[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by Chicagofan76

That is the exact opposite of the truth...Its harder and more complicated...Do u take out a SP at 90 pitches in the 7th when he is pitching well yet u have 2 runners on 2 outs and r down by 1 run? a DH league ala American League its rare that u pinch hit even for your weakest hitter because in most cases your best 9 players are already in the lineup, whereas most NL teams have guys who cant field much anymore whose only calling is to PH ala Daryle Ward & Lenny Harris.
Pitch counts are generally higher by about 20 in the AL because you wont have to take him out for a good hitter in late innings.

"The designated hitter provides more offense and a more exciting game overall for the fans. That was the initial reason for authorizing the designated hitter and I think that reason still pertains. The purists feel that it alters the game from a standpoint of strategy. I think that is true." - Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos

"I played in both leagues and enjoyed playing the National League game better than the American League game. The game itself is better without the designated hitter. There is more strategy involved with double switches, balance in the bullpen and the benches becoming more important, and that adds to the excitement of the game for players." - Tom Candiotti

"Finally, the game is simply way more interesting without the DH than with it. Period. Ask any manager which is more strategically challenging — managing a game under NL rules or AL rules. It's no contest. It's baseball's cerebral side that separates it from all the other games ever invented. And the game is way more cerebral with no DH than with it. That's one thing that hasn't changed in 30 years — and never will." - Jayson Stark, espn.com