"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.
We have come to the 3rd installment of “He Said, She Said.” While the last 2 have been extremely interesting and fun, this one should inspire somewhat of a feud from those on either side of the fence. This time Rev and I ask, “Should Pete Rose be allowed to take his place among baseball’s greatest in MLB’s Hall of Fame?” How many years has this debate been going on? For some, it is a lifetime. Should Pete Rose be inducted into the Hall of Fame or should baseball stand by their “ban for life” decision passed down in 1989. Baseball has been extremely clear of its stance on gambling. The HOF is filled with adulterers, racists and crooks of every kind who have gotten away with suspensions or a slap on the wrist. But gambling is the HOF’s murder charge and the sentence is death. How just is this stance? Can’t the Hall forgive the sinner without forgiving the sin?
Let’s first take a look at what the man has done during his MLB career. Pete Rose earned the nickname “Charlie Hustle” because of his determination and the passion he took with him every time he stepped onto the diamond. He was famous for always running to 1st base even after a walk and reviving the dangerous head-first slide. Rose is the only player to play 500 games at 5 different positions and is probably the most efficient switch-hitter in baseball history.
Pete’s love for the game was apparent in everything he did. His career was impressive as he still holds quite a few records. These include 4,256 hits, 3,562 games, and 14,053 at bats. He also has in his arsenal three batting titles, 1968, 69 and 73; six World Series appearances – three ending in championships. He is 2nd all-time in doubles, 4th in runs, and amassed at the least 100 hits in his first 23 seasons, another record. He had more than 200 hits in a season 10 times, also a record, and led the league in hits for 7 seasons.
Rose was Rookie of the Year in 1963. In 1975 he was named the World Series Most Valuable Player, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, The Sporting News Man of the Year and was named the Player of the Decade for the 1970s by TSN. Anyone who knows baseball has certainly heard of “The Big Red Machine.” Rose was one of the most important contributors to the Reds domination of the 70’s.
In 1989, Charlie Hustle was banned from the game for gambling on baseball while he was manager/player for the Cincinnati Reds by then Commissioner Giamatti. His statistical standing in the history of major league baseball cannot be touched but will they ever be officially recognized? Some say yes if he owns up to what he has done and apologize for the behavior. I say, why should this matter?
Since Rose’s departure from the game as a player, there has yet to be anyone to fill the void of his passion and desire. I heard Joe Morgan once say in an interview that if he could impose one wish on a young player coming into the major league, it would be to spend one year with Pete Rose as a teammate.
The Hall of Fame just isn’t complete without the inclusion of Pete Rose. It is a museum for the fans and is supposed to honor those who played the game better than anyone during their tenure. I understand and do agree Rose should never be allowed to manage again nor hold any position in professional baseball. However, apology or not for the gambling, Charlie Hustle is a Hall of Famer. PLEASE stop moralizing MLB! Don’t kid yourself that past, current, and future inductees were given some kind of character and moral fitness test prior to their admission.
Under any impartial standard, Pete Rose was one of the greatest players to play the game of baseball. Under any sober standard, he has to be included in the group of people who are the greatest players to play the game of baseball.
Honor the player. The gambler has been punished.
For the view from the other side of the fence see what Rev has to say...
"Being with a woman never hurt no professional ball player. It's staying up all night looking for a woman that does him in." - Casey Stengel
Abstinence the night before a sporting event is preached by many coaches and practiced by some athletes. It has long been believed that sex before any competition zaps one’s energy while no hanky-panky can build up aggression. There are some examples that seem to prove this theory. Muhammad Ali abstained from sex for six weeks before climbing into the ring. Rickson Gracie refused to do the “mess-a-round” for at least 2 weeks before his bouts. Champion race horses are virgins until retirement when they are sent out to stud. Even Mickey, Rocky Balboa’s trainer said, “Women weaken the legs.”
But does sex the night before the big game really have any negative impact on the athlete? According to scientists, the answer is NO! There is simply no evidence to support this myth. In fact, there are studies that show pre-sports whoopee may actually raise testosterone levels. Emmanuele A. Jannini of the University of L'Aquila in Italy is a professor of endocrinology, the study of bodily secretions. After studying the effects of sex on the performance of an athlete, Jannini found that sex in fact boosts aggression by stimulating the production of testosterone. "After three months without sex, which is not so uncommon for some athletes, testosterone dramatically drops to levels close to children's levels," he said. "Do you think this may be useful for a boxer?"
The news gets even better for the ladies! Barry Komisaruk, a psychology professor at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey says women who are sexually active produce a powerful pain-blocking effect which can combat muscle pain and other sport’s related injuries. "At least one of the mechanisms by which [sex] blocks pain is that it blocks the release of [a neuropeptide called] substance P, which is a pain transmitter," he said. The block can last up to 24 hours!
