Sharing My Thoughts On The National League

Well now that I've gotten some of my feelings on steroids off of my chest, I hope that Pinstripe Alley has room for me to discourse on a completely unrelated topic.

I have never, ever, in my life of following baseball, of pestering Mets fans on this subject, heard one reasonable argument as to why the pitcher should be required to hit in the game of baseball.

Here are some of the feebler ideas that I have heard presented in the absence of any logical presentation:

It's the way it's always been. To which I respond "SO?" As the times and athletes change, I would like to think that the rules of the game change as well. Imagine basketball without the 3 point-line, or hockey goalies without masks, or football with the uprights in the middle of the end-zone. The idea that the manner in which sports are played shouldn't be modified based solely on tradition just isn't enough.

It enhances the strategy of the game. I have never seen fans of entertainment celebrate something as boring as a sacrifice bunt as much as NL fans when this subject is brought up. Strategy should be used throughout the game based on your position, and the strengths and weaknesses of your players, not because you're sending up an .070 batter so you'd be a fool not to bunt.

Pitchers should be able to hit. Oh really? And Peyton Manning should be able to play linebacker too, then? Pitching and hitting have NOTHING to do with each other, require a completely different skill set, and the idea that because you do one, you should be required to participate in the other is absurd.

With the way that baseball is played today, the DH allows for more circular lineups, avoids the "automatic outs" that are recorded at the bottom of NL lineups, and prevents pitchers from being on the base paths (see Wang, Chien-Ming). There are many other advantages to playing American League style baseball:

-Enables players with injuries to still contribute, example: Matsui.
-Enables players to be given "half a day off" example: A-Rod
-Enables utility players to be platooned more effectively.
-Allows for more exciting play, read: more ticket sales.
-Results in a higher level of competition.


With these advantages, since the advent of the DH in 1973, the American League has enjoyed a commanding lead in all aspects of play. Since 1973, the AL has won 20 of 35 World Series. The AL has only lost the All Star Game 3 times since 1988, and is unbeaten since 1997. The AL overall interleague play record from 2004-2009 is 839-671, which is a .556 winning percentage. This season, the AL was 90-72 in interleague play, a .546 winning percentage.

So, since 2004, if American League teams did nothing but play against National League competition for an entire season, AL teams would average a 90-72 record, while NL teams would average a 72-90 record. For this season, AL teams would average 88-74 while NL teams would average 74-88.

Maybe in the early days of baseball, before steroids, sluggers, lighter bats, and smaller parks, National League style baseball made sense. Now however, it's time for them to join the 21st Century, or continue down their stubborn path towards becoming a JV league.