American League's Designated Hitter Rule Creates Confusion to Some Fans

Forget whether or not you favor the designated hitter rule. That's not what this is about.

For years, I have become confused watching American League baseball without quite being certain why I was perplexed. I admit that it is not difficult to confuse me, but it didn't happen during National League games.

Joe Posnanski, the great Sports Illustrated writer, has finally explained why I became confused watching American Leaguers.  It was and is the designated hitter.

The innings in games with the DH start to blend as the game progresses. The games lack a rhythm and structure that is present in National League games.

When a pitcher gets to the lower part of the batting order, usually in the third inning if he has been effective, everyone knows that he is, in most instances, going to face at least one weak batter, namely, the pitcher.

If a fan turns on the radio and the announcer tells her that it's the third inning, she has some idea that the pitcher will probably bat, that the chances of one or more runs scoring are less than if it were the second or fourth inning and that the lineup will soon turn around.

In the American League, every inning is a potential scoring inning. There is no rhythm created by a weak hitting pitcher. New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi often bats Brett Gardner ninth to take advantage of his speed since Derek Jeter is not an ideal lead-off hitter.

In the later innings, will the manager have to pinch-hit for his pitcher?  Who will pinch-hit?

How will the opposition react? Will the opposing manager stick with his pitcher because he leads off the next inning or will he bring in a relief pitcher for only one batter?

And when a pitcher does the unexpected, it creates excitement that no DH can provide. Remember when Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brett Myers went 3-for-3, scored twice and drove in three runs in the 2008 NLCS?

How about Dave McNally's World Series grand-slam home run against the Cincinnati Reds in 1970?

In 2013, the Houston Astros will become an American League team. Because there will be 15 teams in each league, there will be interleague play all season.

The result will be that the National League will finally adopt the designated hitter rule. Say goodbye to non-hitting pitchers such as Bob Buhl and to pitchers that could hit, like Wes Ferrell.

When the batter that is batting ninth strides up to the plate, everyone will know that he is not a "sure out."