The Designated Hitter

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I can't answer this honestly until Edgar retires, but in the meantime what do all y'all ILBers think about this perennial and at the moment oh-so-topical issue?

― chester (synkro), Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Does interleague play discriminate against AL teams because they are assembled in a fundamentally different manner than NL teams and have to compromise when they play in NL parks?

― chester (synkro), Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic and dud at the same time.

― hstencil, Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Should DH's be made to wear mesh-backed hats? Are they, in their hothouse delicacy, the Williamsburgers of the baseball diamond?

― chester (synkro), Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

dude don't even open that can of worms.

― hstencil, Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I keep reading this as "Designated Hitler," but I was just reading about his library recently.

― rs, Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

me too! not the library thing, but I was thinking of like Ernst Zundel and David Ahenekew.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I blame all the M*mus posts.

― bnw (bnw), Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

haha Ty Cobb to thread!

― chester (synkro), Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

he's dead *sobs*

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Even Kenesaw Mountain Landis loved his dog.

Baseball Mustaches: S+D!

― chester (synkro), Thursday, 12 June 2003 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

My baseball memories include Whitey Ford double switches with Tom Lawless coming in to pinchhit in the 9 spot in the 7th inning... hence, I hate the DH. More hits, less strategy.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Duddest dud of all time. If the pitcher isn't hitting it's hardly even baseball. I don't know what it is.

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.thebaseballpage.com/images/players/fingers_5457.jpg

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I gots nothing against it. What's up with you Harold Baines haters?!?!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.mj12.com/notableansons/images/Cap_Anson.jpg

(I gots much love for Bainesy)

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"Love me!"

http://rbichampion.com/gregs_rbi_site108005.jpg

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Yancey, are you jealous of my Ron Kittle-autographed baseball?

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Search: http://www.fsu.edu/~crimdo/images/pirates/drabek.jpg http://www.bashof.org/images/Eckersley(photo).JPG

Destroy: http://www.junglecity.com/images/mariners/roster/nelson.jpg

p.s. the DH sux

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:18 (twenty-two years ago)

oops.

http://www.bucketfoot.com/images/allstars/eckersley.jpe

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, American league games would be so much more exciting if we could see Derek Lowe hit a baseball.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I am! But are you jealous of my Harold Baines-autographed baseball?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes! But do you have a Lamar Hoyt laminated placemat?

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes! But do you have a WILLIE MCGEE autographed ball?

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

DH = dud!

― Salome Barojas (Andy K), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

But do you have a WILLIE MCGEE autographed ball?

I do!... Somewhere.

I also have an autographed copy of Ozzie Smith's autobiography.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

oh. well, you win then.

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I got Ozzie to autograph my pummelhorse!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Keith Hernandez's autobiog was the first "dirty" book I ever read, circa age 10.

Passage still recalled from memory 16 years later (on visiting a strip club): "There were 30 girls on stage. That's 60 tits."

― chester (synkro), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:36 (twenty-two years ago)

There are very few DHs in ~~baseball~~ the AL that I admire, but as a concept, it's hurt the game. The DH has afforded AL pitchers a false thug-bravado and security that you couldn't get away with in the NL.

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Best hitting pitchers = Bob Lemon and Don Drysdale.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 12 June 2003 18:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you all know where I stand on the DH.

MLB moustaches:

Stud: http://www.mlb.com/stl/photo/ph_play_mugshot_123726.jpg

Dud: http://houston.astros.mlb.com/hou/photo/ph_play_mugshot_116999.jpg

― felicity (felicity), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Mark Prior's season batting average is a respectable .286. On May 17, against St. Louis, he was 3 for 3, including a double. I love watching pitchers hit.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Best baseball moustache evah:

http://worldzone.net/sports/baseball/imagestripleplay/valentinediguise.jpg

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Who is that, Keith Hernandez?

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

the whole package:
http://www.alhrabosky.com/images/hrabosky2.jpg

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I am SO TEMPTED to start a thread called "The Designated Hitler - C/D"/

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

"Who was that masked man in the New York Mets dugout? Apparently it was manager Bobby Valentine. Valentine merely returned to the bench incognito after he was thrown out by umpires. 'From the information we have, he was ejected and came back to the end of the dugout in a disguise,' said NL senior vice president Katy Feeney. Valentine was ejected by plate umpire Randy Marsh for arguing a catcher's interference call on Mike Piazza. The manager, according to information reported to the NL, returned to the dugout with a fake mustache and glasses."

