Mexican Pacific League records
106-566: Miguel Sotelo (22 June 1933 – 6 July 2007) was a Mexican professional baseball pitcher and manager who spent more than 25 years in professional baseball playing in the Mexican League and Mexican Pacific League . Sotelo was born in Los Mochis , Sinaloa on 22 June 1933. He made his debut in 1953 with the Águilas de Mexicali club of the Arizona–Texas League . The following year he
212-430: A pitcher Silver Slugger Award . In 2020, and since 2022, both American and National Leagues began awarding Silver Slugger Awards for designated hitters, the latter replacing the award given to pitchers. The first National League DH Silver Slugger Award was given to Marcell Ozuna in 2020. In 2018, J. D. Martinez became the first and to date only player to win two Silver Slugger Awards in the same season, winning as both
318-528: A 16–1 loss against the Boston Red Sox in the 2018 American League Division Series . The only regulation game in which both pitchers of record were position players occurred on May 6, 2012, when the Baltimore Orioles' designated hitter Chris Davis was the winner in a 16-inning game against Boston while Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald took the loss. The pitcher's duty does not cease after he pitches
424-501: A DH may bat in place of one player in any position, not just a pitcher. Many coaches use a designated hitter in place of the weakest hitter in the lineup, if they use one at all. In amateur baseball, many pitchers are also good hitters and will often play another position (or even DH) when not pitching. In 2020, NFHS rules were modified to also add a "Player/DH" rule where a player may start the game with offensive and defensive roles, and be substituted out only on defense while remaining in
530-419: A ball. There are two legal pitching positions , the windup and the set position or stretch . Either position may be used at any time; typically, the windup is used when the bases are empty, while the set position is used when at least one runner is on base. Each position has certain procedures that must be followed. A balk can be called on a pitcher from either position. A power pitcher is one who relies on
636-439: A barbell. The emphasis on the workout should be on the legs and the core. Other body parts should be worked on but using lighter weights. Over lifting muscles, especially while throwing usually ends up in a strain muscle or possibly a tear. Other than the catcher, pitchers and other fielders wear very few pieces of equipment. In general the ball cap, baseball glove and cleats are equipment used. Pitchers may also keep with them at
742-523: A catcher for their team. The pitcher catcher combination results in many throws and may increase the risk of injury. 8) If a pitcher complains of pain in their elbow, get an evaluation from a sports medicine physician. 9) Inspire youth to have fun playing baseball and other sports. Participation and enjoyment of various activities will increase the youth's athleticism and interest in sports. To counteract shoulder and elbow injury, coaches and trainers have begun utilizing "jobe" exercises, named for Frank Jobe ,
848-433: A defensive play. At that point, the pitcher has several standard roles. The pitcher must attempt to field any balls coming up the middle, and in fact a Gold Glove Award is reserved for the pitcher with the best fielding ability. He must head over to first base , to be available to cover it, on balls hit to the right side, since the first baseman might be fielding them too far to the baseman's right to reach first base before
954-525: A designated hitter and a left fielder . There has been ongoing debate on the merits of the designated hitter rule. As noted before , the original rationale was to replace pitchers in the batting order because they were generally considered weak hitters, and usually batted ninth or pinch-hit for late in games when their team was trailing. Critics have argued that use of the designated hitter causes asymmetry by separating players into offensive and defensive specialties akin to American football . They believe
1060-592: A designated hitter. Hideki Matsui (2009), David Ortiz (2013), and Jorge Soler (2021) were the only other designated hitters to win World Series MVP. Soler was also the only DH to win the award while a member of a National League team, having played for the Atlanta Braves in their World Series-winning season. In games played on National League parks, Ortiz and Molitor played at first base, while Soler played in right field in their World Series MVP seasons. On
1166-567: A forfeit (the latter typically only happens in extra-inning games). Cliff Pennington of the Toronto Blue Jays , who pitched 1 ⁄ 3 of an inning in game 4 of the 2015 American League Championship Series en route to a 14–2 loss, was the only documented position player to pitch during the postseason , until Austin Romine of the New York Yankees pitched the ninth inning of Game 3 in
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#17328555576631272-689: A handful of players compiled over 400 at-bats as a DH each year. The Astros moved to the American League in 2013, giving each league 15 teams and requiring interleague play throughout the entire season. There was debate within MLB to unify the rules of the two leagues, with either the American League returning to its pre-1973 rules and having the pitcher hit or the National League adopting the DH. In January 2016, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred indicated that consideration
1378-583: A new collective bargaining agreement with the MLBPA on March 10, 2022, after which both leagues have continuously employed the designated hitter. The Baseball Writers' Association of America presents an annual award to the outstanding designated hitter of the season, called the Edgar Martínez Award . Renamed for the former Seattle Mariners DH after his retirement in 2004, the Outstanding DH Award
