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Playing by the Same Rules

By Gary Armida

 Since April 3, 1973 when the Yankees’ Ron Bloomberg took Baseball’s first hacks as a designated hitter, baseball fans have been at odds. The purists think that American League baseball is a cheap version of how the game is meant to be played. The National League has the reputation of being the smarter, more strategic league. That latter view, although quite popular, is antiquated and invalid.

In order to preserve the integrity of the game, Major League Baseball must move to have both leagues play by the same set of rules. The issue has become exacerbated with the increased popularity of interleague play, which often has a big effect on the final standings. With the two sets of rules, the American League teams are often at a disadvantage as they lose a hitter who is usually an integral member of their offensive attack when playing their games in National League parks. The National League teams do get the advantage of adding a hitter to their lineup, which often allows them to rest a superstar as the designated hitter while giving a bench player some valuable playing time. In order to provide the game with the most strategy, more competitive balance, and more excitement for the fans, Major League Baseball must adopt the designated hitter rule into both leagues.

Most opponents will state that the designated hitter leads to an abundance of offense which cheapens the game. This thought is purely a myth. As the popular saying goes, “The truth is in the numbers.”

Homeruns by League 1998-2007

Year	AL HR	NL HR
1998	2496	2568
1999	2635	2893
2000	2688	3005
2001	2506	2952
2002	2464	2595
2003	2499	2708
2004	2605	2846
2005	2437	2580
2006	2546	2840
2007	2252	2705

 

Runs per Game 1998-2007

Year	AL R/G	NL R/G
1998	5.01	4.60
1999	5.18	5.00
2000	5.30	5.00
2001	4.86	4.70
2002	4.81	4.45
2003	4.86	4.61
2004	5.01	4.64
2005	4.76	4.45
2006	4.97	4.76
2007	4.90	4.71

The two charts yield some interesting results. One, it is shocking that the supposedly more strategic league actually had more homeruns for the last 10 seasons despite scoring less runs per game during those same 10 seasons. So much for the National League being more strategic!

As far as offense goes, the designated hitter has a negligible effect on offensive production. Rarely has the American League averaged more than .40 more runs per game than the National League. It is obvious that the designated hitter has not led to college-like offense. Therefore, the National League’s offensive game would not change as much as one would think.

The next most popular argument is the usual rhetoric that the National League manager is forced to make more decisions during the course of an average game. Most point to the decision of whether or not to pinch-hit for a pitcher during a close game. While on the surface this may seem like a difficult decision, this is one of the most exaggerated arguments made by the purists. How difficult is it to decide whether or not to pinch-hit for a guy with a .040 batting average and a million strikeouts with runners on base during a close game? With increased specialization of pitching and pitchers throwing less innings per start, this decision really does not require much thought. Of course the manager is going to send up a batter who has a shot at making contact.

One could argue that the American League manager has a tougher job in knowing when to take a pitcher out. He does not have that excuse of pinch-hitting when dealing with the media’s questioning of his handling of the pitching staff. The AL manager is judged solely on when he takes the pitcher out and who he uses to match up against the opposing hitter. Their decision process is only based on the matchups, not whether or not it is time to remove the pitcher for a bat. In that way, having the designated hitter makes the American League game a bit more strategic. The matchup dictates a decision, not the fact that the pitcher is a guaranteed out as a hitter.

Another important element is the idea of competitive balance. Quite simply, because of the different rules, teams in each league build themselves differently. A National League team often will struggle to find a quality designated hitter when playing in an American League park. Most times, NL teams will DH a star and allow a role player to play the field. Meanwhile, the American League team has the advantage of having a full-time hitter in the lineup who is comfortable with the DH role. Conversely, the American League team is at an even bigger disadvantage playing in the National League parks. Teams like the Boston Red Sox will often have to sit a valuable member of their lineup like David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, or Kevin Youkilis when playing under NL rules. It is categorically unfair that the American League team has to alter their offensive approach. It is not what they were built for and it creates a situation that impacts their offense as well as their fielding. If the league is interested in true competitive balance and fairness for the game, both teams must be bound to the same rules all season, not just for an individual series.

Lastly, the fans deserve the excitement of the designated hitter. If the AL did not have this rule, fans would have been robbed of seeing the great Edgar Martinez, Paul Molitor, and now David Ortiz. These players would not be allowed the opportunity to play because of their propensity for injury while playing the field. Star players can prolong their career as a designated hitter. With more players able to do so, fans would enjoy their favorite players longer. Imagine if the designated hitter slot was available for Mickey Mantle.   

While this rule change may never happen, it is one that would better the game of Baseball. All sports, especially baseball, pride themselves on being pure. Baseball must align its rules so each team has the same opportunity. The arguments for abolishing the DH are not true. The AL is not the slugger league; the National League without the DH is the slugger league. The strategic element of baseball has not been lost in the American League. Why would it be lost if the NL went with a DH?

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