In response to the brilliant and ever tactful Hank Steinbrenner and his comments ("I don't like that, and it's about time they address it. That was a rule from the 1800s.") regarding the NL's no Designated Hitter rule, here are 10 reasons why the rule is good and should stay.
1. Managers have to earn their money. Do you let the pitcher hit or pinch-hit for him? Always a tough call after the 5th or 6th inning, the manager must decide how his pitcher's doing, what the chances are of scoring, how good his bench is, etc. The decision is much simpler in the AL, purely a pitching decision.
2. Double switches. Managers can utilize their bench to keep the pitcher's spot from coming up in the lineup, making the position players on the bench critical to an NL team's success, along with the pinch hitting already mentioned. Other than injuries, how often does the bench of an AL team matter?
3. Pitchers can help themselves at the plate. How much happier are you that Carlos Zambrano is pitching when he has a good ERA AND the best average in your lineup? Micah Owings, anyone? This allows the pitcher to contribute in other ways.
4. Squeeze plays. The squeeze is one of the most exciting plays in baseball, but you almost never see it in the AL because the manager doesn't want to take the bat out of the hitter's hands? With a pitcher, it's not a problem. Or just David Eckstein.
5. Pitchers take batting practice, allowing them to bond with the position players and improving team chemistry.
6. Quoting one of my favorite movies "Bull Durham" which has been featured recently at ESPN, "It's a simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball." How many of those things does a DH have to do? Should we have a designated fielder who doesn't have to hit?
7. The pitcher's spot in the lineup distinguishes the other slots. The 8th hitter has to be more selective because pitchers are more willing to walk him. The leadoff hitter has more RBI opportunities because the pitcher bunts whenever someone's on first or second with less than 2 outs. An AL lineup doesn't need any structure, but an NL manager has to construct the lineup more carefully. LaRussa and others have even put the pitcher 8th a few times.
8. Extra innings challenge an NL manager's ability to manage his bench, balancing pitching needs with the need to score, trying to save pinch hitters for important situations without giving away too many outs to pitcher ABs.
9. Pitchers who can hit can be used as additional pinch hitters. Zambrano and Willis have famously done this, and tonight the Rockies sent Aaron Cook up as a PH in the 5th and he got a hit.
10. Pitchers who can't bunt really damage the team's offensive chances by not advancing runners. Fruitless at-bats prevent the manufacturing of runs, something the NL has always been known for.
Pitchers throughout the NL hit and run the bases every game, and very few are injured because of it. One of the most interesting parts of interleague play is seeing the AL teams deal with the lack of their DH in the NL parks. It would be sad to see the rule that makes the NL unique disappear.
1. Managers have to earn their money. Do you let the pitcher hit or pinch-hit for him? Always a tough call after the 5th or 6th inning, the manager must decide how his pitcher's doing, what the chances are of scoring, how good his bench is, etc. The decision is much simpler in the AL, purely a pitching decision.
2. Double switches. Managers can utilize their bench to keep the pitcher's spot from coming up in the lineup, making the position players on the bench critical to an NL team's success, along with the pinch hitting already mentioned. Other than injuries, how often does the bench of an AL team matter?
3. Pitchers can help themselves at the plate. How much happier are you that Carlos Zambrano is pitching when he has a good ERA AND the best average in your lineup? Micah Owings, anyone? This allows the pitcher to contribute in other ways.
4. Squeeze plays. The squeeze is one of the most exciting plays in baseball, but you almost never see it in the AL because the manager doesn't want to take the bat out of the hitter's hands? With a pitcher, it's not a problem. Or just David Eckstein.
5. Pitchers take batting practice, allowing them to bond with the position players and improving team chemistry.
6. Quoting one of my favorite movies "Bull Durham" which has been featured recently at ESPN, "It's a simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball." How many of those things does a DH have to do? Should we have a designated fielder who doesn't have to hit?
7. The pitcher's spot in the lineup distinguishes the other slots. The 8th hitter has to be more selective because pitchers are more willing to walk him. The leadoff hitter has more RBI opportunities because the pitcher bunts whenever someone's on first or second with less than 2 outs. An AL lineup doesn't need any structure, but an NL manager has to construct the lineup more carefully. LaRussa and others have even put the pitcher 8th a few times.
8. Extra innings challenge an NL manager's ability to manage his bench, balancing pitching needs with the need to score, trying to save pinch hitters for important situations without giving away too many outs to pitcher ABs.
9. Pitchers who can hit can be used as additional pinch hitters. Zambrano and Willis have famously done this, and tonight the Rockies sent Aaron Cook up as a PH in the 5th and he got a hit.
10. Pitchers who can't bunt really damage the team's offensive chances by not advancing runners. Fruitless at-bats prevent the manufacturing of runs, something the NL has always been known for.
Pitchers throughout the NL hit and run the bases every game, and very few are injured because of it. One of the most interesting parts of interleague play is seeing the AL teams deal with the lack of their DH in the NL parks. It would be sad to see the rule that makes the NL unique disappear.
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