1484-505: A place in the major leagues. Prior to the introduction of the universal DH, interleague play added a new wrinkle to the controversy, as the AL team always had the advantage. The NL team had to put a bench player into the lineup when the game was played in AL parks. Even though the AL team had to play without their DH in NL parks, that left them with a starting player available to pinch-hit and/or come in as
1590-402: A pop fly or ground out). If the batter elects not to swing at the pitch, it is called a strike if any part of the ball passes through the strike zone and a ball when no part of the ball passes through the strike zone. A check swing is when the batter begins to swing, but then stops the swing short. If the batter successfully checks the swing and the pitch is out of the strike zone, it is called
1696-655: A record of 18–6 with 13 consecutive wins. In the 1962–1963 Mexican Pacific League season , while playing for the Naranjeros de Hermosillo , he pitched a no hitter against the Navajo BBC. He retired in 1967 with a total of 133 win 115 losses in the Mexican League and with a record of 130-88 in the winter Mexican Pacific League . Sotelo started his managerial career in 1968 with the Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo , and later managed for
1802-466: A result of a pinch hitter being used in the late innings of a game, especially if the pitcher is in the batting lineup due to not having the designated hitter. A reliever would then come out of the bullpen to pitch the next inning. When making a pitching change a manager will come out to the mound. He will then call in a pitcher by the tap of the arm which the next pitcher throws with. The manager or pitching coach may also come out to discuss strategy with
1908-470: A result, the pitcher who starts a game often will not be the one who finishes it, and he may not be recovered enough to pitch again for a few days. The act of throwing a baseball at high speed is very unnatural to the body and somewhat damaging to human muscles; thus pitchers are very susceptible to injuries, soreness, and general pain. Baseball teams use two strategies to address this problem: rotation and specialization. To accommodate playing nearly every day,
2014-406: A substitute player later in the game, as opposed to a bench player on the NL team. Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig once proposed that the road team's rules should be followed for interleague games in order to combat this home team advantage, but the idea never received traction. The decline of pitcher Chien-Ming Wang due to an interleague game injury has been cited in support of
2120-403: A team removes its starting pitcher it loses the right to use a DH for the rest of the game. The "double hook" rule was modified for the 2022 Atlantic League season. The change allows a team whose starting pitcher who goes at least five innings to keep its DH. In American high schools and other amateur baseball leagues that use National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules,
2226-417: A team will include a group of pitchers who start games and rotate between them, allowing each pitcher to rest for a few days between starts. A team's roster of starting pitchers are usually not even in terms of skill. Exceptional pitchers are highly sought after and in the professional ranks draw large salaries, thus teams can seldom stock each slot in the rotation with top-quality pitchers. The best starter in
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#17328555576632332-472: A temporary return to National League pitchers hitting in that year. On April 4, 2021, an American League team voluntarily declined to use a designated hitter in their starting lineup for the first time since 1976, when the Los Angeles Angels placed starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani second in the batting order. This was also the first time since 1903 that a pitcher had been listed as the second hitter in
2438-746: A young age, a practice that has been criticized by many coaches and doctors, with some citing an increase in Tommy John surgeries in recent years. Fleisig lists nine recommendations for preventative care of children's arms. 1) Watch and respond to signs of fatigue. 2) Youth pitchers should not pitch competitively in more than 8 months in any 12-month period. 3) Follow limits for pitch counts and days of rest. 4) Youth pitchers should avoid pitching on multiple teams with overlapping seasons. 5) Youth pitchers should learn good throwing mechanics as soon as possible: basic throwing, fastball pitching and change-up pitching. 6) Avoid using radar guns. 7) A pitcher should not also be
2544-484: Is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher . Unlike other players in a team's lineup, they generally only play as an offensive player and usually do not play defense as a fielder or a pitcher during a game. Due to their specialized offensive-only role, the designated hitter is generally expected to produce above average offensive stats and production compared to other players who play defense. In Major League Baseball ,
2650-462: Is a player who does not play a position in the field , but instead replaces the pitcher in the batting order . However, a starting pitcher (but not relievers ) may choose to also start as the designated hitter, so that the pitcher bats for himself. The DH may only be used for the pitcher (and not any other position player ), as stated in Rule 5.11. Use of the DH is optional, but must be determined before
2756-402: Is a three-quarters delivery in which the pitcher's arm snaps downward with the ball's release. Some pitchers use a sidearm delivery in which the arm arcs laterally to the torso. Some pitchers use a submarine style in which the pitcher's body tilts sharply downward on delivery, creating an exaggerated sidearm motion in which the pitcher's knuckles come very close to the mound. Effective pitching
