This letter is in response to the April 9 column by Christopher Miller on the designated hitter in Major League Baseball. In Christopher’s column he explained what the DH is and wrote about why MLB should make it a part of the National League rules as it already is a part of the American League. As he put it, one reason for making the rule a league-wide institution is because having to strategize when to pinch-hit for a pitcher is an “inconvenience.”
As a lifelong fan of the game, and someone who loves baseball for its intricacies, that statement angers me. One of the beautiful things about the game is the strategy it requires. The fact that managers not only have to balance lineups over a 162 game schedule, but also balance pitching staffs and watch innings pitched, all while trying to maximize offensive output, is what makes the game so beautiful. Getting rid of that part of the game because you find it an “inconvenience” is not only ridiculous; it’s downright disrespectful to the sport and those who love it.
Sports aren’t supposed to be easy, and certainly not baseball. It’s a game where getting a hit three out of 10 times is considered a success; where winning 62 percent of your games is not just a challenge, but a tremendous triumph and where sometimes you purposely put a player on, in hopes of getting an out. The most successful teams are winners because they strategize.
But now to touch on another one of Christopher’s points: increased offensive production. If the DH were the league standard, scoring might go up. But then again, would it really?
Many AL teams already struggle to “field” a competent DH as it is. Here are some stats from a few starting DHs from the 2012 season: The Indians’ Travis Hafner hit .228 with 12 home runs; Seattle’s Jesus Montero managed an impressive .260 with 15 home runs; Tampa Bay’s Luke Scott hit .229 with 15 home runs. In fact, after Boston’s David Ortiz and Kansas City’s Billy Butler, most DHs aren’t even as good as Mark Reynolds, the Indians’ new power hitting DH whose best offensive skill is striking out — he holds three of the five top spots for most strikeouts in a season.
Last season, two NL teams, who are “forced” to let pitchers hit, actually managed to crack the top 5 in terms of runs scored. Sure, overall the AL managed to score more, but was the quality of the game better because of it? Most certainly not. If Christopher thinks increased offense is so important to fans, here’s another stat: Of the worst eight teams in terms of average attendance for the past season, all but Houston played in the AL — Houston joined the AL prior to this season.
As a lifelong fan of the game and of an NL team, I can’t deny that the DH is eventually going to be the league standard. But that doesn’t mean I have to accept the ludicrous argument that it will in some way make the game more enjoyable. I refuse to accept the even more ridiculous idea that it should be done to make the game more “convenient.” If convenience and simplicity is what you want, Christopher, I suggest taking up putt-putt, but keep your hands off my baseball.
Bryan M. Vance is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University.
