How Would Baseball Realignment Have To Work?

Often times, change is a good thing, right?  Sometimes it's a change of scenery, say, from a job.  Sometimes it can be a change in attitude.  Other times, it can be a change in technique.  Sports have gone through many different changes over the years, some of which weren't the greatest, but more often than not, those changes have worked out for the best.  Major League Baseball is discussing the possibility of a pretty drastic change that could make the game even more interesting when it's all said and done.  They've tried realignment before, and they're talking about doing it again.  This time, however, if they want it to work, they have to be careful how they actually lay it out.

What league officials are discussing is evening out the American and Nationals Leagues.  Currently, there are 14 teams in the American League, and 16 teams in the National League.  The realignment discussion would bring one National League team over to the American League to even both leagues out at 15 teams. These two 15-team leagues would either be split up into three divisions of five, or lumped together in one 15 team "division," if you will.  What this would do is create an inter-league match-up every series in order to accommodate the odd team out in each league.  The next piece of the puzzle which National League team would come over to even things out.  The preliminary talks are that it would be either the Houston Astros or the Florida Marlins, in order to create possible rivalries against the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively.

All of that seems simple, and logical enough, but there's one thing that Major League Baseball would need to consider.  It's a drastic suggestion, one that's been thrown around loosely over the years, but never really taken seriously.  This is a move that would change the way the game itself would be played.  This change would be something that would absolutely need to happen in order for baseball to make this new idea of realignment a reality.  That change is...

...Eliminating the designated hitter.

Yes, I did just say that.  In order for Major League Baseball to make realignment possible in the way they are suggesting it, the would need to sacrifice the only true thing that differentiates the leagues, that being the designated hitter in the American League.

Let me explain the logic behind my thought.

If the American and National Leagues are evened out with 15 teams apiece, and an inter-league match-up will take place every series, that could possibly mean that an American League team could be playing a series in a National League ballpark with their season on the line...and be required to send their designated hitter to the bench while the pitcher takes his swings.  Given the current situation, that doesn't seem entirely fair, that just the luck of the scheduling draw could send an American League playoff contender to a National League ballpark, to have the fate of their season rest on the below average offensive skills of their starting pitcher.

So, my suggestion seems like a logical one.  If Major League Baseball is going to even out the leagues, why don't they truly "even out the leagues."  Why not make the rules in both leagues the same, so one doesn't have an advantage over the other at any point during the season, especially down the stretch?  Why not eliminate a position that many feel took away some of the purity of the game in the first place?  Why not force those players who have become full-time DH's to play the field?  One of the main reasons why this might be tough for the league to do is because it might lessen the offense in the American League.  Balls might not fly out of the park as much if they take away that extra power-hitting spot in the batting order.  But, would it really make that much of a difference?

Right now, American League DH's (those that are listed as permanent designated hitters) account for 8.9% of the home runs in the AL.  They account for 10.3% of the total RBI's.  The National League has hit a total of 884 home runs this season.  If you average that out over 16 teams, you get an average of 55 home runs per team.  Now, if you eliminate the DH totals in the AL (76 HR's) and take one team away from the NL (55 HR on average), the leagues would be almost identical.  The American League would've hit 833 HR's while the National League would have 829.  So, my question is this: Would eliminating the DH really stifle the offense in baseball?  Probably not.

When you stop to think about it, there isn't another sport that allows it's players to only play part of the game.  Football is slightly a different case because, aside from the rare two-way player, you play only your position.  If that position is defense, then that's what you play.  You don't see basketball players playing only offense, and then be taken out as soon as the team goes on the defense end, (unless it's the end of the game.)  That being said, why should a player be allowed only to hit?  If you're playing the game, you should need to play both positions.  If you're unable to do so, then you can sit on the bench to allow another player to take that role.

So, what are the pros and cons of eliminating the DH?

Pros:

• Both leagues would be completely identical from a rules standpoint.  Uniformity would eliminate the possibility of an unfair advantage in a pennant chase.
• More parity in the game.  If a team already has a first baseman, but their DH's natural position is first base, the team probably wouldn't be able to keep both, or at least keep both happy.  So, the team would need to either move one of the players to a different position to accommodate the lineup, or would need to possibly trade one of the players to a different team.  For example, let's use the Twins.  If there were no DH, the Twins would be forced to make a decision with both Justin Morneau and Jim Thome.  Thome would need to play first base, but what would you do with Morneau.  This would possibly force the Twins to offer one of the two up in a trade, potentially bolstering a different part of their roster, while possibly sending one of the two to a team with a need at that position, say, a team like the Kansas City or Toronto in need of a first baseman of that caliber.
• Bringing the more exciting brand of baseball to all teams.  National League baseball presents more options and strategy than the American League style.  Double-switches present a wrinkle that many fans haven't had the fortune to see.

Cons:

• Potentially eliminating the careers of some lesser athletic players.  Again, using the Twins as the example, Jim Thome is in the tail end of his career.  He's closing in on 600 career home runs, but if realignment were to have taken place this year, Thome would more than likely have been forced to retire.  With his injury problems and lack of mobility, teams would probably not be willing to take the chance on putting him in the field full-time.

The way I look at it, eliminating the DH has far more of an upside than a downside.  There are some that might throw out the idea that it would possibly bring a greater chance for injury amongst pitchers.  That could be an argument, if there weren't already pitchers doing it.  Some may even argue that it could throw off milestones and records.  Let's face it, in this era of baseball, it's almost safe to say that any true records and milestones regarding pitchers, i.e. career wins, strikeouts, etc, will almost certainly never be approached and/or broken again.  Too many factors come into play now which would almost destroy any chance we'd have to see another 300-game winner, or 5,000 career strikeouts.

The biggest question is, will Major League Baseball be willing to do what it takes to actually make this move work as well as it can?  Will they actually look at the numbers and realize that there really wouldn't be much difference at all if they were to eliminate the DH and have both leagues share the same make-up?  What do you all think?  Post your suggestions on how they can make it work.  What rules would need to be changed?  What team should be moved to the AL and why?  Let's hear it!