Pitchers Show Cause Not to Be Designated
The National League roundup of July 7 presents the best argument possible for the NL to reject the designated hitter:
Mets 3, Phillies 1--”(Dwight Gooden) also singled in the seventh and scored the Mets’ final run.”
Reds 1, Astros 0--”Chris Hammond pitched six innings, had two of the Reds’ five hits and scored the only run. He doubled with one out in the third and scored on Billy Hatcher’s two-out single.”
Montreal 4, Pirates 3--”(Dennis) Martinez had a single and a walk and scored two runs.”
It would appear that National League pitchers have to be complete ballplayers. Suppose there were designated hitters when Babe Ruth was a pitcher. No one would have known he could hit.
JERRY COWLE
Pacific Palisades
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