why does the american league have DH's but the national league don't?

Answer 1

The rationale is that, with a few exceptions, pitchers are usually weak hitters. Babe Ruth was an outstanding all-around player; a prolific hitter who had begun his career as an equally successful pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, and soon began playing in the field on days he did not pitch (to prevent arm injury, a starting pitcher will ordinarily perform once every four or five games). However, Ruth was eventually made a full-time outfielder during his first year as a member of the New York Yankees, 1920, and pitched very sporadically afterward. Generally, Ruth's post-1920 starts for the Yankees were at home, for the main purpose of boosting attendance.

The designated hitter, like other experimental baseball rule changes, was in part the brainchild of A's owner Charlie Finley, though National League president John Heydler had informally proposed the rule in the 1920s. It was used first in spring training games in 1969, and was later adopted by the American League beginning in 1973.

On April 6, 1973, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees became the first designated hitter in Major League Baseball history, facing Boston Red Sox right-handed pitcher Luis Tiant in his first plate appearance. "Boomer" Blomberg was walked.

Naturally, the result of the first season of the DH was that the American League posted a higher batting average than the National League, something which has remained consistent to this day.

Strategically, the designated hitter offers American League managers two primary options: they can either rotate the role among players, using left-handed hitting DHs against right-handed pitchers and vice-versa, or they can employ a full-time designated hitter. It also allows them to give a player a partial day off. The adoption of the designated hitter rule has virtually eliminated the use of the double switch in the American League.

At first, the DH rule was not applied to the World Series. In 1976, it was decided the rule would apply to all games, regardless of venue, but only in even-numbered years. This practice lasted until 1985. The next year, the rule was adapted to its current format of only applying in games played in the American League team's stadium.

Similarly, there was initially no DH in the All-Star Game. Beginning in 1989, the rule was applied only to games played in American League stadiums. When this occurs, fans are allowed to select an AL player to start at that position, while the NL's manager decides that league's starting DH. When regular season interleague play was introduced in 1997, the rule was, and continues to be, applied in the same fashion. On June 12, 1997, San Francisco Giants outfielder Glenallen Hill became the first National League player to be the DH in a regular-season game against the American League's Texas Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington, when they met in interleague play. When the Milwaukee Brewers moved from the AL to the NL in 1998, the Brewers no longer used the DH on a regular basis; thus, as also usually happens when a minor-league pitcher joins an NL team, their pitchers needed to take batting practice.

Occasionally National League teams utilize the designated hitter during spring training games, usually when a player is recovering from an injury.

In recent years, full-time DHs have become less common, and the position has been used to give players a partial off-day, allowing them to bat but rest while the other team is batting. Only a handful of players compile over 400 at-bats as a DH each year.

Answer 2

The American League needed an offensive boost in 1972. Attendance was down, and it thought the DH was the way to increase interest. The league had the right to change the rules as it saw fit.

It's pretty stupid, though. Imagine the AFC having a different rule than the NFC.

Answer 3

It's because the American league thought of it first, and
the National league is just acting stubborn about it.
The National league claims that by having the pitcher
bat, it keeps the game in it's purest form, or something
like that................................

Answer 4

Because the National league is talentless and nobody pays attention to them anyway.

Answer 5

cause the al are babys and dont want their poor ptcher too mess up the batting order

Answer 6

Because why throw pitchers in the batters box when hitting isn't their job? The whole MLB should go DH.