Maybe coaches use this line to make sure their athletes get the rest they need before the sporting event. But, come on…..even a great “roll in the hay” doesn’t burn THAT many calories so how tired could you be? I think it is just like anything else; use common sense!! If your body needs the rest then voedee-oh-doe early! Otherwise, unless you are a race horse, BLANK your brains out and you will still be good to go the next day!! Now, if you will excuse me, I have a basketball game tomorrow! ;)
Baseball has been called America’s “National Pastime” for many years. It was once played by young men mostly from blue-collar backgrounds that were honored to have been chosen to perform in the big leagues while being paid to do so. Because the majority were a part of the “working class,” it isn’t surprising to me that many answered the call of their country during WWII. After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, more than 500 major leaguers traded their bats and gloves for weapons in defense of this great country. Cleveland Indians’ pitcher, Bob Feller, would become the first to volunteer for active duty just 2 days after the attack.
Bob Feller was born Robert William Andrew Feller on November 3, 1918, in Van Meter, Iowa. His father, a farmer by trade, built a diamond for him, installed a generator and electric lights in the barn for night practice, and taught him how to pitch. Scout, Cy Slapnicka secretly signed Feller for the Cleveland Indians when he was only 16 for $1 and an autographed baseball.
During an exhibition game, Bob Feller struck out 8 St. Louis Cardinals in 3 innings; he was only 17 years old. He was immediately advised to quit high school and sign a professional baseball contract. In his rookie year, Feller won 17 games and 24 the following season. His blazing fastball earned him the names of “Bullet Bob” and “Rapid Robert.” In his debut game he struck out 15 batters in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Browns on August 25th, 1936, at that time this was an American League record. Feller became the first American League pitcher to throw a complete game no-hitter on opening day in 1940.
Feller was on his way to sign a new contract with the Cleveland Indians on December 7th, 1941, when he heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor over the radio. “Bullet Bob” was 23 years old with 107 wins and at the peak of his career but he knew immediately what he was going to do. Feller’s father was dying of cancer and because he was his family’s sole means of support, he didn’t have to do what he had made up his mind to that fateful day. “But I thought that any red-blooded American would do what needed to be done.” On December 9th, 1941 at 8 A.M. the Cleveland Indians’ famous young pitcher entered into service in the Navy recruiting office in Chicago.
After training, Feller became chief of an anti-aircraft gun crew of the USS Alabama. During his 4 years aboard the battleship, “Rapid Robert” earned 5 campaign ribbons and was decorated with 8 battle stars. For the first 11 months, the Alabama was in the European theatre convoying British and Russian troop and supply ships against a German U-boat armada.
The Alabama saw action in the battles of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, in the Marianis, in Peleliu, in New Guinea and back to the Marianis in the battle for Truk. Feller was in charge of a 40-millimeter anti-aircraft mount. The USS Alabama never lost a man in enemy action and became known as the “Lucky A.” The men aboard would argue it was not luck of the ship but the skill of her crew that kept them alive. When the surrender documents were signed, the Alabama led the fleet into Tokyo Bay. “I want to say one thing—I am no hero. We have a lot of heroes. I am not one of them. Heroes seldom return from wars. Heroes are the ones in cemeteries all around the world. Those are the heroes.”
However, after 34 months aboard the Alabama, Feller returned home to a hero’s welcome. It had been 4 years since he had stepped on the baseball diamond but with 5 weeks remaining on the schedule, “Bullet Bob” reported to the Indians. After 9 starts Feller finished with a 5-3 record and a 2.5 ERA. With a mere 59 strikeouts in 72 innings, many baseball fans thought the best years were already behind Bob Feller…they were wrong.
The following season Feller won 26 games, including a no-hitter and led the majors with 348 K’s. Baseball historians theorize that “Rapid Robert” could have won 350 games and recorded close to 3,500 strikeouts had he not joined the military. Even after giving 4 of his prime years to his country, Feller ranks 28th in history with 266 wins and remains the Indians all-time leader in shutouts (46), strikeouts (2,581), innings (3,828) and All-Star appearances (8).
Bob Feller played a total of 18 years in major league baseball; all of them with the Cleveland Indians. He led the American League in strikeouts 7 times. He pitched 3 no-hit games and shares the major league record with 12 one-hitters. Feller was the first pitcher to win 20 or more games before the age of 21. No one questions why there was an average of 10,000 additional fans when Feller was scheduled to pitch. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility. In 1999, Bob Feller ranked 36th on The Sporting News list of 100 Greatest Baseball Players.
