Please explain the designated hitter system in baseball.

 The designated hitter (DH) system is a rule in baseball that allows a team to have a player whose sole responsibility is to bat in place of the pitcher.¹ This player does not play a defensive position in the field.²

Here's a breakdown of the system:

The Core Concept

• Replacing the Pitcher's Batting Spot: In a standard baseball lineup, there are nine players who both play a defensive position and take their turn to bat. However, pitchers are typically not strong hitters, as their primary focus is on their specialized pitching skills.³ The DH rule allows a team to replace the pitcher's spot in the batting order with a designated hitter, who is a strong offensive player.⁴

• No Defensive Role:⁵ The DH's job is purely offensive.⁶ They do not play a position in the field, which allows them to save their energy for hitting and avoid the risk of injury while fielding or running the bases.⁷

History and Evolution

• Origin in the American League: The DH rule was first adopted by the American League (AL) in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1973. It was created to boost offensive production and increase fan interest, as the AL was struggling with low attendance at the time.

• National League's Resistance: The National League (NL) traditionally resisted the DH rule for a long time, viewing it as a departure from the classic, traditional style of baseball where every player had to both hit and field. This created a distinct difference in strategy between the two leagues.

• Universal DH: For a long time, the DH was used only in AL games and interleague games where the AL team was the home team. However, as of 2022, the designated hitter rule has become universal in all of MLB, meaning both the AL and NL now use it.⁸

Pros and Cons of the DH System

The DH system has been a topic of debate for decades.⁹

Pros:

• Increased Offense: The main advantage is that it puts a skilled hitter in the lineup instead of a typically weak-hitting pitcher, leading to more runs, more exciting at-bats, and a more dynamic game.¹⁰

• Player Specialization and Longevity: The DH role allows players who are excellent hitters but may have declining defensive skills (due to age or injury) to extend their careers.¹¹ This keeps veteran sluggers in the game and provides an opportunity for more players to contribute.¹²

• Injury Prevention for Pitchers: It protects pitchers, who are the most valuable and fragile players on a team, from the risk of getting injured while batting or running the bases.¹³

Cons:

• Loss of Traditional Strategy: Critics argue that the DH rule removes a key strategic element of baseball.¹⁴ In leagues without the DH, a manager has to make difficult decisions about when to pinch-hit for a pitcher, when to use a "double switch" to change both the pitcher and a defensive player, and how to navigate the late innings with a pitcher's spot coming up in the batting order.

• Less Complete Players: Some traditionalists believe that every player on the field should be a "complete" baseball player who can both hit and field. The DH system allows for specialists who only focus on hitting, which they feel detracts from the integrity of the game.¹⁵

• Potential for "Moral Hazard": Some studies have suggested that without the fear of a pitcher having to bat, AL pitchers might be more willing to throw pitches inside to batters.