DH finds home in NL parks

By David Mullen

In 1973, baseball was facing a crisis.

Pitching had dominated for seasons, causing run production to go down. Many of the star players were aging, unable to play full time positions. And the smaller market American League teams were struggling not only in run production, but in attendance. In general, baseball had reached a tipping point, and something needed to be changed. 

On January 11, 1973, at a meeting in Chicago, Major League Baseball owners voted to allow American League teams to use a “designated pinch-hitter” — now known as the DH — who could bat for the pitcher and be placed anywhere in the lineup while pitchers remained in the game.

The larger market, more established National League teams resisted the change and for the first time in more than 100 years of baseball history, the two leagues would play by different rules. It began as a three-year experiment, was permanently adopted and later instituted by minor league, college and international teams everywhere. But the NL continued to resist, until now.

In the mid-1970’s, many AL teams reached out to aging NL players to fill the newly created DH position so that they could add a name to bolster attendance and a player could add a couple of seasons to a career. Former San Francisco Giant and St. Louis Cardinal Orlando Cepeda and Giant Ollie “Downtown” Brown were among the first DHs. Former Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves great Rico Carty was the original DH for the Texas Rangers. Henry Aaron finished his illustrious career as DH for the Milwaukee Brewers.  

For the first time, because of the recent agreement between owners and players that ended a 99-day lockout, the DH comes full-time to the NL. During interleague play, the DH was used by NL teams in AL home ballparks. But it was not a position dedicated to one player. Usually, the NL reached out to a fourth outfielder or player nursing a slight injury to fill the position. This season, NL teams must plan.

Some teams are early adopters, like the Washington Nationals signing Rangers scapegoat Nelson Cruz, the San Diego Padres looking to ex-New York Yankee Luke Voit and the Philadelphia Phillies picking up Nick Castellanos at the Cincinnati Reds fire sale. Other teams, like the Brewers with Andrew McCutchen, the New York Mets with Robinson Cano and the Braves with Marcell Ozuna, will use the position for players aging, recovering from injuries or a potential defensive liability. 

Last season, the biggest surprises in the NL West could have been the Giants, led by former Rangers player and 2021 NL Manager of the Year Gabe Kapler, winning the division with 107 wins, or the Los Angeles Dodgers not winning the division, or the World Series, with 106 wins. The Braves needed only 88 regular season wins to qualify and ultimately hoist the World Series trophy in Buckhead. 

The Dodgers are again the favorites to win the west and the entire NL. They should be, with a lineup that is the envy of the league that now includes Freddie Freeman at first base. Add Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy and their lineup is so strong that DH AJ Pollock is slated to bat ninth. Starter Walker Buehler is a leading Cy Young Award candidate.

The Giants must recover from the retirement of their leader Buster Posey and loss of pitcher Kevin Gausman, who fled to Toronto. They added Carlos Rodón to a rotation, which excels at pitcher friendly Oracle Park. Bob Melvin has been brought on to instill maturity into the San Diego Padres, which play more like a team on Fraternity Row than a lineup mistaken for “Murderer’s Row.” Melvin starts without superstar Fernando Tatīs Jr., whose offseason injury remains hazy.

The Colorado Rockies have Charlie Blackmon, Kris Bryant and a lot of cool gastropubs near the stadium.  The Arizona Diamondbacks fans remain snakebit, as the team rebuilds again.

The NL Central has two mediocre teams and three lousy teams. The Brewers and Cardinals are forever linked to beer. Loyal fans of the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Reds will be drowning their sorrows with lager.

Milwaukee will be fun. They are rebels. Even their first baseman is named Rowdy (Tellez). But this Brewers team is led by pitching, with Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta and closer Josh Hader. They have come a long way from the 1982 “Harvey’s Wallbangers,” a hitting team named after then manager Harvey Kuenn. 

The St. Louis Cardinals will pitch, field and look for some timely hitting. Given the weak division, a Wild Card spot is likely. The Cubs are rebuilding, just don’t tell their fans. They’ll keep heading out to venerable Wrigley Field to sing, pound beers in the bleachers and support a miserable team. The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the way up and have to improve from 61 wins in 2021. The Reds are rudderless. The once Big Red Machine has all the power of a Weed Eater.

Spring is time for everyone to say, “Watch out for the Mets this year.” It will be amazing if they can beat Atlanta in the division. The Braves are defending World Champions and have star Ronald Acuña Jr. returning from injury to a team that won the championship without him. Add Matt Olson to replace Freeman, and I don’t see the Braves looking up at anyone.

Because they live in New York and MLB doesn’t revenue share, the Mets spent like Wall Street tycoons in the offseason. They added Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, Mark Canha and Eduardo Escobar. Jacob deGrom, Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Carlos Carrasco make up a great rotation or a pricey injured list.

If there is a surprise team in the NL, it is the Philadelphia Phillies. They added Kyle Schwarber and Castellanos. But they field like an eighth grade CYO team. It’s up to Joe Girardi to add some nun-like discipline, and the Phillies will have a higher calling. 

As a player, Derek Jeter never gave up. As a baseball executive, Jeter gave up on the Miami Marlins. The Washington Nationals have the worst pitching in the division, which says a lot when the Phillies are in the same group.

The Dodgers, Brewers and Braves will win their divisions with the Cardinals, Giants and Phillies making up the Wild Card teams. Until the Mets stay healthy, and the Padres grow up, they miss the playoffs. The Dodgers and Braves will play in the NLCS with the Dodgers coming out on top. Next week, we look at the American League and the fate of the new-look Rangers.   

In 1973, baseball traditionalists condemned the prospect of a DH ever finding a spot in an everyday National League lineup. Times, like the rules, have changed.