Baseball has plenty to worry about. There are conspiracy theories about new baseballs being wound tighter to produce more and more homeruns. Teams like the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians have distinct advantages by playing major markets -- earning them more money to sign the best players. Other baseball fans grieve because superstars Randy Johnson and Mike Piazza have shed their mullets.
However, the one problem plaguing baseball that should not be overlooked is the designated hitter. Ever since its inception in 1973, most baseball experts have criticized the DH for destroying the purity of the game. The purpose of the designated hitter is to allow a more skilled hitter to bat in place of the pitcher. Although it may seem like a small part of the game, it has major repercussions.
The most obvious impact of the DH is that makes for higher scoring games. Ironically, this was the original reason for creating the DH. League officials thought that higher scoring games would be more appealing to fans. The problem is that high scoring games last significantly longer than low scoring games. A three and a half hour game would try the patience of any fan.
Another problem with the DH is that it prevents young players from getting the chance to play in the major leagues. Elderly players like Cecil Fielder and Joe Carter were able to extend their careers by being a designated hitter even though they were 10 years past their prime.
Because baseball teams are limited in the number of players they can have on their roster at any given time, the old-timers prevent promising young players from getting Big League experience.
Few casual fans realize how intellectual a sport baseball is. Managers often direct hitters to bunt to move base runners over, execute a hit and run to move runners into scoring position, and call on players to steal bases during key moments of the game. All of these practices are undermined by the designated hitter.
When the pitcher has to bat every couple innings, it causes both teams to drastically change their strategy. The pitcher in most cases is an automatic out. Good teams find ways to score runs with this liability by using strategies like the hit and run. When the designated hitter is used managers are less likely to make risky decisions, which makes for a boring game.
The designated hitter ultimately destroys the purity of the game.
In an effort to get the opinions of your ordinary, everyday baseball fan, I interviewed Thomas Dewland '02. When asked his opinions of the designated hitter, Dewland stated, "The DH is like Meg Ryan. From far away it looks pretty good, but when you get closer she looks terrible."
When I asked Forrest Gay '02 to comment on the designated hitter he was initially reluctant. He said, "Go away, I'm watching television. Errr."
After some persistence, Gay had these comments, "I don't know anything about baseball. But generally I don't like anything that is designated. Errr."
The general consensus was that no one really cares very much about the DH. Very few people even know what it is. But after I explained to them exactly what the DH entails, most people became disheartened at the idea of a player not having to bat for himself.
Chris Winterbottom '02 echoed these opinions saying, "The DH is a crime like murder, only worse." Although I couldn't find the DH to be in conflict with any state or federal laws, most people seem agree that it should be.
The DH takes away more from baseball than it contributes. While making games temporarily more exciting and letting former stars play into their forties, the designated hitter destroys the little parts of the game that make it interesting.
