I’m being petty.

So over at USSM, we’ve decided to turn the other cheek mostly and let poor coverage of the local team go unchecked. Many readers thought attacking coverage was beneath us and made us look like resentful, petty jerks more interested in scoring points and acting superior. I had hoped that by being sharply critical of the disappointing coverage we’d be able to get some improvments made. That wasn’t happening, so I ceded the argument.

From today’s Mariner mailbag, on MLB.com, by Jim Street:

I am curious about the exact rules of the DH. Is it required that AL teams use one, or can they have the pitcher hit if they wanted? I don’t see why they would want to, just curious. Also, if the DH is used, does it have to be for the pitcher, or could the DH for a position player and let the pitcher hit? — Travis J., Hillsboro, Ore.

The designated hitter rule, adopted by the AL in 1974, allows the manager to put a hitter in the lineup in place of the pitcher. Although nothing would prevent the manager from using the DH for a position player and letting the pitcher hit, that would mean the defense would have only eight players on the field, which would not be a good idea.

In order:
The designated hitter rule, adopted by the AL in 1974,

Yes.

allows the manager to put a hitter in the lineup in place of the pitcher.

Yes

Although nothing would prevent the manager from using the DH for a position player and letting the pitcher hit,

What? No. This is in the rules: 6.10 (b).

(b) The Rule provides as follows: A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher and all subsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game. A Designated Hitter for the pitcher must be selected prior to the game and must be included in the lineup cards presented to the Umpire in Chief.

Has to be the pitcher. Has to be.

that would mean the defense would have only eight players on the field, which would not be a good idea.

Now this totally goes off the rails. Even in leagues where you can have a DH for the shortstop (I know some prep leagues do this, for instance) you still have nine fielders. The shortstop doesn’t bat, just like a pitcher doesn’t bat. Why would DHing for a fielder mean you only got eight players? Does he take a fielder’s slot but not field? Would the DH bat twice in a nine-man lineup, or would the lineup drop to eight?

What’s disappointing about this is that I know Street must know this. He can’t not know it. He’s been writing about baseball forever. He was the Bay Area president of the BaseBall Writer’s Association of America (BBWAA) in 1980. I’ve been reading his bylines on stuff in the Sporting News and Baseball Weekly since I could read them. Unless there’s another Jim Street. I don’t understand how this gets up, and I don’t understand what he was trying to say in the last bit at all.

Maybe there’s another Jim Street, and all this time I’ve just thought it was one writer with a long and productive career.