2862-457: Is a throw from the outfield to third base, he has to back up the play to third base as well. The physical act of overhand pitching is complex and unnatural to the human anatomy. Most major league pitchers throw at speeds of 70 to 100 mph (110 to 160 km/h), putting high amounts of stress on the pitching arm. Pitchers are by far the most frequently injured players and many professional pitchers will have multiple surgeries to repair damage in
2968-472: Is not legal. For example, if the DH is batting fourth and the catcher is batting eighth, the manager cannot replace both players so as to have the new catcher bat fourth and the new DH bat eighth. Once a team loses its DH under any of the scenarios already discussed, the double switch becomes fully available, and may well be used via necessity, should the former DH be replaced in the lineup. In Major League Baseball, during interleague play between 1997 and 2021,
3074-405: Is rare as these players are not truly trained as pitchers and risk injury. (For instance, in a 1993 game, Jose Canseco suffered a season ending arm injury after pitching 2 innings.) Plus, they tend to throw with less velocity and skill. For these reasons, managers will typically only use a position player as a pitcher in a blowout loss, or if they have run out of available pitchers in order to avoid
3180-428: Is the highest level of competition to not use the designated hitter position. In most cases, the objective of the pitcher is to deliver the pitch to the catcher without allowing the batter to hit the ball with the bat. A successful pitch is delivered in such a way that the batter either allows the pitch to pass through the strike zone , swings the bat at the ball and misses it, or hits the ball poorly (resulting in
3286-425: Is used as a general designation for pitchers. SP and RP are sometimes used to differentiate starting and relief pitchers, respectively, while LHP and RHP are sometimes used to indicate if a pitcher is left-handed or right-handed, respectively. In Major League Baseball , baseball rubbing mud is used to condition game balls before pitchers use them. A skilled pitcher often throws various pitches to prevent
Miguel Sotelo - Misplaced Pages Continue
3392-540: Is vitally important in baseball. In baseball statistics , for each game, one pitcher will be credited with winning the game, and one pitcher will be charged with losing it. These are not necessarily the starting pitchers for each team; however, a reliever can win, and the starter would then get a no-decision. Pitching is physically demanding, especially if the pitcher is throwing with maximum effort. A full game usually involves 120–170 pitches thrown by each team, and most pitchers begin to tire before they reach this point. As
3498-461: The Broncos de Reynosa (1969–1970), Alijadores de Tampico (1971), Pericos de Puebla (1972), Sultanes de Monterrey (1973–1976; 1986), Mineros de Coahuila (1977), Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (1978), Rojos del Águila de Veracruz (1979–1980), Olmecas de Tabasco (1987; 1990) and Acereros de Monclova (1988). In 1969 he guided Reynosa to win the league championship. In 1985, Sotelo was enshrined in
3604-435: The 2021 All-Star Game , MLB granted an exception to the normal designated hitter rule because Los Angeles Angels ' Shohei Ohtani was selected as both starting designated hitter and starting pitcher. Ohtani started the game as both a pitcher and the DH and was replaced as pitcher after one inning but remained in the game as the DH without the American League having to forfeit the use of a DH. The American League would have lost
3710-569: The Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame . Sotelo holds the Mexican Pacific League record for most wins in a season, with 18, achieved during the 1961–1962 season . Pitcher In baseball , the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter , who attempts to either make contact with
3816-638: The National League with the Los Angeles Dodgers , won his second consecutive MVP award, the first time the award was given to a player who exclusively played as a DH. Due to Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow, Ohtani only played as a DH throughout the 2024 season. During the 1993 season Paul Molitor became the first player to win the World Series Most Valuable Player Award , while playing 137 of 160 games (85.63%) as
3922-521: The closer . Traditionally, the pitcher also bats. Starting in 1973 with the American League and spreading to further leagues throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the hitting duties of the pitcher have generally been given over to the position of designated hitter , a cause of some controversy. The National League adopted the designated hitter in 2022; as of 2024, the Japanese Central League
4028-443: The pitched ball or draw a walk . In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum . There are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher , relief pitcher , middle reliever , lefty specialist , setup man , and
4134-498: The 1880s, an increased emphasis on improving the specialized skill of pitching contributed to a decline in pitcher batting averages . In 1891, during negotiations surrounding the merger of the American Association and National League , team executives J. Walter Spalding of New York and William Chase Temple of Pittsburgh proposed competing ideas to eliminate the pitcher from the batting order. Temple's proposal "favored
4240-559: The 4th or 5th starter. Typically, the further down in the rotation a starting pitcher is, the weaker he is compared with the others on the staff. The "5th starter" is seen as the cut-off between the starting staff and the bullpen . A team may have a designated 5th starter, sometimes known as a spot starter or that role may shift cycle to cycle between members of the bullpen or Triple-A starters. Differences in rotation setup could also have tactical considerations as well, such as alternating right- or left-handed pitchers, in order to throw off
