Obviously they can have a DH, but are they supposed to in one league and not the other?
2006-10-18 07:27:39 · 12 answers · asked by TurtleJean 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
AL has the DH for the pitcher and the NL doesn't
Now....if you are in the AL and want your DH to be your pitcher, you can do that (a pretty stupid idea, but I guess it a team wanted to do it they could)
And if you were in the NL, technically...the only way you'll ever get around a pitcher not batting is that when the pitcher spot comes up in the order, a team would have to use a pinch hitter, which would force that pitcher out of the game and you'd have to use a different pitcher when the team takes the field again. This also would be a stupid idea, but a team could do it if they wanted to.
So.....the AL uses the DH (usually a person known for their offense rather than defense) and the NL uses the pitcher to bat unless taken out for a pinch hitter for some circumstance (close game, injury, etc.)
2006-10-18 07:34:15 · answer #1 · answered by C_Ras 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Right now as it stands, the AL has a DH rule where they can use someone else instead of the pitcher to hit in his place. The NL on the other hand does not have a DH rule and the pitcher has to pick up a bat and hit somewhere in the lineup. The only time someone other than the pitcher is hitting in his place in the lineup is when the manager wants to bring in a reliever when the team takes the field again.
2006-10-18 15:13:11 · answer #2 · answered by davester1970 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes the NL has no DH in turn forcing the pitcher to bat. A pitcher may also bat in AL so the club can DH for a weaker hitter, although you will probably never see that in a professional game.
2006-10-18 14:31:29 · answer #3 · answered by Colin L 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The AL has the DH and the NL doesn't. So, the pitchers in the NL have to bat. Unless, the manager decides to pinch hit for them. In which case they can't pitch the next inning. The pitcher would be done for the day.
2006-10-18 14:49:10 · answer #4 · answered by techplayer77 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pitchers have to bat in the NL. The AL is able to to DH for their pitcher. You'll find that there is more strategy in the NL due to the fact that pitchers have to bat (pitchers tend to be horrible batters). The AL always has boosted stats because they have a player whose job is solely to hit baseballs. And they try to call that baseball.
2006-10-18 14:38:20 · answer #5 · answered by Ice 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
National League pitchers always bat. In the American League, they have the option of a designated hitter to bat for the pitcher - they are not required to use one (though I think the last time a team didn't was sometime in the late 1970s).
2006-10-18 18:26:29 · answer #6 · answered by JerH1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Colin is wrong, you can only DH for a pitcher in the american league. you do not have to use the DH and in the middle of a game the DH can play the field but if he does the pitcher must bat and the DH is eliminated for the rest of the game
2006-10-18 14:41:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
yes they have to hit in the national league not the AL
2006-10-18 14:53:28 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they bat in the NL
2006-10-18 16:40:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because the nl are weak and cant hit the baseball.
2006-10-18 15:17:07 · answer #10 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