that it's beyond assinine that, for the last 37 years, the two leagues have played under different rules.

I personally don't care if there's a DH or not, just play by the same rules.

 

[DodgerKing]

Exactly. It doesn't say nine players in the lineup, nine players on the field, nine players in total. Without the distinction, how can it be breaking the rule??

Plus, since we are quoting rules, there obviously is a rule that allows for the DH:

6.10
Any League may elect to use the Designated Hitter Rule.
(a) In the event of inter-league competition between clubs of Leagues using the Designated Hitter Rule and clubs of Leagues not using the Designated Hitter Rule, the rule will be used as follows:
1. In World Series or exhibition games, the rule will be used or not used as is the practice of the home team.
2. In All-Star games, the rule will only be used if both teams and both Leagues so agree.
(b) The Rule provides as follows:
A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher and allsubsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game. A Designated Hitter for the pitcher must be selected prior to the game and must be includedin the lineup cards presented to the Umpire in Chief.
The designated hitter named in the starting lineup must come to bat at least one time, unless the opposing club changes pitchers.

The pitcher is not being substituted for or removed from the game, another player is designated to bat for him.

Which was added later and is in direct violation of some of the original rules