4346-650: The American League Texas Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington in interleague play. At first, the DH rule was not applied to the World Series . From 1973 to 1975, all World Series games were played under National League rules, with no DH and the pitchers required to bat. For 1976 , it was decided the DH rule would apply to all games in a World Series, regardless of venue, but only in even-numbered years. Cincinnati Reds first baseman Dan Driessen became
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4452-445: The American League posted a higher batting average than the National League in 1973. This trend held in every season in which the American League employed the designated hitter but the National League did not between 1973 and 2021. At the end of its three-year trial period, the American League kept the designated hitter, while the National League still refused to adopt it. In response to increases in American League attendance because of
4558-542: The American League. Japan's Central League has not adopted the designated hitter – the only top-level professional league in the world to refrain from doing so as of 2023. When teams from different leagues play against each other in the Japan Series or interleague games, the DH rule is adopted if the Pacific League's team hosts the game, similar to the MLB rules before the universal DH. The Mexican League introduced
4664-514: The Cardinals fired their general manager, John Claiborne , who was the leading proponent for the adoption of the DH rule, and the National League never held another vote on the issue. The designated hitter was not used in the World Series from 1973 to 1975. Between 1976 and 1985, the DH was used in the World Series during even-numbered years, while pitchers batted in odd-numbered years. In 1986,
4770-443: The DH can bat in place of any defensive player. However, a league may adopt a rule which requires all players present and able to play to be listed in the batting order (such that the order contains more than nine players), and thus all players will have a turn to bat even when they are not assigned a fielding position. Players in the batting lineup without a position on the field are given the position designation extra hitter (EH),
4876-404: The DH if either Ohtani, or a player replacing him at DH, had played a position in the field other than pitcher. Every patron of the game is conversant with the utter worthlessness of the average pitcher when he goes up to try and hit the ball. The Sporting Life , December 19, 1891 The rationale for the designated hitter rule arose early in the history of professional baseball. During
4982-480: The DH not contributing defense. In 2021, Shohei Ohtani became the first everyday DH to win league MVP honors, having played in 126 of 155 games (81.29%) at DH. However, Ohtani's MVP season was mainly due to his success as a two-way player , having also logged 23 games as a pitcher and seven games in the outfield. In 2023, Ohtani won his second MVP award, playing 134 of 135 games as a DH that season while also pitching in 23 of those games. In 2024, Ohtani, now playing in
5088-446: The DH role among part-time players (for example, using a left-handed batter against a right-handed pitcher and vice versa), or they could employ a full-time designated hitter against all pitchers. Healthy regular lineup players gained the ability to take a partial day off by not playing the field, while aging, injured, and injury prone players gained the opportunity to bat without being exposed to re-injury while fielding. As of 2009 , only
5194-458: The DH rule was applied to a game based on the rules of the home team's league. If the game was played in an American League park, the designated hitter could be used; in a National League park, the pitcher must bat or else be replaced with a pinch-hitter. On June 12, 1997, San Francisco Giants outfielder Glenallen Hill became the first National League DH in a regular-season game, when the Giants met
5300-460: The DH, the National League held a vote on August 13, 1980, to determine whether or not to adopt it. A majority of the 12 member teams was necessary to pass the rule, and the measure was expected to pass. However, when the teams were informed that the rule would not take effect until the 1982 season, Philadelphia Phillies vice president Bill Giles was unsure of how the team owner, Ruly Carpenter , wanted him to vote. Unable to contact Carpenter, who
5406-403: The DH; it was intended for the two leagues to agree on a common rule at the end of the American League's trial. On April 6, 1973, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees became the first designated hitter in MLB history, facing Boston Red Sox right-hander Luis Tiant in his first plate appearance . Blomberg was walked on five pitches with the bases loaded in the first inning. As expected,
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#17328555576635512-480: The National League and even won eight Gold Gloves earlier in his career, was used strictly as a DH later in his career when the San Francisco Giants played away interleague games because of his diminishing fielding skills. Some believe that extending careers of older players is more of a disadvantage than an advantage, filling spots that otherwise may have been taken by younger players who end up not finding
5618-566: The National League used the DH for the first time. For the first time since 1972 (the final year before the American League adopted the DH), the National League had the higher seasonal batting average of the two leagues. At least one of the proposals released during negotiations between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players' Association (MLBPA) regarding the 2021 season's rules included the so-called "universal DH," but an impasse led to
5724-428: The National League, a manager had to decide when to let a pitcher bat or remove him, as well as whom to pinch-hit and where or if that player should take the field afterward. When the decision to remove a pitcher is made, the manager may also elect to double switch , delaying the new pitcher's turn at bat. A designated hitter reduces the need for late-inning pinch hitters . Advocates of the designated hitter point to
