Game of Baseball Explained: Role of the Designated Hitter

The designated hitter, a position that is widely argued over, is a position that has created various controversies in the baseball world, and is still one of the most heated debates in sports. He is essentially a player that is on the team to bat in the lineup in place of the pitcher, and does not play a position on the field. The rule was established in April of 1976 to generate more offense in generally, slow-paced and low scoring games in the American League only. It is a position that was created by baseball to solve many problems, but in today's game, it has become a constraint and deterrent to the way baseball is played. The game is plagued by the lack of depth in managerial strategies, long game times, and the countless physical battles that players endure between each other. In the National League, where the designated hitter rule is not used, games seem to run more smoothly, and become more of an enjoyment to watch. Without designated hitters, pitchers are forced to work harder for their money, solve problems between players amongst themselves, and revert back to the minor league days where everyone went to bat. The designated hitter rule is outdated and unfavorable in baseball, and without it, it would shorten game times, give managers more strategy to the game, decrease the separation between the two leagues, and make pitchers well rounded baseball players.

The length of games in baseball has been an ongoing problem because the times seem to vary in each game, and players are becoming more prone to injury because of the longer game hours. Games usually are longer in the American League because of the pitching strategies. Since most American League teams have power-hitting lineups, pitchers are more weary of throwing strikes and the pitch count often goes deep into the count, dragging out innings. In the National League, teams are based around speed and base hits, and this makes the pitchers less intimidated. Most games in the American League will span about three and a half hours, while National League games will usually be three hours. While thirty minutes seems like not long, over a 162 game season, this can be an exhausting toll over a player. Also, with shorter game times, it becomes easier to watch baseball, knowing that it is not a protracted event. With the extra game time and added extra batter, the American League games often turn out to be high scoring, and less strong pitching duels come about. Longer game times because of the designated hitter are a huge disadvantage to American League players, and they should not have to deal with the extra playing time.

Along with added game time, managers in the American League coach a completely different game than those in the National League. In the National League, since the pitcher bats, the manager can be forced to make many decisions that the American League managers do not have to. When the pitcher comes to bat, the National League manager must decide whether to let the pitcher hit, or replace him with a pinch hitter. This is all decided on the inning the game is in, how the pitcher is doing in the game, and how many men are on base. Joe Torre, long time manager for the New York Yankees, says that "I prefer the National League with all the changes and the strategy. That's what the fans come to see." These added questions make the game more exciting for baseball fans, and they force the manager to make a few risky moves based on his position. Along with pinch hitting, the National League manager also has a more difficult time controlling his bullpen, which is the group of relief pitchers on a team. When the manager chooses to pinch hit for the pitcher in a crucial moment, that forces the manager to put another pitcher in next inning. This uses a lot more pitchers per game, and it consequently makes the game more of a challenge. American League managers rarely ever deal with pinch hitting and these other quirks of the game, which makes the American League game less advanced in comparison.

These two differences in baseball create a major separation between the American and National League, and forces fans to look at the two leagues as two separate sports. The two leagues lack strong unity, and the Designated Hitter rule, drags the two leagues farther apart. Jim Palmer, Hall of Fame pitcher, agrees that "The leagues play two different games," varying in score and strategy, and the designated hitter is the basis for these problems. One major difference between the two leagues is the physical battles players sometimes get in to. In the National League, when a batter is hit by a pitch intentionally, the common thing that occurs is that pitcher is hit as well when he comes to bat. This theory of hitting pitchers in retaliation is a tremendous way to avoid fights between players, especially during the postseason. In the American League, the player has no other way to seek revenge when being hit by a pitch, and this often results to fines and suspensions, that just do not occur as often in the National League.

Along with preventing quarrels between players, when there is no designated hitter, interleague play becomes less of a struggle than it is now. When teams play each other in interleague play, it is always a mockery to see an American League pitcher take a swing at a pitch, and it gives the American League teams a huge handicap in interleague play. Without the practice of batting on a regular basis, the American League teams are doomed to an automatic out almost every time their pitcher comes to bat, and it is simply not fair. If the pitcher never bats in his career, why all of a sudden during this one game is he forced too? Is their justification for his at bat, when he simply strikes out? If the pitcher were more accustomed to batting, his at bat would be better handled, and all of the teams would have an equal lineup when facing each other. The designated hitter simply gives an unfair advantage to the National League team, especially in interleague play.

Although the pitcher is one of the most important players in a baseball games, his role is cut in half by the designated hitter because he only plays half of the game. Every other player on the field plays a position and bats as well. Why is the pitcher exempted from stepping up to the plate? It can not be because he is inferior, because the pitcher is given every opportunity to bat. Was Babe Ruth not one of the greatest hitters of all time? Was he not a pitcher as well? Pitcher's today are nothing like those of Babe Ruth's era, fore they are half athletes. Pitchers play half of the game in the American League, while National League pitchers pitch and hit, yet American League pitchers are regarded as equal athletes to those in the National League. Obviously, they are not equal when National League pitchers are forced to work harder for their wins, and have the opportunity to help the team defensively and offensively. If the National League pitchers are able to pitch and hit, the American League pitchers should be able to as well.

Even though many believe that the designated hitter rule is an inferior rule in baseball, there are many who believe it adds extra to the game. They argue that it provides the game with the extra offense it needs, and that it allows big time players to continue to play past their prime. The game already has enough offense in both leagues, with games usually having a countless number of total runs scored, and pitchers ERA (earned run average) are higher than ever before. Also, since many argue that a pitching duel is more enthralling than a home run contest, the offense aspect of the designated hitter rule provides no clear cut argument. Along with offense, the designated hitter gives veteran players the chance to extend their career. While many argue that this is a good aspect, because players usually create hall of fame numbers when their main concern is hitting, others say that these numbers are inferior to those of National League players because they played the full game of baseball. Plus, most people don't want to see veteran players destroy their career by performing poorly as a designated hitter, and others feel that it destroys a good players' persona as an all-star baseball player. The designated hitter gives the game of baseball a fallacy in stats and the way the game is played, and it simply cuts the enjoyment of the game down.

The designated hitter, a flaw in the game of baseball, is a tragic rule to the game that provides little if any extra excitement, and causes more controversy and uncertainty. It provides no other purpose but to add unneeded offense and it keeps veteran players around past their prime. Instead of the designated hitter, baseball should feel that it is their duty to establish an amendment to the horrible rule. They should enforce a rule where the designated hitter is abolished, and each league is forced to play with the pitcher in the batting lineup. If this was instituted, the game would see an increase in fan base and television ratings, because the game itself would become shorter and more intense when compared to previous games with the Designated Hitter. In a recent poll by USA Today, it was shown that more than 63 % of people dislike the designated hitter rule and want to see it disappear. Also, it would make pitchers better American League around players and it would decrease the separation between the two leagues. The designated hitter is just like the NHL making the goal two feet wider to increase the number of goals. It is unethical and unneeded, and it was introduced in a time where baseball was down in ratings. Baseball is now America's pastime, and it does not extra offense to create fans. The designated hitter should be abolished and the longer it is in the game, the longer baseball declines in value.