"He's got the fastest thumbs in America." This was the University of Kentucky’s Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart’s way of complimenting the new men’s head basketball coach, Billy Gillispie. Barnhart was commenting on Gillispie’s reported 8000 text messages per month to players recruited.
Text messaging has become a huge tool used by coaches throughout the country trying to initiate conversation with recruits. There are no limits on text messages sent by coaches and with restrictions to phone calls and personal visits, this is a way coaches can keep in touch with current prospects.NCAA rules give coaches 2 phone calls to a junior per month. With unlimited texting available, Gillispie can message a recruit to call him as often as he wants, which is legal.
Apparently complaints have been filed, (not against Gillispie,) citing inappropriate use of text messaging. The complaint includes outrageous costs texting can be for the recruit. Three of these were heard by Lynn Dorn, the NDSU women's athletic director. "Unfortunately, there are stories out there of student-athletes ending up with significant cell phone bills unbeknownst to the parent or to them," Dorn said.
All of this has led to a NCAA Management Council meeting on April 26th to determine a proposal that bans coaches from sending recruits text messages. If it gets past the council the ban will move to the NCAA Board of Directors for final approval. Coach Gillispie and others might just be wiggling their thumbs come August 1st.
New technology gives coaches a long arm to reach prospective players. Email, faxing and now text messaging can overwhelm the NCAA’s ability to limit a coach’s contact with recruits. It can also overwhelm young men and women still of high school age. Not to mention the holes burnt in the parent’s pocket with the cost of texting landing on their wallet.
So, the question is how much can the NCAA do or should they do anything at all as far as text messages go? As of now coaches are split 50/50 on the proposed ban. Some like it the way it is while others want more regulations. What do you think?
It’s that time of year again….time to debate the question of Pete Rose’s induction into Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Or can baseball actually call it the Hall of Fame without Pete Rose?
Let’s take a look….
Pete Rose earned the name “Charlie Hustle” because of his determination and the passion he played the game with. After being a part of the league for 24 years, Mr. Hustle owns quite a few records including 4,256 hits, 3,562 games, and 14,053 at bats. He also has in his arsenal three batting titles, 1968, 69 and 73; six World Series appearances – three ending in championships.
He was awarded Rookie of the Year in 1963 and in 1975, was named the World Series Most Valuable Player, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year and The Sporting News Man of the Year. Anyone who knows baseball has certainly heard of “The Big Red Machine.” Rose was one of the most important contributors as the Reds dominated the 70’s.
Pete Rose was banned from the game in 1989 for gambling on baseball. While the action taken by the league was completely appropriate, just when is enough, enough? Rose did so much for the game he has loved and dedicated his life and body to.
So, my stance is probably obvious. The Hall of Fame just isn’t complete without the inclusion of Pete Rose. I understand and do agree he should never be allowed to manage again nor hold any position in professional baseball. However, whither he apologizes or not for the gambling, Charlie Hustle is a Hall of Famer. He was great for the game of baseball. Since Rose’s departure from the game as a player, there has yet to be anyone to have filled the void of his passion and desire. I heard Joe Morgan once say in an interview that if he could impose one wish on a young player coming into the major league, it would be to spend one year with Pete Rose as a teammate.
Of all the great stats and records, the one thing Pete Rose was…was a winner. Let’s hope one day he slides head first into the Hall of Fame.
Hey All! I am a sports nut....especi ally college hoops!! You have to be if you are from Kentucky. Basketball is a religion here in The Blue Grass. We love our WildCats and can be tough on them at times. However, you will never find more loyal or passionate fans! I am a Steeler fan, I am a Reds fan but, I am a WildCat!!
BLEED BLUE!!
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. 
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.
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. 
for baseball that he can't watch a pitcher bat has no business watching MLB anyways.
allowed to take his place among baseball’s greatest in MLB’s Hall of Fame?” How many years has this debate been going on? For some, it is a lifetime. Should Pete Rose be inducted into the Hall of Fame or should baseball stand by their “ban for life” decision passed down in 1989. Baseball has been extremely clear of its stance on gambling. The HOF is filled with adulterers, racists and crooks of every kind who have gotten away with suspensions or a slap on the wrist. But gambling is the HOF’s murder charge and the sentence is death. How just is this stance? Can’t the Hall forgive the sinner without forgiving the sin?
impressive as he still holds quite a few records. These include 4,256 hits, 3,562 games, and 14,053 at bats. He also has in his arsenal three batting titles, 1968, 69 and 73; six World Series appearances – three ending in championships. He is 2nd all-time in doubles, 4th in runs, and amassed at the least 100 hits in his first 23 seasons, another record. He had more than 200 hits in a season 10 times, also a record, and led the league in hits for 7 seasons. 
than anyone during their tenure. I understand and do agree Rose should never be allowed to manage again nor hold any position in professional baseball. However, apology or not for the gambling, Charlie Hustle is a Hall of Famer. PLEASE stop moralizing MLB! Don’t kid yourself that past, current, and future inductees were given some kind of character and moral fitness test prior to their admission. 
