The designated hitter has probably saved a lot of lives. Without a designated hitter, there never would have been a designated driver.

I like the DH. The pitcher batting is a joke unless it's Carlos Zambrano or a couple of others. A chance to go take a piss or something.

Baseball Prospectus has a statistic call TAv which attempts to factor in league and park effects. This stat has the cardinals tied with ANA and behind the Yankees. I have no idea how good of a stat it is, and most people prefer things like wOBA or WAR.

In football we have whole separate teams for offense and defense, and yet a third special team. We expect a baseball player to bat and field as that is what being a baseball player means. But a pitcher isn't primarily a fielder. The pitching staff is like a special team. Making a pitcher bat is a little like making the field goal kicker play linebacker.

We could go round and round here, but suffice to say swinging a bat is nothing like playing linebacker. If a pitcher hurts himself swinging the bat he is either too old, or hasn't taken enough batting practice. If he hurts himself running the bases, he is either too old or needs to get off his fat ass and jog a few laps. These guys are supposed to be athletes.

I wonder how they get the TAv and if they use something like a pitcher-independent average in their formula.

"The DH also opens up some areas offensively that aren't available when you have a pitcher in your batting lineup. For example, now you can hit-and-run all up and down your batting order. You can afford to put your power at the top of your lineup and your speed at the bottom; even bat your three best hitters one-two-three if you want to get them up more times. It can make things easier for an older pitcher, too, because now he never has to run the bases.''

-Whitey Herzog (My 2nd cousin)

Touche, sir.


Edit:

"On the other hand,'' he said, "it wouldn't bother me if they cut out the DH entirely. What I don't like is that one league has it and the other doesn't. Either they should both have it or nobody should have it."

... and, "Well, as far as changing pitchers is concerned, a manager can stay with his original starter longer if he's going well. He doesn't have to use his bullpen as much, so he has fewer chances to make a mistake."

There's no question the DH gives baseball more offense, and sure offense is exciting. There are plenty of new rules we could implement if that's the goal. My favorite game last year may have been game 6 of the WS which the Cards won 10-9, but a very close second was game 5 of the NLDS where Carpenter out-dueled Halladay for the shutout 1-0, advancing the Cards to the NLCS. I think the game is great the way it is in the NL, perhaps it's just because I grew up with it. But if it ain't broke don't fix it applies, imo, and I don't think it was ever broke.

Also, I enjoy the leagues being different in this aspect, I don't see the problem.