American League baseball: where in the batting order is the MOST common spot for the Designated Hitter to bat?
342081
Well, I know you lost the bet and that's before I even double checked the box scores (which you can easily do with a copy of yesterday's paper or mlb.com)\n\nHafner batted 4th. \nThome batted 3rd\nYoung batted 7th\nSweeney batted 3rd\nSalmon batted 5th\nEverett batthed 6th\nHuff batted 4th\nLopez batted 7th\nWhite batted 4th\nHillenbrand batted 6th\nOrtiz batted 3rd\nNevin batted 4th\nWilliams batted 8th\nand Thomas batted 4th\n\nSo 5 batted clean up. Less than half. \n\nI don't have the numbers about where the DH's bat over a whole season and I'm not sure where to get them, but most of them do bat between 3rd and 6th. DH doesn't automatically mean best hitter though. So they don't always bat fourth.
203011
1 Rookie Batboys\n2 Dirty Dugout Dingers\n3 Pinetar Benchwarmers\n4 Royals Elite  :-)\n5 Minor League Misfits\n6 Late Call-ups
1117870
Down to the third baseman.  Usually goes 3rd to short to 2nd and back to third.  Every once in a while some teams throw to 1st, but it's pretty rare.  Usually third.
280057
There are no offical rules on the diminsions.  The rules only state: \n\nBENCH OR DUGOUT is the seating facilities reserved for players, substitutes, one manager, and not more than two coaches when they are not actively engaged on the playing field. Batboys and/or batgirls are not permitted in Major, Minor or Tee Ball Baseball or in any Softball division. \n\nThe dimisions can be as big as you can afford to pay. (price of the bench)
548088
My favorite is an overhand sinker. Hold the ball with your pointer and middle finger on the top and your thumb on the bottom and the slots facing your palm. Throw the ball over hand with kind of a football throwing motion bring your two finger snapping over the top. The ball goes much faster than a curve or slider and has a sharp, late drop that fools most hitters. Best when thrown in on the hands. \n\nI also like the sidearm riser. Hold the ball like you would for a curve. Throw the ball with a big, sweeping submarine motion and the ball will rise and break across the plate.
1167091
The dopes in the the American League were losing audience and interest to the then superior National League. So, in the Fall of 1972, they introduced the HORRID (see where I am coming from?) designated hitter rule, making the pitcher not be a part of the line up and having soemone who wouldn't have the skills to otherwise play on a regular basis (trust me on this, AL apologists be damned) become this so called 'DH'.\n\nIt debuted as an experiment in 1973 with Ron Bloomberg of the Yankees being the first to take his hacks in this new way.  The experiment gave way to the hysterical permanance of the rule in 1975.\n\nThe World Series was played under several different scenarios over the years.  In 1973-1974, there was no DH, and from 1975-1986, there was alternating years, either all DH or no DH...note that in 1976 the 'Big Red Machine' CIncinnati Reds used the same line up for all games of the WS, the only time it has (or will happen).\n\nUntill the Players Association (jerks that they are) and dopey American League Fans (jerks that they are, too) get on board and see the value of having the pitcher hit again, we will be stuck with two different sets of rules....\n\nDon't get me started with interleague play!
665296
near the very top of the stadium on 3rd base side if its a tier box
1057992
1.  As a hitter, you look for top spin (opposite of fastball).  Also, occasionally a pitcher will drop his elbow when he throws the curve.  Look for that.\n\n2.  The best 0-2 pitch is often a fastball high and in.  It's called "wasting a pitch" but either causes an aggresive hitter to swing at a bad pitch or sets up a timid hitter to put a bad swing on a next pitch low and away.\n\n3.  For velocity and control, go with the "4-seam" grip (across the widest space between seems).
551955
1.  Pitcher\n2.  Catcher\n3.  First Base\n4.  Second Base\n5.  Third Base\n6.  Shortstop\n7.  Left Field\n8.  Center Field\n9.  Right Field
169628
Well, really the best way is to have them do it.  Positioning depends on the hitter at the plate.  If they're a power hitter, play behind the bag off the line.  If they're a lefty pull hitter with power, guard the line a little more.  Bunting  situations, play in line with the bag at first base and the pitching rubber, guarding the line.  When they square around to bunt, start moving in towards the bag.  If the catcher, pitcher or 3rd baseman is going to get the ball on a bunt, get out of the line of fire!  If the batter is a slap hitter, play somewhere between the power hitter and bunting positions.  Other than that, it's really just a matter of hitting a few hard ground balls and pop-ups to the infield for the first baseman to get used to it.
