Why the DH rule will benefit all MLB teams and players
The designated hitter rule was implemented in 1973 in the American League. Before interleague play, American league players had the benefit of extending their careers or were able to focus solely on hitting. Edgar Martinez is regarded as the greatest DH of all time. Originally, he was the third baseman for the Mariners. But due to strabismus, an issue that prevents his eyes from working in tandem, Martinez had trouble making throws correctly. However, his left eye worked well enough that he could focus on hitting. This worked well for Martinez because he could still work through his eye issues. He could also focus on the very thing that he was best at, which was his hitting.
Miguel Cabrera is an MLB legend. He has played first base, third base, and left field. =Cabrera has 3000 hits, 500 home runs, and 600 doubles. Only two other players have achieved this. Those two Players are Hank Aaron and Albert Pujols. Miguel Cabrera might not have achieved this accomplishment if it weren’t for the designated hitter rule.
Miguel Cabrera played the 2021 season as a DH. Now that the DH is an interleague rule, more players can take their batting skills further and help their teams out when they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
Shohei Ohtani is a DH, first baseman, and pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels. The designated hitter rule allows pitchers to hit. A pitcher can still bat if a manager feels that the pitcher will be an added value in the lineup. Also, if a pitcher was hitting in the lineup, that pitcher can still come off the mound and hit for the rest of the game. Hitting is just as important as fielding, if not more important. The DH is just as important as any fielding position if not more important. Without runs, you can’t win games.
The DH has been one of the best rules for baseball. It allows for the pitcher to focus on pitching and older players to focus solely on hitting. Most people watching baseball don’t care for the sacrifice bunts or the pitchers striking out so often. If you want to grow baseball and the MLB allows players to specialize in a particular skill. If you let players focus on one thing they will excel at that skill. The viewer will see better performance from the players, and people will be more likely to watch the game. People want to see the best. It makes no sense to make pitchers hit and to put older players prone to injuries out on the field. Sometimes things need to change or evolve. The designated hitter rule should be a part of baseball evolution.
