MLB is constantly looking for certain ideas to try to improve its product. Some are good (like those brought in 2023) and some are not always good.
And if we look at the ideas she asked the Atlantic League to implement in 2023 (to test them), we see the good and the bad.
The first idea? A designated emergency hitter.
Basically, out of all the position players who aren’t starters that day, one is identified as the designated emergency hitter. He can therefore run in place of a player… without taking his place defensively during the next half-inning.
After, the batter returns to play defensively and the runner reverts to being a bench player who can be used as usual, which is by taking a guy out of the lineup.
Part of me likes it…and part of me thinks guys should learn to run better. But if I have to say, I think I like the idea. In addition, it would give a bigger role to pure and hard bench players.
On the other hand, I don’t like the idea that a pitcher only has the right to move once per appearance at bat (instead of two) as will be tested in 2023 in the Atlantic League.
I understand it generates offense for steals, but…
But most of all, I don’t like the idea that a starting pitcher has to pitch five innings, otherwise the designated hitter can’t play anymore and the club has to play a Nationals game, like when the pitcher had to hit .
I don’t see the connection between the two.
This method is used to avoid openers in baseball and making pitchers last. But why keep a pitcher going bad just to save the DH? It’s not exactly fair to the hitter or the manager.
Who is asking for such changes?
I understand there would be rules in place if the starting pitcher were to get injured, but that would be hard to prove in some cases, right?
In short, I don’t like it.
