Jim Jeffcoat's Take on the Designated Hitter

Here is my take on why the DH rule is bad, from an angle I have not really seen all that much in other arguments.

Simply put: I like to see pitchers bat

I particularly like to see pitchers, who also happen to be good hitters, bat. The argument has been presented to me by pro-DH people: "Who wants to see someone come to the plate just to make an automatic out?"

My answer: "An automatic out - says who???" !!!

I recall watching an NL game a few years ago in which Orel Hershiser was pitching an excellent game, and he helped his cause out by coming to the plate and swatting a solid double and driving in two runs.

There used to be a fair number of pitchers who were also decent hitters. (Many people forget that Babe Ruth started as a pitcher, and was a pretty good one). Moreover, pitchers who were not particularly good hitters at least learned to bunt well, allowing the possibility of advancing a base runner with a sacrifice. Hardly a "wasted" spot in the lineup.

Now, thanks to the DH rule and the fact that pitchers get traded to and from teams in both leagues, hitting and bunting both seem to be a lost art for pitchers. And it is particularly pathetic to watch an AL pitcher playing in an Interleague or World Series game come to the plate, cower in the far corner of the batter's box and make 3 feeble swings or watch a called third strike.

It doesn't have to be that way.

As has been said by many others, baseball should NOT be a game of specialization. If you want that, watch football. (Don't get me wrong -- I love football also, but for different reasons as it is an entirely different game). But if you are going to have the DH rule, and take it to its logical conclusion, then you ought to just go the way of football -- have a defensive team consisting of your pitcher and 8 best gloves, and an offensive team of your 9 best bats.

No, the truly great baseball players are those who excelled in all aspects of the game -- both offensive and defensive (Joe Dimagio and Brooks Robinson come to mind, but examples would be too numerous to mention). The same should be true for pitchers: their overall ability in all aspects of the game -- pitching, fielding, and hitting -- should define their status as a player.

The DH rule should be abolished entirely.

Jim is a Kansas City Royals fan from Missouri, you can reach him at jim@jimjeffcoat.com