[net.sport.baseball] DH rule

reza@ihuxb.UUCP (10/12/83)

   This question came up during the American League LCS last week.  My
understanding was that you can not sub for a Designated Hitter and
still have the new player be in the DH role.  That is to say, once
you remove the DH from the game, your pitcher has to hit for himself.
Isn't this why they had Palmer run for Singleton (sp?) ?

H. Reza Taheri
...!ihnp4!ihuxb!reza
(312)-979-1040

pmf@ihuxp.UUCP (10/12/83)

him) may not play defensively in the field.  Once the DH takes on a
position in the defensive alignment for the team, the pitcher must
bat in the position in the batting order of the player who was replaced
when the DH entered defensively.
  The reason, I believe, Palmer was used to run for Singleton was to save
possible pinch-hitters for later when those much talked about (Dempsey, et
al) were due up in a tight situation and Palmer was obviously not going 
to come into the game as a relief pitcher at that juncture (I believe it
was ~6th inning or later).

					--Phil Francisco
					. . .ihnp4!ihuxp!pmf

halle1@houxz.UUCP (10/13/83)

Your understanding is incorrect.  The DH does not have to be the same
throughout the game.  You can pinch hit for him or pinch run for him.
The only exception is that the pitcher cannot be a sub for him.  Once
a pitcher comes to bat,* there cannot be a DH.  Also, if the DH of record
becomes a fielder, the DH again disappears and the pitcher must hit.

*A pinch hitter who is on the roster as a pitcher is NOT a pitcher for this
rule.  Only those who pitch in the game count, i.e. the one who ended the
previous half inning or who starts the next one.

dda@houxz.UUCP (10/13/83)

The DH rule is that the pitcher must be inserted in the batting
order if the DH is substituted for a player on defense.  If a
pinch hitter is used for the DH, he becomes the DH.

student@nmtvax.UUCP (10/14/83)

When you replace the DH the new person is the DH. The pitcher
does not bat for himself, unless of course he is the DH which is
kinda dumb. What Palmer did, running for the injured player was
keep an extra batter on the bench for pinch hitting purposes.
Since Palmer was not going to throw that game it didn't matter if
he hit or not.

Sincerely
Greg Hennessy
..ucbvax!unmvax!nmtvax!student