Berkman Thinks DH Role Is "Not Baseball"

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Cardinals All-Star outfielder Lance Berkman agrees with his
 manager Tony La Russa that the designated hitter does not
 belong in baseball. - Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Just over a week ago, future Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa spoke on his feelings regarding the role of the designated hitter in baseball.  Never shy to share his opinion on a baseball matter, the Cardinals manager was in favor of dumping the the designated hitter completely in baseball.

On Monday afternoon, another member of the Cardinals organization spoke regarding the DH debate and offered a similar sentiment.

Cardinals outfielder Lance Berkman has put together an MVP type season for the Cardinals.  The starting right fielder in Tuesday night's All-Star game has hit 24 home runs and drove in 63 RBI's.

It is Berkman's first season back in the outfield after spending several seasons at first base for the Houston Astros and the last half of the 2010 season as the designated hitter for the New York Yankees.

Berkman does not want to be a designated hitter again in his career and feels that the role does not serve a purpose in baseball.

Here is what Berkman had to say regarding the DH in baseball during Monday's press conference at the All-Star game. 
"If I can't play in the field, I'm not going to play.  I'm not going to sit on the bench. That's 100 percent."
"Now, if that's the only job available and if, in my heart, I didn't feel like I could go out there and run around and catch the ball and play defense. . . I probably wouldn't be worth a dang anyway."
"The game is designed to be played with the pitcher hitting. I don't like the DH. And if you can' t play a position. . . that's not baseball."
Current stars that serve as designated hitters, like David Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero, may disagree.  Certainly a Hall of Famer like Paul Molitor might be rubbed the wrong way by Berkman's comments.

But Berkman is once again on the side of baseball purists who hated the designated hitter ever since it was introduced in the 1973.

The designated hitter debate will continue to be a hot topic as Major League Baseball considers realigning the structure of its teams and playoff system.  The union will likely push for the DH to be introduced across the entire league.  Purists will of course hope that the DH is banished forever.

Bud Selig and company will have a decision to make at some point sooner rather than later.  Especially when high profile managers and players publicly speak on the subject so regularly.

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