Why pitchers cant hit

Pitchers, despite their increased specialization over time, had no alternative but to bat their turn if they wanted to stay in the game.

That all changed in , at a time when American League was lagging in both offense and attendance. What started as a three-year experiment was soon permanently implemented by the AL and nearly all minor, collegiate and amateur leagues below it. As a result, the National League game places greater strategic demands on managers, who must decide when to let a pitcher bat or remove him for a pinch hitter.

The general idea, in theory, is all National League players are required to contribute on offense and defense. Filed under:. By Cecil Adams Oct 20, Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. Dear Cecil: Two questions that bug me: 1 Why can't pitchers hit? Cecil Adams Send questions to Cecil via cecil straightdope. Why is it called a restroom, anyway? How did public libraries get started? No more Madison Bumgarner swinging for the fences.

No more Bartolo Colon flailing and losing his helmet — or shocking everyone by going deep. No more Greinke grounding a single up the middle, as he did Saturday night in Game 4. Say goodbye to double switches. Sacrifice bunts would shrivel up and automatic intentional walks to face the pitcher would vanish, too. Good riddance, says Houston shortstop Carlos Correa.

Anything a pitcher can contribute to the offense is a bonus. Find out why NFL teams allow punters to hold for field goals instead of quarterbacks or wide receivers. You know it drives you crazy! Baseball fans in the s had plenty of great hitters to admire. There were fewer players who hit for both average and power than in previous decades, but the eighties was about team play, and the hitters that stood out during this period were exceptional baseball players.

In a world of fastballs, the wobbly knuckleball is an oddity. It is a pitch that is in few hurlers arsenal, but those who have mastered it enjoyed long careers. Part talent and part magic, the knuckleball is one of baseball's most unique pitches. Here are the 10 best pitchers in history to use it. Baseball fans have always loved the home run. Seeing the strong power hitters put on superhuman feats with their big bats has always brought admirers to their feet.

Here are several big baseball names from the s and s—guys who could change a baseball game with one swing of the bat. Notice anyone tossing a screwball lately? Yeah, me neither. But it was once one of the most feared pitches in Major League Baseball. The masters of the screwball are all but gone now, but their legacy lives on. Babe Ruth was the greatest hitter in baseball because he held his hands back. He had the greatest impact zone of any hitter.

Ruth generated great power and could hit the off-speed pitch. The s didn't have a lot of premier pitchers in terms of star power, but there were still plenty of hurlers who could strike out hitters at high rates. This article will count down Major League Baseball's 10 best strikeout pitchers of the s.

Virgil Trucks became only the third pitcher in the history of baseball to throw two no-hitters in one season after holding the Washington Senators and New York Yankees hitless during the season. The two outings, however, each had a handful of oddities, leaving each even more memorable.

The Atlanta Braves are associated with some of the best home run hitters in baseball history, so it's not surprising that the list of the top five home run hitters in franchise history features some recognizable names—but possibly some you might not expect.

The game of baseball has many rules, and some of them are quite strange. Here are five of the strangest and whackiest rules in the sport of baseball. A Major League Baseball game is both fun to watch and attend.

There is always room for improvement, though. Here are five ways to make the game better. The Arizona Diamondbacks came into Major League Baseball in , so they have a shorter history than most teams, but still have employed several sluggers.

This article will explore the top five home run hitters in Arizona Diamondbacks history.