KANSAS CITY // As the World Series shifts venues, both the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants must adjust to a crucial rules change that requires pitchers to swing the bat.
Teams have used American League rules for the first two games at the home of AL champion Kansas City, where designated hitters (DH) replace pitchers in the batting order and do not have to take the field for defensive duty.
But the National League champion Giants will play host to Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final for three games starting Thursday, and NL rules require pitchers take their turn at the plate.
For the Royals, who won Game 2 on Thursday to level the series at 1-1, it means pitchers have the unfamiliar challenge of trying to hit, while a stronger offensive player is removed from the line-up and relegated to a substitute role later in the games.
“I don’t see where it’s any advantage or disadvantage,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.
“We’ve got a big bat on the bench late that we can bring off. Our pitchers, even though they haven’t done it with regularity, the guys that we have are all pretty decent hitters. They are all pretty fundamentally sound in terms of bunting.”
In Kansas City’s case, it means designated hitter Billy Butler will have to wait for his chance.
“To have a bat like Billy Butler’s on the bench coming in a situation with guys in scoring position, that could be the difference,” Yost said. “It’s a different style of game, but I don’t see where it’s a huge disadvantage to us.”
Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who guided San Francisco to World Series titles in 2010 and 2012, plays down any edge his club might have enjoyed in Kansas City from pulling Michael Morse into designated hitter duty while pitchers sat.
“Each team you would think would have a little advantage in their park,” he said. “The American League team has a DH. A guy has that role where we don’t do that in the National League. Then you go to our park and they don’t have that player available.
“But as much as you think there’s an advantage one way or the other, it doesn’t always play like that. You still have to go out there and pitch, catch the ball and score enough runs.”
Butler is prepared for a reserve role and to enter in a tension-packed situation when the Royals will need him to produce.
“It’s not a disappointment at all. It’s just the different rules,” Butler said. “I’ll be prepared for whatever the team needs and hopefully I’ll come up in a big situation and contribute.”
Morse found it tricky to stay into the game mentally without playing in the field defensively.
“It’s totally different than going in and playing the field,” he said. “I’ve got to keep on my feet and keep in the game. You can easily focus too much on your at-bats.
“I love the fact both leagues are split up that way. I think it’s great for baseball. ”
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