5830-423: The ball. Unlike the other fielders, a pitcher and catcher must start every play in a designated area. The pitcher must be on the pitcher's mound , with one foot in contact with the pitcher's rubber , and the catcher must be behind home plate in the catcher's box . Once the ball is in play, however, the pitcher and catcher, like the other fielders, can respond to any part of the field necessary to make or assist in
5936-486: The batter as to the rotation or velocity of the ball, making it more difficult to hit. Few pitchers throw all these pitches, but most use a subset or blend of the basic types. Some pitchers release pitches from different arm angles, making it harder for the batter to pick up the ball's flight. (See List of baseball pitches .) A pitcher throwing well on a particular day is said to have brought his "good stuff." Pitchers use several distinct throwing styles. The most common style
6042-520: The batter from hitting the ball well. The most basic pitch is a fastball , where the pitcher throws the ball as hard as possible. Some pitchers are able to throw a fastball at a speed over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h; 150 ft/s), ex., Aroldis Chapman . Other common types of pitches are the curveball , slider , changeup , cutter , sinker , screwball , forkball , split-fingered fastball , slurve , knuckleball , and vulcan . These generally are intended to have unusual movement or to deceive
6148-417: The batter-runner can. Except for the first baseman, the pitcher ordinarily has the shortest run to first base of anyone, and is the second-most-likely person to make a putout at first base by retrieving a fielded ball thrown by an infielder (typically a first baseman). On passed balls and wild pitches , he covers home-plate when there are runners on. Also, he generally backs up throws to home plate. When there
6254-416: The designated hitter and vice versa). However, if a player who starts a game as a P/DH is relieved as the starting pitcher, he may not return to the mound even if he remains in the game as the DH, and he may not play any other defensive position after being relieved as the pitcher unless he immediately moves to another defensive position, in which case the new pitcher must assume the spot in the batting order of
6360-416: The designated hitter in 1974, one year after the American League. The Cuban National Series adopted the designated hitter in 1977. The DH is used for all Minor League Baseball (MiLB) games. Prior to the adoption of the DH by the National League in 2022, only Rookie and Single-A level leagues used the DH rule in all games, while Double-A and Triple-A games, when both teams were National League affiliates
6466-413: The designated hitter must hit for the pitcher, but in many instances the pitcher is also a good hitter, and the coach may elect to let the pitcher bat in the lineup. If the pitcher opts to bat for himself, he is treated as two separate positions – a pitcher and a designated hitter (abbreviated P/DH on the lineup card) – and may be substituted for as such (i.e. if he is removed as the pitcher, he may remain as
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#17328555576636572-451: The designated hitter was not used. The reason for the difference was that as players get closer to reaching the majors, teams preferred to have the rules mimic those of the major league teams for which the players may soon be playing. The Atlantic League , an independent minor league that became an MLB Partner League after the 2021 MiLB reorganization, implemented an experimental "double-hook rule" for its 2021 season. Under this rule, once
6678-477: The designated hitter. On June 15, 2008, Wang, at the time one of the New York Yankees ' best pitchers, was taken out of an interleague game versus the Houston Astros due to a right foot injury he sustained while running the bases, something he was not used to doing, since pitchers do not bat in the American League. Wang was diagnosed with a torn Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneus longus of
6784-407: The elbow and shoulder by the end of their careers. As such, the biomechanics of pitching are closely studied and taught by coaches at all levels and are an important field in sports medicine . Glenn Fleisig, a biomechanist who specializes in the analysis of baseball movements, says that pitching is "the most violent human motion ever measured." He claims that the pelvis can rotate at 515–667°/sec,
6890-450: The extension of many careers it has enabled, and, in a few cases, created long, productive careers for players who are weak fielders or have a history of injuries, such as Cecil Fielder and David Ortiz . Hall of Fame members George Brett , Carl Yastrzemski , Paul Molitor , Harold Baines and Edgar Martínez continued their careers longer than they ordinarily would have without the rule. Barry Bonds , who spent his entire career in
6996-447: The field between 1989 and the end of his career in 2001. In 2022, David Ortiz became the first full-time DH to be elected to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot. Ortiz played 2,028 of his 2,306 career games (88%) at DH. Prior to 2020, only one designated hitter Silver Slugger Award was awarded, and only American League players were the recipients due to the National League still awarding
7102-533: The fielder the P/DH substituted for, and the DH is lost for the remainder of the game. Conversely, a player who begins the game as the DH, but not as the pitcher, may come into the game as a reliever and remain as the DH (in effect becoming a P/DH), be relieved on the mound later in the game but continue to bat as the DH. In Little League Baseball , the DH is not used except in the Senior League (age 15–16) division, where
