Sorry Purists, Writing Is on the Wall for NL to Implement the DH

MLBTom Olmscheid/Associated Press

The designated hitter is coming to the National League. It's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when.

I say that as a dyed-in-the-wool fan of the National League. I say that as someone who loves watching pitchers such as Madison Bumgarner and Bartolo Colon take their hacks.

If you put on a glove, you should pick up a bat. Right?

Maybe. But the designated hitter upholds another fundamental baseball truism: We want to watch hitters hit and pitchers pitch.

Sure, there are novelty exceptions such as Bumgarner and Colon. Overall, though, do you want to see your squad's ace sidelined because he pulled a muscle on a swing or a run to first, or would you rather watch…