Original Oratory

Fourth paragraph

Without the designated hitter, some stars would never have been born. David Ortiz, one of the most famous designated hitters ever, nicknamed "Big Papi" was a former Red Sox player. David Ortiz is on the path to the Baseball Hall of Fame. As a first baseman alone he likely would not be headed there, but luckily for Big Papi, he played on an American League team and was a designated hitter so he will soon find is name hanging in Cooperstown.

Sixth paragraph

Adam Wainwright tore his Achilles tendon. It was a season ending injury that cost him 9-12 months out of the sport. But Adam is not the only pitcher to be seriously injured. One of baseballs legends Randy Johnson, while in his last season, tore his rotator cuff. He was not planning on coming back the next year anyway, but he never wanted to end his career with an injury. One of the biggest injuries happened to Chien-Ming-Wang of the New York Yankees. Wang partially tore a ligament in his foot while running the bases and had to get it repaired. Wang made it back to the Major Leagues, but if you ask any sports writer out there they will tell you that he was never the pitcher he once was. The injury ruined his career.

Eighth paragraph

In 2015 the American League outscored the National League by 655 runs. And why exactly? The designated hitter. Many National League lovers say that the National League has more strategy involved, aka the "double switch." The double switch is used to describe a particular type of substitution. The double switch is described on the website Sporting Charts as being most often used to replace an outgoing pitcher with a stronger hitter, and it is executed in two parts. First, the outgoing player, usually a pitcher who is up to bat soon, is substituted out for a position player. Next, another player batting later in the order is replaced, usually by a relief pitcher. The last step is for the two substitutes to swap defensive positions (if necessary). National League is at a major disadvantage. Because of all the pinch hitters, the "double switch" forces NL teams to have many more players on their bench and because of that they are not able to have as many pitchers in the bullpen which can be a major disadvantage and problem in extra inning games and times when teams play a long series of games without days off.

Ninth paragraph

Many Anti-DH arguments used to say that the DH rewards one-way players. Players that can hit, but not field. That argument is not used anymore because pitchers are the exact same way. You reward a pitcher with a huge salary if they can pitch. Nothing more but to pitch. The National League had numerous reasons and arguments to decline the use of a DH when the rule was first put into play, but now that number as dwindled to 0. This year the top three teams in the American League all have won 100 or more games. The top three team in the National League have all won under 100 games. The American League has more wins, more runs scored, and higher attendance. The DH has proved over and over again that it has worked and done everything the American League intend it to. It is officially time for the NL to get the hint.

First paragraph

On April 6, 1973 Ron Blomberg made history for Major League Baseball. On opening day at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, he became the first ever designated hitter, commonly known as the DH, for not only the New York Yankees, but the entire league and baseball itself. In the first inning with the bases loaded he walked and brought in a run, since that game, every single league in baseball has embraced and used the designated hitter except for one, the National League. And here, is why they should.

Third Paragraph

The DH rule for the American League was put on a trial period of three seasons starting in 1973. When the trial seasons were completed in 1976, the American League was not ready to give up the DH that easily, for one reason. It worked. Run production went up and attendance went up. So, the American League kept their DH while the National League continued to refuse to adopt the new rule. The world of baseball split in two and has never been the same since.

Fifth paragraph

The National League initially looked at the designated hitter as a cheap gimmick. They thought that it ruined the dignity of "good old baseball." Overtime however, the argument has been forced to change. The National League which previously looked at the DH as hersey, now merely looks at it as unnecessary, but not everyone in the NL agrees. Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer is a three time Cy Young Award winner, an award for the best pitcher in a season, including one in the American League and two back to back in the National League. In other words, he's really good. In April of 2015, Max Scherzer sprained his thumb while batting and was forced to miss his next start. After the game he told reporters , "If you look at it from the macro side, who'd people rather see hit: Big Papi or me? Who would people rather see, a real hitter hitting home runs or a pitcher swinging a wet newspaper? Both leagues need to be on the same set of rules." Even Max Scherzer is an advocate for the DH. The thumb injury was minor, but not all injuries pitchers get from hitting are minor.

Second paragraph

The introduction of the DH marked the biggest rule change in Major League Baseball since 1903 when foul balls became strikes. The idea of the designated hitter was suggested as early as 1906 by former player and manager Connie Mack. Nothing much was made of the idea until the early 1970's when the owner of the Oakland A's at the time, Charlie Finley, argued that adding a pinch hitter to replace the pitcher would increase the number of runs and give baseball the extra kick it needed to draw more fans. At the time the American League was behind the National League in both runs scored and total attendance. A meeting was held including both the leagues on January 11, 1973. By the conclusion of the meeting, the American League was given the right to use a designated hitter and for the first time ever in baseball history, the American League and National League would be playing by two different sets of rules.

Seventh paragraph

The rule in baseball today is if an American League team is playing on a National League's Team's field then the American League pitchers are required to hit. This rule applies for all regular season and postseason games. The American League pitchers have not taken batting practice all year and some have not hit since high school or even before that and they are expected to step into that batters box and actually, legitimately try to get a hit. I mean really? That simply makes no sense. Pitchers are already in grave danger from pitching alone, so why make them hit? In 2015, 58.9 % of pitchers went on the 15 day or more disabled list. That percentage is 50% more than any other position. Pitchers are the single most important man on the field, so why let them put themselves in even more chances to be injured while rounding the bases or even swinging the bat. The answer is that you shouldn't.