7208-488: The first National League player to act as a DH in any capacity (regular season or postseason) when he was listed as the DH in the first game (he was the DH in all four Series games that year). This practice lasted through 1985 . Beginning in the 1986 World Series , the DH rule was used in games played in the stadium of the American League representative. There was initially no DH in the All-Star Game . Beginning in 1989,
7314-569: The game on offense as a DH. Japanese high school baseball is one of the few amateur baseball leagues in the world that has never used the designated hitter rule at all. In high school baseball in South Korea , the rule has been adopted since 2004. American Legion rules, on the other hand, allow the DH only to bat for the pitcher; prior to 1995, the use of the DH was not allowed in Legion baseball at all. In college baseball , NCAA rules state that
7420-553: The idea of giving up hitting. In 1910, Addie Joss stated, "if there is one thing that a pitcher would rather do than make the opposing batsmen look foolish, it is to step to the plate, especially in a pinch, and deliver the much-needed hit." A 1918 article in Baseball Magazine attributed to Babe Ruth stated, "the pitcher who can't get in there in the pinch and win his own game with a healthy wallop, isn't more than half earning his salary in my way of thinking." Nevertheless, in
7526-442: The late 1920s, National League president John Heydler made several attempts to introduce a 10th-man designated hitter as a way to add more offense to the game. Several managers were interested in the idea and intended to implement it during spring training in 1929. However, Heydler's proposal was not adopted as an official rule change, and he advised teams to have pitchers bat during spring training in order for them to prepare for
7632-456: The limitations of the old rule. The rule change was subsequently applied for international-level games, starting with the 2023 World Baseball Classic . Unlike other positions, the DH is "locked" into the batting order. No multiple substitution may be made to alter the batting rotation of the DH. In other words, a double switch involving the DH and a position player (with the exception of players started as starting pitcher and designated hitter)
7738-483: The minor league trial period ended, the American and National Leagues could not agree on implementation. Like other experimental baseball rule changes of the 1960s and 1970s, the DH was embraced by Oakland Athletics owner Charlie O. Finley . On January 11, 1973, Finley and the other American League owners voted 8–4 to approve the designated hitter for a three-year trial run. The National League chose not to implement
7844-465: The mound a bag of powdered rosin . Handling the bag applies a small layer of the rosin to the pitcher's fingers in order to increase his grip on the ball. Currently there is a new trend of introducing a pitcher helmet to provide head protection from batters hitting line drives back to the pitcher. As of January 2014 , MLB approved a protective pitchers cap which can be worn by any pitcher if they choose. San Diego Padres relief pitcher, Alex Torres
7950-411: The need for several days of rest between appearances. Relief pitchers are typically pitchers with "special stuff", meaning that they have very effective pitches or a very different style of delivery. This makes the batter see a very different way of pitching in attempt to get them out. One example is a sidearm or submarine pitcher. Position players are eligible to pitch in a game as well, this however
8056-458: The only inductees to even have played at least 25% of their games at DH, though Molitor played more games at DH than any other position during his career. In 2014, Frank Thomas became the first Hall of Famer who played the majority of his games at DH. In 2019, Edgar Martínez and Harold Baines were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Martinez played over 70% of his games at DH. Baines played 1,643 of his 2,830 games at DH; he played only 63 games in
8162-527: The other hand, Matsui became the only World Series MVP to never play in the field that season, as he came in as a pinch hitter in the pitcher's spot but was never moved to a fielding position via a double switch during games played in a National League park. Ortiz was also the first designated hitter to win the ALCS MVP in 2004, followed by Delmon Young in 2012, and Yordan Alvarez in 2021. Among Hall of Famers, Paul Molitor and Jim Rice were, until 2014,
8268-408: The other team's hitting game-to-game in a series. Teams have additional pitchers reserved to replace that game's starting pitcher if he tires or proves ineffective. These players are called relief pitchers , relievers , or collectively the bullpen . Once a starter begins to tire or is starting to give up hits and runs a call is made to the bullpen to have a reliever start to warm up. This involves
8374-409: The particular situation in a game. Because pitchers and catchers must coordinate each pitch, a system of hand signals is used by the catcher to communicate choices to the pitcher, who either vetoes or accepts by shaking his head or nodding. The relationship between pitcher and catcher is so important that some teams select the starting catcher for a particular game based on the starting pitcher. Together,
8480-654: The pioneer of the Tommy John procedure. Jobes are exercises that have been developed to isolate, strengthen and stabilize the rotator cuff muscles. Jobes can be done using either resistance bands or lightweight dumbbells. Common jobe exercises include shoulder external rotation, shoulder flexion, horizontal abduction, prone abduction and scaption (at 45°, 90° and inverse 45°). In addition to the Jobes exercises, many pitching coaches are creating lifting routines that are specialized for pitchers. Pitchers should avoid exercises that deal with
