Last week, the Yankees lost ace Chien-Ming Wang while he was running the bases in Houston. A crazed Hank Steinbrenner said the NL should get into the 21st century and incorporate the DH rule. This brings up the question of our generation: is the DH an abomination or does it represent progress?
Progress Argument
The AL, minors, college, high school and some international play all use the DH. If everyone else is doing it, shouldn't the NL? It helps create higher scoring games, makes pitchers pitch to 9 betters instead of 8, forces managers to take the pitcher out when they should, instead of pinch hit, and extends the careers of fan favorites.
The Abomination Argument
If all of your friends were to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you? Forget 100 years of history and that Abner Doubleday fully intended pitchers to hit. Forget that in my high school (a NYC championship team), our ace pitcher was also a rock star hitter. That argument holds no water because sometimes a tweak in the rules is necessary in a sport (see some of hockey's recent changes to make the game faster. And Steve has always been lobbying for a 19 second shot clock in the NBA and a 23 second shot clock in NCAA hoops). The real argument is that pitchers need to bat so they can be thrown at by other pitchers in retaliation for throwing at someone on their team. That simple.
Add to the equation that pitchers are not special prima donna, but members of the team who will be counted on to pinch hit or run the bases in extra inning or other special situations. If your pitchers hit then they will be available to you in extreme situations like having Tom Glavine available to pinch hit in the bottom of the 9th in game 7 of the 2006 NLCS... (But who am I to question Willie?)
While there are only 8 hitters in the NL, pitchers go get hits, homers, and stolen bases (el Duque has 2 last year in one game!) Having the pitcher hit also makes the game more strategic and double switches are fun!
Lastly, some old farts still DHing just piss me off. Go retire already you fat slob! What is next DRs, or designated runners?
Posted by Steve DHing for the Tank.