Yesterday marked the thirtieth anniversary of the designated hitter and the debate has been continuous ever since Ron Blomberg got that hit. To most of you, Ron Blomberg is a trivia question. To me, he was a smile of remembrance as I watched him play and I saw that hit. Ron Blomberg is as good an argument as any for the designated hitter.

Ron Blomberg had just about the quickest swing I've ever seen. He never took a little swing. The swing started in an arc behind him and then whooshed through the zone and after full extension, swooshed back behind him just as quickly until he had to sit on the upright bat to steady himself. And he was a paradox in so many ways. He was Jewish with a southern accent. He was grace and ferocity when batting but uncouth and awkward with a glove. He was also one of the fastest players I've seen down the first base line. He beat out quite a few hits that surprised the infielders of his day. The designated hitter was the perfect vehicle so that Blomberg could bat and run and not have to field.

In Blomberg's two years of designated hitting, he had 565 at bats, 181 hits, 22 homeruns and 105 RBI...not a bad season. And those stats were with miserable teams. The year before 1973, when the DH began, Blomberg made 13 errors at first base in just 95 games. It's pretty hard to make 13 errors in a whole season at first base. It was almost comical...unless you were a Yankee pitcher or infielder at the time. But again, the paradox: he was a power hitter who walked more in his career than he struck out.

The anger of Blomberg's swing and his great speed did not make it conducive for a long career. He was limited to just 105 at bats in 1975, missed all of 1976 and then had a brief stay with the Cubs in 1976 before calling it quits. He ended up with a .293 lifetime average and was a career .473 slugger. Not bad!

As a fan, I was glad that the DH was invoked as it gave us two extra years of Ron Blomberg when there was little else to cheer for at the time. And as a fan, how can you not think back over the last thirty years and not think of some of the great hitters who never would have survived in MLB without the DH. Orlando Cepeda, Tony Oliva and many great players extended their careers and our ability to enjoy their careers because of the DH.

But the argument comes down to which system produces a better game. Again, the DH presents a better game for the following reasons:
- Good pitchers get to stay in the game longer so we get less mediocre pitching
- Has anyone ever paid to see a pitcher hit? But many have paid to see Oliva hit.
- With the pitcher hitting 9th, the 8th hitter is rendered just as ineffective as he is either pitched around or has to reach for bad pitches.
- Bringing in relief pitchers doesn't mean the demeaning act of calling in another player off the field.
- 9 good hitters is better than 7 good hitters, an emaciated hitter and a terrible hitter.
- Is the bunt play ever exciting?
- AL pitchers strikeout stats are not bloated by 4 free strikeouts a game.

And to prove my point once and for all...has any NL manager refused to use the DH when they had the chance in the World Series? I don't think so. I do agree that it's silly to have two leagues with different rules. But that's also a charm. But I think that if you keep a two league, two rule viability, then get rid of the switching back and forth in the World Series. Just make it all DH and be done with it!

The DH has been a part of baseball for thirty years. That's almost as much tradition as not, correct? It's good for the fans, good for the players and good for those poor pitchers who have to look silly every time they go to the plate.

When I was in High School, I took printing for three years instead of wood shop or mechanics. My prize piece of work was a giant baseball scorecard complete with a large action picture of Ron Blomberg crossing home plate. It was a picture my print shop teacher stated I could never duplicate on the lithographic printer. Proving him wrong was a part of Blomberg's magic in my fandom and I'm glad the DH was started for him to give me so many smiles.