562391
C- Victor Martinez (Cleveland Indians)\n1B- Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals)\n2B- Jeff Kent (LA Dodgers)\nSS- Derek Jeter (New York Yankees)\n3B- Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees)\nLF- Manny Ramirez (Boston Red Sox)\nCF- Andruw Jones (Atlanta Braves)\nRF- Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants; he is still the most feared hitter in baseball)\nDH- David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox)\n\nSP- Pedro Martinez (New York Mets; if Roger Clemens isnt available)\n\nCP- Mariano Rivera (New York Yankees)\n\nDefinately a tough question. Pujols is a definate, always will be, and so is Ortiz at DH, and A Rod at 3B...but the other ones were tough. I tried to have a lineup with some lefties, switch hitters and tried to makie it a balanced lineup with some power, some average and definately some clutch in Jeter at SS. Rivera is the best closer ever, without question if you ask me, and Pedro is awesome at SP, but it was tough between him and Schilling just because of how tough Schilling is. I believe that Pedron is definately better though now, also in consideration was Johan Santana the LHP from the Twins. In any case, that is my lineup and Im sticking to it.
581266
H / AB\n\nH=Hits\nAB=At Bats\n\nSee section 10.22 of the link below
387620
go to eastbay.com and shop around you can order in team quantitees or single orders\nor see what you can find on baseballexpress.com
225450
As mentioned above, you can put any hitter in the Utility position. It should also be noted that some hitters can only go in the Util slot. Frank Thomas and Travis Hafner, for instance, don't play enough games in the field to qualify at any other position, so they are only eligible at Util.
306937
Without going into a 4-page dissertation on the history of the sport, the main difference between the two leagues is that the American League has the designated hitter rule.  This lets each team have someone in the lineup who doesn't play the field; they just bat.  Since pitchers are generally the weakest hitters, their position in the lineup is usually occupied by the designated hitter.  Since the National League doesn't have the designated hitter, pitchers bat for themselves.
179267
Tradition allows the coach to wander about some.  The rulebook requires him to stay there, but in a casenote right underneath the rule, it allows him to move around: "It has been common practice for many years... to be slightly outside the box... The coach shall not be considered outside the box unless the opposing manager complains, and then the umpire shall (strictly enforce the rule...)"\n\nA coach also has a total right to leave the box during play to get out of the way of the play or to signal a runner to advance or return, provided again he doesn't get in the way of things.  If he does at any time, interference is called, with its attached penalties.\n\nAlso, MLB and common sense permit the coach to move back for his own protection.  When Mark McGwire hit in the late 90s, his 3rd base coach would position himself near the grandstand and perhaps 75 feet farther down the line to avoid McGwire's foul balls... :)
1170865
1.04\nTHE PLAYING FIELD. The field shall be laid out according to the instructions below, supplemented by Diagrams No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 on adjoining pages. The infield shall be a 90-foot square. The outfield shall be the area between two foul lines formed by extending two sides of the square, as in Diagram 1. The distance from home base to the nearest fence, stand or other obstruction on fair territory shall be 250 feet or more. A distance of 320 feet or more along the foul lines, and 400 feet or more to center field is preferable. The infield shall be graded so that the base lines and home plate are level. The pitcher's plate shall be 10 inches above the level of home plate. The degree of slope from a point 6 inches in front of the pitcher's plate to a point 6 feet toward home plate shall be 1 inch to 1 foot, and such degree of slope shall be uniform. The infield and outfield, including the boundary lines, are fair territory and all other area is foul territory. It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitchers plate to second base shall run East-Northeast. It is recommended that the distance from home base to the backstop, and from the base lines to the nearest fence, stand or other obstruction on foul territory shall be 60 feet or more. See Diagram 1. When location of home base is determined, with a steel tape measure 127 feet, 338 inches in desired direction to establish second base. From home base, measure 90 feet toward first base; from second base, measure 90 feet toward first base; the intersection of these lines establishes first base. From home base, measure 90 feet toward third base; from second base, measure 90 feet toward third base; the intersection of these lines establishes third base. The distance between first base and third base is 127 feet, 338 inches. All measurements from home base shall be taken from the point where the first and third base lines intersect. The catcher's box, the batters' boxes, the coaches' boxes, the three-foot first base lines and the next batter's boxes shall be laid out as shown in Diagrams 1 and 2. The foul lines and all other playing lines indicated in the diagrams by solid black lines shall be marked with wet, unslaked lime, chalk or other white material. The grass lines and dimensions shown on the diagrams are those used in many fields, but they are not mandatory and each club shall determine the size and shape of the grassed and bare areas of its playing field. NOTE (a) Any Playing Field constructed by a professional club after June 1, 1958, shall provide a minimum distance of 325 feet from home base to the nearest fence, stand or other obstruction on the right and left field foul lines, and a minimum distance of 400 feet to the center field fence. (b) No existing playing field shall be remodeled after June 1, 1958, in such manner as to reduce the distance from home base to the foul poles and to the center field fence below the minimum specified in paragraph (a) above.