"Being with a woman never hurt no professional ball player. It's staying up all night looking for a woman that does him in." - Casey Stengel 
practiced by some athletes. It has long been believed that sex before any competition zaps one’s energy while no hanky-panky can build up aggression. There are some examples that seem to prove this theory. Muhammad Ali abstained from sex for six weeks before climbing into the ring. Rickson Gracie refused to do the “mess-a-round” for at least 2 weeks before his bouts. Champion race horses are virgins until retirement when they are sent out to stud. Even Mickey, Rocky Balboa’s trainer said, “Women weaken the legs.”
athlete? According to scientists, the answer is NO! There is simply no evidence to support this myth. In fact, there are studies that show pre-sports whoopee may actually raise testosterone levels. Emmanuele A. Jannini of the University of L'Aquila in Italy is a professor of endocrinology, the study of bodily secretions. After studying the effects of sex on the performance of an athlete, Jannini found that sex in fact boosts aggression by stimulating the production of testosterone. "After three months without sex, which is not so uncommon for some athletes, testosterone dramatically drops to levels close to children's levels," he said. "Do you think this may be useful for a boxer?"
professor at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey says women who are sexually active produce a powerful pain-blocking effect which can combat muscle pain and other sport’s related injuries. "At least one of the mechanisms by which [sex] blocks pain is that it blocks the release of [a neuropeptide called] substance P, which is a pain transmitter," he said. The block can last up to 24 hours!
before the sporting event. But, come on…..even a great “roll in the hay” doesn’t burn THAT many calories so how tired could you be? I think it is just like anything else; use common sense!! If your body needs the rest then voedee-oh-doe early! Otherwise, unless you are a race horse, BLANK your brains out and you will still be good to go the next day!! Now, if you will excuse me, I have a basketball game tomorrow! ;)
once played by young men mostly from blue-collar backgrounds that were honored to have been chosen to perform in the big leagues while being paid to do so. Because the majority were a part of the “working class,” it isn’t surprising to me that many answered the call of their country during WWII. After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, more than 500 major leaguers traded their bats and gloves for weapons in defense of this great country. Cleveland Indians’ pitcher, Bob Feller, would become the first to volunteer for active duty just 2 days after the attack.
Bob Feller was born Robert William Andrew Feller on November 3, 1918, in Van Meter, Iowa. His father, a farmer by trade, built a diamond for him, installed a generator and electric lights in the barn for night practice, and taught him how to pitch. Scout, Cy Slapnicka secretly signed Feller for the Cleveland Indians when he was only 16 for $1 and an autographed baseball.
he was only 17 years old. He was immediately advised to quit high school and sign a professional baseball contract. In his rookie year, Feller won 17 games and 24 the following season. His blazing fastball earned him the names of “Bullet Bob” and “Rapid Robert.” In his debut game he struck out 15 batters in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Browns on August 25th, 1936, at that time this was an American League record. Feller became the first American League pitcher to throw a complete game no-hitter on opening day in 1940.
welcome. It had been 4 years since he had stepped on the baseball diamond but with 5 weeks remaining on the schedule, “Bullet Bob” reported to the Indians. After 9 starts Feller finished with a 5-3 record and a 2.5 ERA. With a mere 59 strikeouts in 72 innings, many baseball fans thought the best years were already behind Bob Feller…they were wrong.
Cleveland Indians. He led the American League in strikeouts 7 times. He pitched 3 no-hit games and shares the major league record with 12 one-hitters. Feller was the first pitcher to win 20 or more games before the age of 21. No one questions why there was an average of 10,000 additional fans when Feller was scheduled to pitch. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility. In 1999, Bob Feller ranked 36th on The Sporting News list of 100 Greatest Baseball Players.
Kentucky’s Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart’s way of complimenting the new men’s head basketball coach, Billy Gillispie. Barnhart was commenting on Gillispie’s reported 8000 text messages per month to players recruited. 
way coaches can keep in touch with current prospects. NCAA rules give coaches 2 phone calls to a junior per month. With unlimited texting available, Gillispie can message a recruit to call him as often as he wants, which is legal. 
high school age. Not to mention the holes burnt in the parent’s pocket with the cost of texting landing on their wallet. 