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha, that's awesome, Diamond. But equally awesome:

http://mlbpm.x-y.net/player%20photo/Rod%20Beck.jpg

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Rod Beck to thread! & anyone w/ pics of Piazza's braided beard from a year or two ago (during the GayGate heyday, I believe) gets a No-Prize.

Once we breed more superathletes, the DH will become obsolete. As much as I'm a DH fan (or as much as a fan one can be given said fan is vaguely apathetic towards the entire DH brouhaha), seeing a pitcher ably handle the bat (cf. Prior, Adam Eaton, Mike Hampton, the other 4 or 5) is dead sexy. Seeing pitchers ineptly bail out on a flat changeup Al Newman could take to dead center @ the Polo Grounds, however, makes me weep for humanity.

Also, if baseball is going to perpetrate this "different brands" nonsense w/ the AL & NL, it'd be more effective if this supposed clash of the Teutons could be limited to that one sorta special 7-game tilt in October, instead of this 3-week-long logistical boondoggle (now playing!) the owners like to call Cha-Ching!

Jaymc in great mind thought shocka!

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:39 (twenty-two years ago)

And a cameo by George Steinbrenner's favorite schedule-maker makes this the Best Thread Evah (Low Standards Division)!

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic and dud. I absolutely can't stand watching NL pitchers take their flabby swings at 3 straight strikes and then head back to the bench. But, there's no denying that the placement of the pitcher hitting adds an element of strategery in terms of pinch-hitting and substitutions. Plus you have your options, such as bunting or even having the pitcher be a decent hitter (see Prior, Mark).

That said, the use of the DH keeps up the flow of the game more and avoids a dead spot in the lineup. My only wish is that both leagues had the same rules; I could live with no DH or yes DH either way, just so long as they were the same.

― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Thursday, 12 June 2003 19:44 (twenty-two years ago)

DH sux.

Tim Lollar of the Padres during the 80s was a very good hitter, they even used him a few times as a pinch hitter. Jim Palmer was a good hitting pitcher that hated when the DH came to the AL. Fernando Valenzuela was a pretty good hitter for a pitcher.

My favorite pitcher hitting moment was back when the Cubs won the division with Zimmer and the only time Mitch Williams one of the rare times he all season he faked a bunt then pulled back and hit a home run. Zimmer also had Williams successfully execute a suicide squeeze.

― earlnash, Thursday, 12 June 2003 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember that. Wasn't Maddux a pretty decent hitter as well?

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 12 June 2003 22:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Greatest Moustachioed Player ever:
http://www.gbwebdesign.com/Players/schmidt.gif

― David Beckhouse (David Beckhouse), Thursday, 12 June 2003 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

livan hernandez came within one hit of tying the major league record for consecutive hits two seasons ago. he reached on an error (which counts as an AB) on a questionable scoring decision.

dusty baker pitch-hit him twice last year in extra-inning games.

felix rodriguez (reliever for the giants) is like .267 (4/15) lifetime but this year and last he's 1.000 (2/2)

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 12 June 2003 22:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got a piece of paper autographed by Ted Williams.

― hstencil, Thursday, 12 June 2003 23:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I met Keith Lockhart! Got his tix to the 99 All-Star Game too!

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 12 June 2003 23:15 (twenty-two years ago)

vida blue bought a round of drinks for me and some friends at the curve bar last week.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 13 June 2003 00:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I got lost in Oscar Gamble's hair once.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 13 June 2003 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Vida Blue was a cool pitcher. He had a smoothe wind up.

All of those classic Braves starters were workable with the stick. Smoltz, Maddux and Glavine all could hold their own at the plate and could be counted upon to at least lay down a bunt when the time called.

Maddux is a good all around player, he can really field his position. This is unlike Kerry Wood which by not understanding the that a pitcher is supposed to yield on a high infield pop up put his first basemen in the hospital and on the DL.

There is an article about Rod Beck making a comeback in the minor leagues on the ESPN site that is a pretty good read. He has is living in a motorhome at the Iowa Cubs ballpark and is having beers with fans after the game.

Tim Wakefield is a converted outfielder.

Outfielder Doug Dascenzo of the Cubs was a very good college pitcher at Miss St. on a team that also had Jeff Brantley, Bobby Thigpen and Will Clark. Thigpen was also an outfielder in college.

I keep hoping one of these days that some badass will come out of college that has the skills to be both a pitcher and regular player and a team lets him do so. That could be cool.

― earlnash, Friday, 13 June 2003 00:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I keep reading this as "Designated Hitler"

Me too, Rockist Scientist. Me too.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 13 June 2003 00:25 (twenty-two years ago)

earlnash,

it may tickle you to hear that rod beck is a san diego padre as of last week. he's pitched in 4 games (3.1 innings giving up 4 hits and 2 ERs while striking out 4).