8586-443: The pitcher and catcher are known as the battery . Although the object and mechanics of pitching remain the same, pitchers may be classified according to their roles and effectiveness. The starting pitcher begins the game, and he may be followed by various relief pitchers , such as the long reliever , the left-handed specialist , the middle reliever , the setup man , and/or the closer . In abbreviating baseball positions, P
8692-409: The pitcher, but on his second trip to the mound with the same pitcher in the same inning, the pitcher has to come out. It is considered proper etiquette for the pitcher to wait on the mound until the manager arrives, whereby he then hands the manager the ball, and only then he is allowed to leave the field. Relief pitchers often have even more specialized roles, and the particular reliever used depends on
8798-494: The position is authorized by Rule 5.11 of the Official Baseball Rules. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and by the National League in 2022 , making it universal in MLB. Within that time frame, nearly all amateur , collegiate , and professional leagues worldwide have adopted the designated hitter or some variant, except for Nippon Professional Baseball 's Central League . The designated hitter
8904-467: The regular season. Serious momentum to implement the designated hitter was absent until the pitching dominance of the late 1960s. In 1968, Bob Gibson led the major leagues with a live-ball era record 1.12 ERA . For the first time since 1908, the American and National Leagues had a collective batting average below .240; Carl Yastrzemski led the American League in hitting with only a .301 mark. After
9010-414: The reliever starting to throw practice balls to a coach in the bullpen so as to be ready to come in and pitch whenever the manager wishes to pull the current pitcher. Having a reliever warm up does not always mean he will be used; the current pitcher may regain his composure and retire the side, or the manager may choose to go with another reliever if strategy dictates. Commonly, pitching changes will occur as
9116-438: The remainder of the game, and the player who was DH would become a position player (or exit the game). The DH substitution rule has an exception: If a starting pitcher started simultaneously as the designated hitter, that player will remain as DH to bat for his relievers after being replaced as pitcher, likewise remaining as starting pitcher if he was pinch hit by a bench player who'd become the new designated hitter. The exception
9222-441: The right foot. The cast was removed on July 29, but the extensive rehabilitation process prevented Wang from being an effective pitcher afterwards at the major league level. Yankees part-owner Hank Steinbrenner showed frustration with pitchers having to bat in the National League and suggested that the league "join the modern age". Japan's Pacific League adopted the designated hitter in 1975, just two years after its adoption in
9328-509: The rule effectively separates pitchers, other fielders, and designated hitters into separate roles that never coincide, potentially promoting ' batting cage ' players having extremely limited scope of experience. However, when the pitcher bats alongside everyone else, all nine players must take their turn at the plate and in the field, and the combined roles require that everyone knows other roles in addition to their own. The designated hitter rule also changes managerial strategy in late innings. In
9434-461: The rule was applied only to games played in American League stadiums. During this era, if the All-Star Game was scheduled for an American League stadium, fans would vote for the DH for the American League's starting lineup, while the National League's manager decided that league's starting DH. Since 2010, the designated hitter has been used by both teams regardless of where the game is played. For
9540-403: The rule was changed to implement designated hitters only in World Series games in which the home team was from the American League. This rule was also adopted for interleague play during the regular season upon its introduction in 1997. As time passed, the designated hitter rule enabled American League managers to employ diverse strategies in setting their teams' lineups. Managers could rotate
9646-512: The season, in order to increase offensive output, the height of the pitcher's mound was reduced from 15 to 10 inches (38 to 25 cm), and the upper limit of the strike zone was lowered from the top of a batter's shoulders to his armpits. In 1969, the International League and four other minor leagues began a four-year trial period for the designated hitter. The American League allowed its use in spring training in 1971, however, when
9752-600: The situation. Many teams designate one pitcher as the closer , a relief pitcher specifically reserved to pitch the final inning or innings of a game when his team has a narrow lead, in order to preserve the victory. More recently, teams began experimenting with an opener , a relief pitcher who starts a game but only pitches at least the first inning. Other relief roles include set-up men , middle relievers , left-handed specialists , and long relievers . Generally, relievers pitch fewer innings and throw fewer pitches than starters, but they can usually pitch more frequently without
9858-403: The spot of the position player replaced by the former DH. If the designated hitter is moved to pitcher, any subsequent pitcher (or pinch-hitter thereof) would bat should that spot in the batting order come up again (except for a further multiple substitution). Likewise, if a pinch-hitter bats for a non-pitcher, and then remains in the game as the pitcher, the team would forfeit the use of the DH for
9964-413: The start of the game. If a team does not begin a game with a DH, the team's pitchers (or pinch hitters ) must bat for the entire game. The designated hitter can be moved to a fielding position during the game. If the DH is moved to another position, his team forfeits the role of designated hitter, and the pitcher or another player (the latter possible only in case of a multiple substitution) would bat in
