Why Stop at the Designated Hitter?

Designated Runner Roman Quinn

This article originally appeared in Here's the Pitch, the newsletter of the Internet Baseball Writers of America Association (IBWAA)

I have been a Philadelphia Phillies and therefore a (mostly) National League fan, ever since the A’s moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City in 1954. My fealty to the National League was reinforced when the American League adopted the designated hitter in 1973. While I am not usually a Luddite who resists all change to the National Pastime, I was then, and remain now, of the opinion that the designated hitter takes too much of the strategy out of the game. Neither of the leagues have consulted me on my feelings, however, so I am now determined to embrace the designated hitter with the full fervor of a manager trying to find a way to fit Nelson Cruz into the lineup.

My only question at this point is, “Why stop at the designated hitter?” If we are to embrace increasing specialization in baseball, why not go all in. One obvious need comes to mind as we move to the universal DH. With all these aging sluggers a part of the everyday lineup, the chances are pretty good that once or twice in a game these behemoths will be clogging the basepaths and thereby slowing the game, not to mention everyone on the bases behind them, down. The solution is simple: the designated runner. Each game the manager gets to designate a player who will be used exclusively as a designated runner for the designated hitter. This is a win-win. Management gets a sped-up game, and the players union gets another roster spot. The designated runner will also give speedy players who can’t hit, like Roman Quinn and Jackie Bradley, Jr., a job.

Next, we need to have the designated pitcher. Seems only fair. If the offense can have a designated hitter for the pitcher, the defense should be allowed to have a designated pitcher for the pitcher. The leagues have already experimented with this in spring training. When the starting pitcher’s pitch count rises over 25 or so, the manager can bring a pitcher in from the bullpen so his starter can rest and then go back out for the next inning. So, let’s make this experiment the rule. No one wants pitchers like Luis Severino or Zach Wheeler to overextend their million-dollar arms. Once the starter reaches 25 pitches in an inning, the designated pitcher can come in. Again, it’s a win-win. The organization gets to preserve its investment in a premium arm and the players union gets a roster spot for a marginal relief pitcher.

Logic now demands that we also have a designated fielder. Picture this scenario. The Phillies are in the field. Aaron Nola is in a jam in a one run game, with runners at first and third, one out, and the Rockies’ slugger Kris Bryant at the plate. This is no time for Nola to need to worry about the shaky third base defense of an Alec Bohm. So, Phils’ manager Joe Girardi calls timeout and sends his designated fielder, Ronnie Torreyes, out to replace Bohm at third. With any luck, Bryant grounds sharply to third and “Toe” starts an around the horn double play. Next inning, Bohm, and his bat are back in the game.

Speaking of the Phillies, my hometown team seems to have gone all in on this “designated” thing. They have even adopted it into the radio booth where they now have a designated announcer for those games that long time color man Larry Andersen doesn’t feel like working, which is most days. The Phillies front office has responded by inviting a small army of former Phils to sit in at the microphone this season. Among the designated announcers will be Kevin Stocker, Chad Durbin, Erik Kratz, and Michael Bourn. Heck in a pinch, I bet Bourn could still serve as a designated runner.

I have lamented in these pages in the past that the designated hitter removes the bunt as a key strategic play in the manager’s arsenal. No one is paying Nick Castellanos 25 million a season to lay down a bunt. Now analytics tells us that usually bunting is not advantageous to a team, but still, there are occasions where getting a runner into scoring position is crucial- like when the game is in extra innings and there is a “ghost runner” on second base. The obvious answer is the designated bunter. A player who, during batting practice, for example, actually practices bunting. A player who has a track record of getting a bunt down. Former second baseman Jay Bell, who had 39 sacrifice bunts for the 1990 Pirates, could have a whole career revival if they install the designated bunter.

Of course, all this designating may prove to be difficult to keep straight if you are a major league manager. Imagine all those changes that a guy like Buck Showalter, returning to the bench this season with the Mets after four years in the broadcast booth, would need to keep track of. That is why I would suggest a new coach be added to all major league teams’ benches – the designated designator. This coach would have the sole responsibility of deploying the designated hitters, runners, bunters, pitchers, and fielders during the game. The designated designator would also keep full analytics on all the designees and aid the manager in deciding which designee to designate on a designated day.

I do believe all this designation could go too far, however. I sincerely hope that there is no truth to the rumor that the Houston Astros are seeking a designated trash can banger. I also hope that Tom Brady has not decided to come out of retirement because football’s Tampa Bay Bucs were able to hire a designated ball deflator.

As you can see, I have fully embraced this whole designated thing. I now look forward to attending some games this season, where I can find my way to my designated seat, seek out my designated beer vendor, and hope I can talk my companion into being the designated driver.