Why pitchers dont bat

A team is also barred from using a DH for the rest of the game if the pitcher moves from the mound to another defensive position, a player pinch-hits for any other player and then becomes the pitcher, or the current pitcher pinch-hits or pinch-runs for the DH. The designated hitter rule was adopted by the AL in Prior to , pitchers were required to bat in all NL games and Interleague games in which the NL team was the designated home team.

The DH was not used in the World Series from , then was used by both World Series teams during even-numbered years from ' As we watch these world-class athletes haplessly flail away at a little ball they seem to have no hope of hitting, we can't help but ask ourselves: Why are pitchers such bad hitters?

If you are a fan of a National League team, this can be infuriating, although it is also one of the things that make National League play so interesting.

Pitchers played in high school where they had to bat, and maybe they were even good hitters in college. If they are starting pitchers in the National League, they know they are going to have a couple of at-bats in every start. Even American League pitchers need to make plate appearances during interleague games. Surely, they should look a little more comfortable up there at the plate.

One of the most obvious reasons pitchers appear to be such horrible hitters comes down to simple statistical probability. To make it into the Major Leagues you have to be one of the best in the world and possess rare talent.

Only a very tiny fraction of the human population is good enough to hit a baseball at a professional level. Likewise, pitching in the Major Leagues is an extremely difficult task that requires very rare talent. Just like position players, the players who make it into the Big Leagues as pitchers are the ones who are tremendously gifted.

So, what are the odds that the same person would possess the talent to become both an elite pitcher and an elite hitter? It would be like an NFL football player who is both an elite quarterback and an elite linebacker.

Could it happen? Sure, and there are some pitchers throughout baseball history who could hit very well, but it is rare. Even if a player does show signs that they can both pitch and hit well, eventually they have to pick a path. Pitchers and position players spend their time working on two very different skill sets. Baseball pitchers spend endless hours honing their craft, working with coaches, and participating in very specific training with only one goal in mind: becoming better pitchers.

They study the hitters they face and take care of their arms and bodies in the training room. Pitchers make their living by being great at pitching a baseball. That is the number one thing their team is concerned about and that is where they are expected to spend most of their time. Even if they play in the National League, pitchers get very few at-bats compared to position players. Position players do the same.

While their fielding ability is important, most of them make the lineup for their ability to hit a baseball. Former Yankees pitcher C. Sabathia has a respectable. User chris. Nobody else gets to wear a cool jacket when running the bases. That should tell you something right there!

If you are a manager, do you really want your starting pitcher legging out a double and sliding into second head-first? Do you want him stealing bases or running over catchers at home plate?

But after watching the NL use the DH in during the pandemic-shortened season, he saw a lot to like. It will be more action, more stuff going on. I was not for it. We and our partners use cookies on this site to provide a better experience with content, analytics, ads and to help improve security on our site.

To accept cookies, close this box or continue to use our site, otherwise please do not use this website. To close this box, click I agree. That all changed in , at a time when American League was lagging in both offense and attendance. What started as a three-year experiment was soon permanently implemented by the AL and nearly all minor, collegiate and amateur leagues below it.

As a result, the National League game places greater strategic demands on managers, who must decide when to let a pitcher bat or remove him for a pinch hitter. The general idea, in theory, is all National League players are required to contribute on offense and defense. And contrary to perception, not all pitchers are completely worthless at the plate.