Dec 232009
There are currently three options with regard to the designated hitter rule in baseball…
1) Keep the status quo.
2) Eliminate the DH.
3) Bring the DH to the NL.
…I hereby propose a fourth option, a middle ground…
4) Remove the 9th batting position.
…this eliminates the need for the 9th position to be filled by either the pitcher or a non-fielder. As an added benefit, teams could reduce their active roster sizes, thus reducing overall player salary costs, which could then be passed on to fans in the form of less expensive hot dogs and other assorted snack foods.
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This post was mentioned on Reddit by soxy: I’m going to ignore the thesis of this article and take issue with the fact that the author made an off hand remark about team payroll directly affecting concession stands. This is patently false, and has bee…
I love it! But imagine the whining from players when they realize they'll have to come to the plate more often, and now without steroids to help them through the pain. It'd be almost like the way they used to play.
That would skew statistics even more than the DH ever did: all hitters would get ~100 more plate appearances per year, putting every single season record in jeopardy immediately, and every career record in jeopardy eventually.
It would also, of course, impact pitchers too, though not as much.