HANK Steinbrenner says it’s time the National League joins the 21st century. It’s time to play by the same rules as the American League for the good of the game and all the players, and that means adding the designated hitter.
Steinbrenner has a right to be upset after ace Chien-Ming Wang severely injured his right foot Sunday running from second to home in the Yankees’ 13-0 win in Houston. Wang suffered ligament damage and a torn tendon and is likely done for the season.
The American League, of course, plays with a designated hitter. The National League does not, pitchers hit. This game was taking place at Minute Maid Park, and that’s why Wang batted and was on base.
“It’s time the National League joins the 21st century,” Steinbrenner told The Post, “or is forced to join. The National League is playing the same way it did in the 1880s. That’s over with. The National League should have the designated hitter. There’s no question the National League should have it.
“I’m not happy about this,” Steinbrenner said of the injury to Wang’s push-off foot. “I feel bad for him and I feel bad for the ballclub. We were just getting on a roll.
“It’s OK for the Yankees to fill up the seats in the National League parks, they make a ton of money off us. Then we should support each other when one of our guys gets hurt. The National League should join the club and not have pitchers hit. It’s time to go to the DH. It’s the right thing to do.”
Steinbrenner is right. Most leagues, amateur, college and professional use the DH, something the American League instituted in 1973. It just doesn’t make any sense for AL pitchers to be hitting and running the bases, something they rarely do, when they are on the road in interleague play.
Joe Girardi said having a pitcher on the base-paths is a manager’s worst nightmare.
Steinbrenner said the Yankees will be sure to talk to Commissioner Bud Selig about making the DH a reality for National League clubs. The least that MLB can do is have the DH in all interleague games. Steinbrenner does not think the NL will change but he will do his best to protect his players and try to put that change into place, even if it opens him up to criticism.
“I don’t think they will do it because they still haven’t caught up with what happened in the 20th century,” Steinbrenner said. “It might have been OK for pitchers to hit in 1910, but not now.”
Steinbrenner said he was watching Joba Chamberlain’s start Friday night with his son and his father, the Boss, when the Yankee analyst talked about how dangerous it is for a pitcher to run the bases. Two days later Wang was injured running the bases.
That damage is done. Steinbrenner doesn’t want to see any other pitchers get hurt in such a way.
“Pitchers have enough to do already,” he said. “This has to change.”
Some people may not like to hear what Hank has to say, but once again he makes perfect sense. In his own way, Hank Steinbrenner is a designated hitter.