January 23rd, 2016 at 9:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka During the MLB Owners Meetings this past week, new MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was asked if there was enough interest among team owners to consider bringing the designated hitter rule to the National League.
“Twenty years ago, when you talked to National League owners about the DH, you’d think you were talking some sort of heretical comment,” Manfred told reporters. “But we have a newer group. There has been turnover, and I think our owners in general have demonstrated a willingness to change the game in ways that we think would be good for the fans, always respecting the history and traditions of the sport.”
Many believe that Mariners slugger Edgar Martinez would already be in the Hall of Fame if the National League had the DH rule. (Photo credit – Stephen Dunn)
The biggest argument in favor of bringing the DH rule to the National League is to reduce the chance of injury to pitchers, such as those that sidelined Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright, Yankees’ ace Masahiro Tanaka (during interleague play) and Nationals’ starter Max Scherzer – all of whom were injured while running the bases last season. Let’s face it, teams are spending enormous amounts of money for their starters to pitch, not to hit or run the bases.
The argument against bringing the DH rule to the NL is that it would eliminate real baseball – the way that it was designed to be played 147 years ago – and would take small ball out of the game.
What’s your take?
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nope then Kershaw will not hit the game winning home run
Somehow, the rules of baseball should / must / need to be the same rules for both leagues. Either move the DH into the N.L. full time, OR, move it out of the A.L. now.
Most N.L. teams, when they need a D.H. for inter-league or post season games — just get a fourth outfielder, or aging star, just a bench bat —- to serve as the D.H. In the American League, teams there develop D.H. hitters.
And D.H. hitters earn more, much more, than just a bench jockey in the N.L. So there are salary issues.
Problem — I guess some A.L. managers might pitch a starter longer in the game, not having to pinch-hit for him in certain situations. Well, then A.L. managers have to learn to protect their pitchers better.
Bottom line — make the rules the same.
I have changed my position on this.
With the rare exceptions, NL pitchers with bats in their hands are a collective embarrassment. Most can’t even bunt. Obviously they don’t work at it and apparently managers and coaches don’t insist they do.
Fix it. Add a real hitter to the lineup. Kershaw will adjust. You can let him PH in a blowout.
I think a lot of feeling nowadays is that with all the inter-league games
being played people are looking for uniformity. I don’t see the DH going anywhere so I think the trend is to go to the DH. I voted no because I have always been for the traditional game without the DH, but I guess it’s like losing a love one, after a while we learn to accept it.
When comparing the Designated Hitter to other universal topics, I rank it as follows (worst to best):
1. A massive meteorite crashing into earth and destroying the world
2. Sharia Law
3. North Korea’s Open Policy to foreign travelers
4. Kevin Malone’s tenure as Dodger G.M.
4. The D.H. inroduced into the National League.
5. A 8.5 earthquake destroying Dodger Stadium.