Doesn’t the DH also have to run the bases? Or maybe we should let them use a robot like Johnny-5 in place of their aging slugger DH’s in the AL so they don’t fall apart…

anyone can get hurt. even outfielders. they hit walls sometimes, don’t they?

For a guy who went to Stanford, he makes himself sound rather like a dolt here:

“We don’t hit, we don’t run the bases,” Mussina said. “You get four or five at-bats a year at most, and if you happen to get on base once or twice, you never know. We run in straight lines most of the time. Turning corners, you just don’t do that.”

1. AL teams don’t have to spend money on reserve players, because they don’t have to worry about where the pitcher is hitting and sort their roster around that spot late in games. It effectively shortens their bench and their bullpen and allows them to pony up millions of dollars for aging sluggers - which creates a competitive imbalance between the leagues.
2. There are some AL teams with absolute CRAP DH’s because those teams don’t spend money. Most of the teams with good players in a DH role have high payrolls. I’d rather see the strategy of double-switching in the late innings than watching a washed up Jose Vidro bat 4 times a game.
3. By your “specialized” argument, should there then be some type of rule for courtesy runners as well? It would be great to allow, say, Scott Podsednik or Brian Barton, to run for Torrealba or Molina every time they reach base. Except, of course, that it’s RIDICULOUS!!! The thing is, that’s basically the argument you just made about specialized batters.
4. Some pitchers are serviceable hitters. Enough said on that one.
5. All pitchers should be able to get a bunt down - they are professional athletes who work on these things every day. I’m sure most of these guys were good hitters at some point in their career as well.
6. The injury aspect is completely overblown. Randy Johnson was on a massage table in between innings his last few years on Seattle, but when he was traded to the Astros and D-Backs he had to get himself into shape in order to be able to hit 3 times a game. IMO, this extended his career because his body was more able to take the beating from pitching.