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[leaflover]

Question: Does the DH have to be used only for the pitcher or can he bat for a 2nd baseman?

[PhillipAbbott79]

The answer to your question is yes and no.

No typically you can only designate the pitcher if line up cards are exchanged. In play off games line up cards are not required. If you designate a line up card you are required to pick a designated hitter for the pitcher.

If your line up card has a mistake in it, and the umpire tendering the cards does not catch a mistake of a picking what hitter is the designated hitter, then the designated hitter can not be substituted for the pitcher. They would be substituted for any other player in the line up that is not the pitcher.

Combination of rule 4.03 and Rule 5.11

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info...cial_rules.jsp

Post script....both leagues CAN use a designated hitter, per the official rules.

[bobbvc]

Originally Posted by leaflover

Question: Does the DH have to be used only for the pitcher or can he bat for a 2nd baseman?

The DH can hit for any position.

[Koufax32fan]

5.11(a)The Designated Hitter Rule provides as follows:
(1) A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher
and all subsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise
affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game. A
Designated Hitter for the pitcher, if any, must be selected
prior to the game and must be included in the lineup cards
presented to the Umpire-in-Chief. If a manager lists 10
players in his team’s lineup card, but fails to indicate one
as the Designated Hitter, and an umpire or either manager
(or designee of either manager who presents his team’s
lineup card) notices the error before the umpire-in-chief
calls “Play” to start the game, the umpire-in-chief shall
direct the manager who had made the omission to designate
which of the nine players, other than the pitcher, will
be the Designated Hitter.

5.11(a)(3) It is not mandatory that a club designate a hitter for the
pitcher, but failure to do so prior to the game precludes
the use of a Designated Hitter for that club for that
game.

[leaflover]

Thank you. I was thinking that in a "there's no tomorrow" situation, a manager in order to get more "punch" in the line-up could DH for the weakest hitting position player and PH each AB for the pitcher.

Does this make any sense?