MLB Must Adopt Standardized Rules

If Game 3 of the World Series affirmed anything, it’s that MLB needs to adopt uniform rules for the National and American Leagues.

MLB must compel the NL to finally adopt the designated hitter, which has been used by the AL since 1973. Having two sets of rules is absurd. Can you imagine the two conferences in the NFL, NHL or the NBA playing by two different sets of rules? It’s inconceivable. The separate rules in MLB are archaic and outmoded.

The concept of the Designated Hitter was first proposed in the early 1900s and came fairly close to being initiated in the 1920s. It’s long overdue in the NL. National League teams use a DH in road games during inter-league play, while AL teams have the pitcher bat in road games during inter-league match-ups.

Playing under NL rules is simply unfair to AL clubs, most especially in the World Series. The evidence was never more clear than in Game 3.

A total of 31 players had at least one plate appearance in the game. A total of 46 position players were used, the most in World Series history. Alex Cora had used 23 of the 25 players on his roster by the 9th inning; Drew Pomeranz and Chris Sale were the only ones who didn’t participate. Pomeranz hasn’t pitched in any game since Sept. 30.

The 18 combined pitchers used were also the most in history for a postseason game and a total of 561 pitches were thrown. If the Red Sox had a DH and didn’t have to keep substituting, they wouldn’t have used so many pitchers and the outcome may have been quite different.

Running out of position players in a World Series (due to substituting for the pitchers) is absurd and should never happen. Yes, it was the longest game in World Series history, both in terms of time (7hours, 20 minutes) and innings (18). But the Red Sox constant substitutions and switches (the result of not having a DH) likely contributed to the absurd length of the game, which was essentially two games in one. By the end of the contest, most of the Red Sox most powerful bats — including JD Martinez, Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers and Mitch Moreland — were all on the bench. That would never happen in an American League game.

Not a single NL pitcher qualified for the batting title this season, due to a lack of plate appearances, and it wasn’t unusual. A batter must have 3.1 plate appearances per team game played to qualify for league leadership in average, OBP or slugging. Not one pitcher met that threshold.

Just 37 pitchers had at least 50 plate appearances this year. Only 25 pitchers had as many as 50 at bats; 21 of them batted below .200 and 14 batted .100 or below. It’s a travesty and an absurdity. Simply put, pitchers are horrible hitters.

Their lack of success is little surprise. Starting pitchers in the NL may get just two or three plate appearances every fifth day. Who could reasonably expect them to be decent hitters? Batting is a skill that needs to be practiced daily. AL pitchers face even worse odds since teams play just 20 inter-league games each season; they get even fewer at bats. This is why so many high-profile AL pitchers through the years have been injured either batting or running the bases.

I don’t say any of this because the Red Sox lost Game 3. I’ve always felt this way and I’d be saying the same thing if Boston had won.

At the least, the current rules give the NL clubs an unfair advantage in World Series’ contests played in their parks. Most fans don’t look forward to seeing pitchers bat or to so many substitutions that a team ends up with some of its best hitters on the bench in crucial late-game situations.

At the least, the NL should be compelled to play under AL rules in all World Series games, regardless of which stadium the games are played.