MLB: Designated Hitter Options for the NL Central

If I’m advocating putting the designated hitter in the National League, then it’s only fair that I come up with who is going to handle the duties of the position on an everyday basis.

I’ve made an effort to select players already under contract to their MLB clubs for the 2017 season, provide reasons why they will make an effective DH, and others who might work as well, where applicable.

Part of the reasoning will come from players who have already assumed the position in interleague play. Some of the selections, especially among rebuilding teams, are crapshoots; those clubs need enough help that simply getting Major League at-bats to certain players might help them make evaluations a little bit quicker.

The point is, any player put in the designated hitter spot will, long term, be a better hitter than any one pitcher. The best hitting pitchers normally hit in the .240 neighborhood (with a much smaller plate appearance sample size), and if a DH is at that level, he’d better be having a monster year hitting home runs. If the DH isn’t hitting better than your pitching staff, odds are somebody in the minors could do a better job.

And does an organization really want to risk its ace, and the contract that usually accompanies him, getting injured by another pitcher’s wayward effort?

So now that we’ve set the parameters, let’s get started with the Chicago Cubs.

Next: Chicago Cubs

Jordan Pacheco may not be the obvious choice for the Cincinnati Reds designated hitter in 2017, but I’d argue that other than Joey Votto, who is? The young Reds, if they don’t trade him to a contender, need Brandon Phillips on the field defensively, and Votto’s salary (a mistake from the word “go”) makes him cost-prohibitive to not play a position.

Pacheco is eligible for arbitration after this season, but if the Reds will have the career .277 hitter, it seems likely he’d be glad to play, even as a designated hitter. Cincinnati cannot count on his power; Pacheco has only 10 home runs in six big league seasons. But he hits for average enough that he can help keep the line moving, and he won’t cost a lot of money. But if there’s one National League Central team that would have to look elsewhere for a DH, it’s the Reds.

Besides, when you’re in rebuilding mode like the Reds are right now, finding a designated hitter is the least of your worries. The starting pitching rotation is almost as young as the guys at the frat party, the bullpen could be charged with arson, and while there’s every reason the situation will improve in years to come, the Reds’ everyday players are going to take their lumps.

So for the Reds, the designated hitter is a valuable evaluation tool.

Next: Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee’s Jonathan Lucroy will turn 32 abut a third of the way through the 2017 season; about the same time catchers typically start to show signs of decline from the wear-and-tear of the position. But 2017 is also going to be a contract year for Lucroy, and in the ultra-competitive National League Central, the Brewers needs all the offensive help they can get.

Lucroy’s solid but not spectacular statistics show he has some pop, and his stroke is well-suited for Miller Field. He’s a well-established Brewer and the locals tend to make guys feel like they’re welcome. This could be a win-win situation for the team and the player.

The drawback is if the Brewers can afford to do without Lucroy’s defense. Ryan Braun is the other reasonably obvious choice for a DH, but he seems to be aging gracefully in left field. Lucroy is usually the DH when the Brewers play in American League cities, so when the role goes into the NL it should be an easy transition him.

The adjustment the Brewers will need to make is finding an everyday catcher who can respectably hit. Martin Maldonado seems to be destined to bouncing around as a career backup, and his career numbers indicate that while he might have a bit more power, he can’t really be counted on to significantly outhit a pitching staff.

Next: Pittsburgh Pirates

Assuming Sean Rodriguez isn’t re-signed, John Jaso would be the most logical choice for a designated hitter in Pittsburgh. Jaso spent nearly all of his American league playing days as a designated hitter, and while a serviceable to decent fielder, the Pirates could use someone a little better in the infield.

Rodriguez is a much better choice, as he seems to have spend all his days in Pittsburgh doing his best Ben Zobrist impersonation; playing just about anywhere just to get on the field and working his way to an everyday place in a lineup somewhere, if not in PNC Park. The Pirates did sign him to a one-year deal over the winter, but it’s hard to imagine him being in a position to have to sign another contract just like it. While he won’t necessarily make the big money, versatility is still marketable in Major League Baseball.

Jaso has some pop, will benefit from the lack of foul territory in PNC Park, and has a knack for driving in key runs.

Of all the contenders in the National League, Pittsburgh may be the most likely to DH by committee. Manager Clint Hurdle likes getting bats into his lineup; he shuffles players and positions as much as any field boss in the bigs. Adding another spot in the order would be tailor-made for a manager like him.

Next: St. Louis Cardinals

Matt Holliday can and should finish his career as a designated hitter, and it’s be great if for all concerned in and around Busch Stadium if the DH is added to the National League. In 2017 Holliday will be in a contract year, and to be relieved of the responsibilities of playing the outfield as a 37-year-old in the heat and humidity under the arch should do wonders for his offensive statistics.

Besides, it’s not like the St. Louis Cardinals haven’t had a new outfielder come up from the minors, looking for playing time, seemingly every single year since the ice cream cone was invented a few miles away. The draft well and that talent, while off to a slower start than Cardinal Nation would like, always serves them well long-term, whether its in trade value or in Busch Stadium.

The Cards could also use the DH to keep Yadier Molina‘s bat in the lineup and get him from behind the plate a little more often. But what Molina brings to the tools of the catching position may be giving up a little too much.

Next: Has Jamaal Charles Lost a Step?

Either way, the best thing the designated hitter can do in St. Louis is extend the careers of two fan favorites.