"Baseball is simply a better game without the DH."     Bob Costas 

A designated hitter is a rule enforced by the American League allowing another player who is chosen at the start of the game to hit in place of another batter (usually the poorest hitter which tends to be the pitcher). The designated hitter doesn't field. This rule allows teams to keep hitters who aren't strong fielders in their lineup. 

This He Said She Said debates the use of the designated hitter. I love baseball. It has given me numerous memories that I have shared with my children and plan to one day share with my grandchildren. Not only do I love the game, I am indebted to it. Baseball paid for my husband’s college education. He was a great 2nd baseman and was so much fun to watch. His arm kept him from going pro, but that’s okay. We are where we are supposed to be. 

To me, baseball is the perfect sport; with one exception…the designated hitter rule imposed by the American League. The powers-that-be believed the fans cared more about offense thus the DH rule was developed. When the rule was implemented, Bowie Kuhn was the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. In 1968, the American League batting title went to Carl Yastrezemski, an outfielder who played for the Red Sox. At that time his batting average of .301 was the lowest average for a title winner in modern era. Because of the declining offense at the time, Kuhn liked the idea of the DH. It has also been said the DH rule was enforced in response to the declining ticket sales in the 70’s’; the more hits, the more exciting the game. The Baseball Almanac reports that Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees was the first major league’s designated hitter. On April 6, 1973 he walked against Luis Tiant of the Boston Red Sox with the bases loaded. While the American League uses the DH rule, the National League does not. To this day, it remains a controversial rule.

Because they are not required to bat, this rule allows American League pitchers to throw at the opposing hitters with less repercussion than National League pitchers who must take their turn at bat. Isn’t it only fair that those who hurl a baseball reaching speeds 90 to 100 miles per hour have the opportunity to brave that same sensation? In the interest of fair play the pitcher should stand at the plate and face the heat. 

Baseball has long been called a “thinking man’s game.” If the pitcher sits while another bats in his place this is no longer so. Managers need not manage. They can just send a DH to bat. However, if a pitcher bats, as he should, strategy is used due to rules put in to place long before the Designated Hitter rule. A great player, which some may call a “pro,” doesn’t need a DH. They do their job by playing the field and getting their chance at bat. The DH cheapens baseball. This person is given a bat, told to hit the ball, run the bases and then sits until his next at bat. 

While other non-professional leagues do use the DH, they are playing for the pure passion and love of the game. MLB is a business. Designated Hitters are being paid ridiculous sums of money. A player making 6 million a year just to DH is a crime and should not be a part of major league baseball. If you bat then you should play the field. Pitchers are a part of the game, as a matter of fact, the most important position in the sport. The strategy of using the pitcher as a hitter is one of the most intriguing aspects of the game. Yes, it does enable veterans to continue playing. Pete Rose would have possibly played well into the 1990’s if the DH had been applied. I’m just not buying that! If you cannot take the field due to injuries then you don’t need to be just a hitter. 

The DH position has evolved from this philosophy to the modern day designated hitter that represents all offense and no defense. Those who could never have made it to the pro leagues now find themselves a vital part of the American League teams. With the exciting young stars and new ballparks, the American League no longer needs gimmicks. 

The loss of strategy and the over-emphasis on power at the expense of some of the game's finesse is too big of a price to pay for the advantages of the DH. Besides, anyone who has so short of an attention span with so little appreciation  for baseball that he can't watch a pitcher bat has no business watching MLB anyways.

I guess you can call me “old school” when it comes to sports, but I say let the game be played the way it was supposed to be. Professional sports should not have a major difference in its structure of play. Both leagues should follow the same rules. Pitchers pitch and pitchers bat. It is that plain and simple. Everyone takes the field and does their job on offense and defense. The National League plays a better and more interesting game. The American League should try it. 

HE SAID: Take the Bat Out of the Pitchers' Hands Before They Hurt Themselves 

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