MLB: Designated Hitter Options for the NL East
By Mark Howe
David Wright‘s every day work habits, just to keep him on the field, is well documented. He takes less batting practice, less infield practice and throws less in in-between inning warmups than anyone else in the league; his back is just that fragile.
As he ages and plays, his back simply isn’t going to get any better. The cold, hard fact of the matter is if the DH isn’t brought in to the National League, Wright will retire in an American League uniform as a designated hitter. Teams know he can’t run well, won’t take any chances on the bases and the Mets can’t defensively shift him the way others can with their third basemen.
Wright has to make a point to throw with his feet properly positioned, or not at all. Each throw is a careful evaluation, and I can see him running a mental checklist with every ground ball. He’s not playing because of his defense. He’s playing defense because the Mets need his bat.
No team in the NL needs the DH more than the defending champions of the league.
Next: Washington Nationals