'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABfAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABhAAAQIGAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDAAQFERIhBhQHExUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEQADAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAiEAAwQj/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCW8jc6r9AnXZGReEXfnjOI+Yoe2RR5RwXViRcYu2qn2Wge67Y+0UPHa2y3aEIdvyYBJdOMlkUmzf/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
MLB continues to find new ways to make changes to the rules of the sport and keep it ever-changing with the times. The league announced on Tuesday that a series of new rules will be tested in the Atlantic League this season. Among the changes, one of the more controversial is the 'double hook DH' rule. This new rule tweaks the role of the designated hitter in a team.
Based on the new rules being experimented with, teams can use their designated hitter throughout the game as long as their starting pitcher throws at least five innings. If that doesn't happen, the team loses its designated hitter and the pitcher's spot will bat for the remainder of the game. This has been experimented with in the Atlantic League since last season.
The Atlantic League is a professional, independent league based in the United States. It has been an official MLB Partner League since 2019. The league operates in cities that do not have major or minor league baseball and features a total of ten teams. As part of the partnership, the league helps major leagues test out the proposed new rules. Not all the rules tested out in the Atlantic League have made it to the majors.
Trending
Most fans and analysts alike consider the new experiment with rules unnecessary and have already condemned it. MLB podcaster Jared Carrabis wrote on Twitter: "This gotta be the dumbest f***ing idea."
His opinion was shared by many others who thought that the new designated hitter rule would be detrimental to the game. It is worth noting that the current DH rule was also controversial when it was first proposed.
MLB's current designated hitter rule was adopted by the National League in 2022
It is worth noting that the current designated hitter rule was originally proposed by the MLB in 1973. It was adopted as a tool that would help teams boost their offense. While it was originally a controversial idea, it has since been incorporated into the league over the years. The National League finally adopted the rule in 2022 and made it universal among all the major and minor leagues.
Hence, while the new rule may seem "dumb" and unconventional to many who love the sport, only time will tell whether it will become part of the larger baseball ecosystem in the future.
