| Time for MLB to Have One Set of Rules |
| By Sally Haase June 25, 2012 The NFL, NBA, and NHL all have a uniform set of rules for the league and the separate conferences the teams play in. The unique one of the four major sports in America is Major League Baseball, even though the American and National Leagues are a part of MLB they play under 2 sets of rules. It’s just only one rule but it is a big rule- the pitchers bat in the National League while the American League uses the designated hitter to bat in place of the pitcher. When inter league play come around every June, the American League pitchers, most of whom have never picked up a bat since little league are now forced to step into the batter’s box and risk injury from being hit by the pitch or on the off chance that the pitcher actually gets on base he then runs the risk of a base running injury. I know every player can be injured running the bases or at bat, but position players run the bases and bat day in and day out, it is their job. A pitchers job is to pitch and it is time for the National League to join the American League and add the designated hitter. The rule has already been changed for the All Star game and the designated hitter is used even if the host stadium is from the National League. The All Star game is played in good fun and no one wants to see anyone be injured in the game and managers do not want to see their pitchers get hurt because they need to do something they are not trained to do. Another good thing about having the designated hitter in the National League is that there will be a lot more jobs available for players who can still hit the ball a mile but have lost a few steps in the field can extend their careers by playing every day and not just spotty pinch hitting appearances. It gives the players a better chance at staying healthy if they do not have to play in the field, Jim Thome ended up injuring his back again because he played first base for the Phillies this season. The return to the National League has really limited Thome’s at bats but I’m still confident that he will pass Sammy Sosa before the end of the season. The perfect time to implement this rule would be next season, the Houston Astros will join the American League West and there will now be 15 teams in each league. The Astros will need to adjust to having designated hitter, lets have the rest of the 15 teams in the National League adjust to the change as well. And Major League Baseball as a whole will have a uniform set of rules that apply to every team. Another reason the rule change will make sense for next season is the fact that inter league play will now be spread out over the six month major league season, the lines between the American and National Leagues will become even more blurred and it will be much easier to have the rules apply to all teams. The only thing the DH rule will hurt is the management of the National League games, there will be a lot less for the NL managers to think about with pitching match ups and the famous double switch will no longer be necessary. But the rule change will give NL teams a deeper bench because you will not use as many pinch hitters or runners if you have a designated hitter in place of the pitcher. |
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