The Major League Baseball owners’ meetings took place last week, with a few key issues dominating the discussions. Arguably the biggest matter presented was the National League moving to include the designated hitter.
The DH was introduced in the American League in 1973, and it’s led to memorable moments provided by some of the game’s greatest hitters.
The likes of Harold Baines, Edgar Martinez, David Ortiz and Frank Thomas made successful careers out of serving as a club’s DH.
The extra position has also created more jobs, which the players association certainly is in favor of. However, when the topic of the NL potentially adding the DH in the near future recently surfaced, the response was far from unanimous.
Although there appeared to be momentum gaining for a change, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick in a Q&A that the NL is likely to remain with the current system in place:
So is the message on the future of the DH different than what came out of the owners’ meetings in Miami last week?
The most likely result on the designated hitter for the foreseeable future is the status quo. I know [St. Louis Cardinals general manager] John Mozeliak talked about it, and when you have any National League club talking about it, it’s interesting. But I think the vast majority of clubs in the National League want to stay where they are.
Manfred’s message likely won’t sit well with Washington Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer, who previously voiced his support for the NL to adopt the DH. Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is on the opposite end of the spectrum, citing a personal benefit he gains from batting for himself.
Los Angeles has been spoiled in recent years by Zack Greinke, Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu, who have enjoyed success at the plate. Greinke won the Silver Slugger Award in 2013, though he of course will now be looking to do damage against the Dodgers, having signed a six-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