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 13 June 2003 00:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Vina looked so strange when he went clean-shaven for a couple days. Also:

http://www.yagoo.co.kr/player_image/rolliefingers.jpg

― bnw (bnw), Friday, 13 June 2003 01:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't realize that Beck had made it back. He was a good reliever until he got hurt. Gossage was able to turn into a crafty pitcher and stayed a pro forever after his heat left him, so who knows.

San Diego has gone through a million pitchers in the last couple of years.

― earlnash, Friday, 13 June 2003 01:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Babe Ruth started out as a pitcher, right?

― David Beckhouse (David Beckhouse), Friday, 13 June 2003 01:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, but he had trouble hitting the eephus pitch. Totally killed his career.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 13 June 2003 01:58 (twenty-two years ago)

can we have a rod beck's trailer road trip?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 13 June 2003 02:07 (twenty-two years ago)

http://sportsmed.starwave.com/media/mlb/2003/0515/photo/beck01_hi.jpg

"welcome, Yancey!"

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 13 June 2003 02:10 (twenty-two years ago)

DH ==>> MLB Slugfest 20'04 type scoring, which is UEBERDUD. Nothing's sweeter or more satisfying than seeing your team manufacture a run. Being a Giant's fan, I can't remember the last time that's happened.

― Leee (Leee), Friday, 13 June 2003 04:22 (twenty-two years ago)

nine years pass...

They've got a poll running on the ESPN blog, and after 15,000+ votes, this is the breakdown:

"Leave it as is--AL only": 29%
"Get rid of it altogether": 38%
"Have it in the NL as well": 33%

Not the most scientific way to survey people, I know, but I do find it interesting that there's such an even split 40 years after the fact. (Saturday will mark the anniversary of Blomberg's first AB as a DH.)

― clemenza, Friday, 5 April 2013 01:05 (twelve years ago)

Didn't realize this was an ILX thread--please chime in, England and Australia.

― clemenza, Friday, 5 April 2013 01:07 (twelve years ago)

Immediately read this as "The Desgnated Hitler - C/D".

― Aimless, Friday, 5 April 2013 01:07 (twelve years ago)

I think John Rocker was the last active Designated Hitler. (Sorry, that was unfair.)

― clemenza, Friday, 5 April 2013 01:10 (twelve years ago)

I hate the DH. ... And crazy salaries - eliminate those two and we get Baseball back.

― BlackIronPrison, Friday, 5 April 2013 01:39 (twelve years ago)

Love the DH. Better than 3.5 almost automatic outs/game.

― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Friday, 5 April 2013 02:58 (twelve years ago)

http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/si_online/covers/images/1973/0702_large.jpg

― buzza, Friday, 5 April 2013 05:20 (twelve years ago)

Wow @ that last post of mine. <_<

― Leeena Dunham (Leee), Friday, 5 April 2013 05:31 (twelve years ago)

One good thing about the DH seldom mentioned is that it means in the AL the pitcher is almost always removed from the game directly from the mound (instead of invisibly being replaced by a pinch-hitter) and so all the spectators can express their opinion of the pitcher's performance as they watch him walk back to the dugout.

― Josefa, Friday, 5 April 2013 15:06 (twelve years ago)

dh should have to wear a jacket while on base

― buzza, Friday, 5 April 2013 15:12 (twelve years ago)

the comedy stylings of NERDS.

http://i.imgur.com/KOFBG.png

― pplains, Friday, 5 April 2013 17:31 (twelve years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKGBgb0XKVs

― panettone for the painfully alone (mayor jingleberries), Friday, 5 April 2013 18:02 (twelve years ago)

Without reading a word of this thread, how many other people posted to say they misread the title as "The Designated Hitler?"

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 5 April 2013 18:06 (twelve years ago)

i've thought about this for 5 years now and i still can't decide which i like better

― ciderpress, Friday, 5 April 2013 18:10 (twelve years ago)

two years pass...

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/players-view-designated-hitter-or-no-designated-hitter

― mookieproof, Tuesday, 16 June 2015 14:16 (ten years ago)

A monkey could manage an American League team

Those guys are way overpaid then!

Nobody in that piece cited the notion that pitchers that hit provide some insurance against bean balls and the "false thug-bravado" of the AL pitcher, as someone said upthread

― Josefa, Tuesday, 16 June 2015 16:06 (ten years ago)

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The Designated Hitter - C/D