10070-456: The starting lineup. On June 23, 2021, Ohtani made history again when, for the first time, an AL team did not use the designated hitter and an NL team did. While the Angels declined the DH privilege, the visiting Giants opted to use it, starting Alex Dickerson at DH. On February 10, 2022, Manfred announced plans for a universal DH beginning with the 2022 season . The rule was ratified as part of
10176-472: The substitution of another man to take the pitcher's place at the bat when it came his turn to go there," while Spalding proposed removing the pitcher's turn from the batting order, reducing its length to eight players. Temple's proposal was voted down by a narrow margin prior to the 1892 season. The idea of a designated hitter was raised by Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack in 1906, however, his proposal received little support. Pitchers rejected
10282-434: The team's rotation is called the ace . He is usually followed in the rotation by 3 or 4 other starters before he would be due to pitch again. Barring injury or exceptional circumstances, the ace is usually the pitcher that starts on Opening Day. Aces are also preferred to start crucial games late in the season and in the playoffs; sometimes they are asked to pitch on shorter rest if the team feels he would be more effective than
10388-1053: The trunk can rotate at 1,068–1,224°/s, the elbow can reach a maximal angular velocity of 2,200–2,700°/s and the force pulling the pitcher's throwing arm away from the shoulder at ball release is approximately 280 pounds-force (1,200 N ). The overhead throwing motion can be divided into phases which include windup, early cocking, late cocking, early acceleration, late acceleration, deceleration, and follow-through. Training for pitchers often includes targeting one or several of these phases. Biomechanical evaluations are sometimes done on individual pitchers to help determine points of inefficiency. Mechanical measurements that are assessed include, but are not limited to, foot position at stride foot contact (SFC), elbow flexion during arm cocking and acceleration phases, maximal external rotation during arm cocking, horizontal abduction at SFC, arm abduction, lead knee position during arm cocking, trunk tilt, peak angular velocity of throwing arm and angle of wrist. Some players begin intense mechanical training at
10494-414: The velocity of his pitches to succeed. Generally, power pitchers record a high percentage of strikeouts . A control pitcher succeeds by throwing accurate pitches and thus records few walks. Nearly all action during a game is centered on the pitcher for the defensive team. A pitcher's particular style, time taken between pitches, and skill heavily influence the dynamics of the game and can often determine
10600-467: The victor. Starting with the pivot foot on the pitcher's rubber at the center of the pitcher's mound, which is 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m) from home plate , the pitcher throws the baseball to the catcher , who is positioned behind home plate and catches the ball. Meanwhile, a batter stands in the batter's box at one side of the plate, and attempts to bat the ball safely into fair play. The type and sequence of pitches chosen depend upon
10706-400: Was added by MLB for the 2022 season, coincident with the introduction of the universal DH. It has been widely nicknamed the "Ohtani rule" as a nod to Shohei Ohtani , at the time a two-way star pitcher and hitter for the Los Angeles Angels who had sometimes batted for himself in the past, but had to leave games as hitter or move to another position on the field when relieved as pitcher due to
10812-451: Was given to the National League adopting the DH for the 2017 season, when a new collective bargaining agreement would take effect. However, he later backtracked, saying that he did not envision such a change being made in the near future. Accordingly, the DH rule was not then adopted by the National League. In 2020, as a health and safety measure due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic ,
10918-501: Was introduced in 1973 and has been handed out every season since, except 1994 due to a players' strike. Multiple winners include Edgar Martínez (five times) and David Ortiz (eight times, five consecutively). DHs have generally not had much impact on the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award or National Baseball Hall of Fame voting, because of the relative rarity of the full-time DH and
11024-737: Was on a fishing trip, Giles was forced to abstain from voting. Prior to the meeting, Harding Peterson , general manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was told to side with the Phillies however they voted. The final tally was four teams voting for the DH (the Atlanta Braves , New York Mets , St. Louis Cardinals , and San Diego Padres ), five votes against (the Chicago Cubs , Cincinnati Reds , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , and San Francisco Giants ), and three abstentions (the Phillies, Pirates, and Houston Astros ). Five days after that meeting,
11130-427: Was the first player in MLB to wear the protective cap. One style of helmet is worn on top of the ballcap to provide protection to the forehead and sides. In softball , a full face helmet is available to all players including pitchers. These fielder's masks are becoming increasingly popular in younger fast pitch leagues, some leagues even requiring them. Designated hitter The designated hitter ( DH )
11236-761: Was under the orders of George Genovese in a minor league team in Hutchinson , Kansas Pittsburgh Pirates lower division club. In 1955, he then was transferred to the Arizona–Mexico League where he excelled with the Cananea BBC pitching a no-hitter against the Phoenix Stars . One year later he made his Mexican League debut with the Tigres del México . He also played for the Cañeros de Los Mochis and in his first year had
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