# The Double Hook DH and What It Could Mean in the Majors

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/the-double-hook-dh-and-what-it-could-mean-in-the-majors/
- Published: 2021-04-14T15:55:29-05:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

Major League Baseball has announced that they are testing out more rule changes;
this time in the independent Atlantic League. You’ll remember that MLB used the 
Atlantic League for rule changes in the past, including robo umps and stealing first
base on a wild pitch.

The 2 new changes would be the [“Double Hook” Designated Hitter and moving the pitching mound back a foot](https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/04/mlb-move-mound-back-double-hook-dh-atlantic-league.html).
Both changes could have big impacts on the game, but the DH change could be interesting.

The basics of the rule, which will be used all season in the Atlantic League, is
that a team will use a DH for their starting pitcher; after the starter leaves the
game, a team will have to use a pinch hitter or allow the relievers to hit for themselves.
The MLB believes this rule will encourage teams to leave their starters in longer
since they will have a better hitter available for more at bats.

We can use the 2019 season to compare the DH to Pitcher hitting; we should be able
to expect that the DH will improve offenses.

|  | PA | HR | R | RBI | Avg | OBP | SLG | ISO | BABIP | wOBA | wRC+ | WAR | 
| DH | 11213 | 532 | 1406 | 1570 | .252 | .339 | .467 | .215 | .297 | .338 | 110 | 23.6 | 
| P | 5173 | 24 | 248 | 235 | .128 | .160 | .162 | .034 | .244 | .144 | -18 | -2.2 |

There is a huge difference in sample size, but it wouldn’t make much of a difference.
The DH is superior for offense. But would it make much of a difference in the game
today? In 2019, starting pitchers averaged about 5 1/3 innings per start. That would
be maybe 2 at bats per game for this hybrid DH plan.

I get what they want with this plan, but I don’t see if being as effective as they
are hoping for. Front offices track performance of pitchers the deeper they go into
games. It’s been proven that pitchers are less effective the more a lineup faces
them; while the league might want starters to go longer, organizations will still
want to keep their starters from going through a lineup a third time.

The plus side to this plan would be the late inning strategy would stay in place,
something that us in the anti-DH mindset would miss. Double switches, playing matchups,
and the value of a strong bench would stay in the game.

The downside is this doesn’t fix a real issue for fans. Right now, the game is all
home runs and strikeouts. Adding a DH would increase home runs; the DH is the position
that gets the most home runs per plate appearance at 4.74% (next closest is first
base at 4.33%; every other position is at 4% or less). The DH is also the position(
excluding pitchers) that strikes out the most at 25% (noted above); catchers and
left field are close at 24.1%, but every other positions is between 20-24%.

Another issue would be roster construction; a team would instantly be down one of
their best bench options once the starter is pulled. There could be an argument 
that you’d probably use a pinch hitter when the start leaves, but there are 2 other
possibilities: the starter leaves mid-inning and your best hitter might not be the
first pinch hitter used. I know teams would go out and get their specific DH DH,
but then you play with a short bench or a reduced bullpen. The league could expand
the rosters again to 27 players, but owners would not like adding another player
to the MLB payroll.

You’d also have owners not want to pay a guy that only gets 2 at bats per game big
time money; the average DH makes $9,465,481 this season, with the top 5 averaging
$21,620,000. If you took the average DH salary and broke it down to at bats (2 at
bats per 162 games), he’d be getting over $29,000 each time he stepped to the plate.
A full time DH bats 3.93 times per game, so he’d be worth almost $15,000 per plate
appearance. An owner would see those numbers and flip.

While I give the MLB credit for being creative, I think the “Double Hook” Designated
Hitter will end up on the shelf with stealing first base.

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