However, the National League is virtually the only organized baseball league that does not use the Designated Hitter in its games. Colleges, minor leagues, international baseball associations have all adopted the rule. The Cosmic Baseball Association discontinued use of the Designated Hitter starting with the 1997 season. The decision to stop use of the DH was based on a membership referendum. If you are a player, it's good for baseball if your salary goes up and your career gets extended.
Traditionalists desire to preserve the sanctity and integrity of the game.
One of the chief arguments against the Designated Hitter is that it reduces overall game strategy. However, Bill James, a well-respected scholar of baseball has questioned this assumption. James analyzed sacrifice hits and the use of pinch hitters between 1968 and 1983 and concluded that the rule actually increases managerial strategy. It is true, according to James' research, that the overall number of bunts and use of pinch hitters decreased once the DH Rule was imposed. But, James believes the decision to use these strategies became more complex.