Terry Francona, the Red Sox manager, has to rearrange his regular line-up to get David Ortiz, above, to play in NL parks.
Terry Francona, the Red Sox manager, has to rearrange his regular line-up to get David Ortiz, above, to play in NL parks.
Terry Francona, the Red Sox manager, has to rearrange his regular line-up to get David Ortiz, above, to play in NL parks.
Terry Francona, the Red Sox manager, has to rearrange his regular line-up to get David Ortiz, above, to play in NL parks.

Time for NL to step to plate with designated hitter rule


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The designated hitter (DH) rule, first introduced in 1973, allows teams to designate a hitter to bat in the stead of weak-hitting pitchers. Nearly 40 years later, it remains controversial, and never more so than in the early summer.

The National League (NL) still does not use the DH, and that creates problems every June and July when American League (AL) clubs face the NL in inter-league play.

Under the current set-up, AL teams must play by NL rules when games are played in NL ballparks. That means AL teams, who build their line-ups around a DH for 153 games each season, suddenly must field an inferior line-up.

"It's not fair," said Terry Francona, the Boston Red Sox manager, of the arrangement.

In Francona's case, he was faced with a no-win situation. As the Red Sox found themselves in the midst of nine road games against NL opponents, he could either sit DH David Ortiz - the team's top home-run hitter - or have him play first while shifting first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the outfield.

Neither option is without its problems. The Red Sox must either field a reduced line-up or risk injuring one of their best players at an unfamiliar position.

Francona is not alone in his protest. A number of AL teams annually voice their displeasure.

In essence, NL teams have a built-in advantage under the current set-up. When games are played in their home ballparks, they field the same line-ups they always do - eight position players and a pitcher. When games are played in AL ballparks, they merely upgrade from a pitcher hitting to another position player to bat.

"I'm not sure what can be done about it," one AL executive said of the current set-up, "because I know there are still National League owners who will never, ever [vote] to have the DH in their league.

"They're holdouts and they're not about to give in. But it's ridiculous the way it is now."

The solution seems rather obvious, and there is already precedent. Major League Basesball has changed the rules to allow for the DH in the annual All-Star Game, played by the best players in each league, even when the game is played in a NL ballpark. Remarkably, the sport did not crumble.

And, for those suggesting that the All-Star Game is an exhibition and the outcome unimportant, remember that the league which wins that game earns home-field advantage for the World Series.

Surely, the adaptation of the DH for nine home games is not going to hurt the NL.

If need be, when NL teams play one another, they can go back to their tradition-bound practice of allowing the pitchers to hit.

But when the leagues face-off, it is time to end the practice of "separate but unequal", which favours one league over the other.

The week in the MLB

Players of the week

• Shane Victorino, Phillies.
The "Flyin' Hawaiian", below, is igniting the top of the batting order. He scored a run per game last week with 10 hits, half of them for extra-bases.
• Michael Cuddyer, Twins. In the midst of a 12-game hitting streak, the outfielder hit a blistering .419 and added six doubles in that span.

Teams of the week
• Washington Nationals. The upstart Nats went 6-1 last week in inter-league play to climb to 39-37 and move into third place in the NL East. Who knew that such a hot streak would also include the resignation of their manager?
• Minnesota Twins. The Twins' long road back to contention continued with an eight-game winning streak, but they still have a lot of ground to make up in the AL Central.

Dud of the Week
• Josh Hamilton, Rangers. Hamilton claimed that the reason for his poor daytime batting average (.122 day, .374 at night) is his blue eyes, which makes seeing in the bright sunlight difficult. Really?

Series of the Week
• Red Sox at Phillies, Tuesday-Thursday. At the start of the season, these two teams were heavy favourites to reach the World Series. After some stumbling, both are back on track. Could this be a preview of the Fall Classic?
• Indians at Diamondbacks, tomorrow-Wednesday. Anyone who said they knew, back when the season began, that both Cleveland and Arizona would be in first place in their divisions in the final week of June is not being honest.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport

Price, base: Dh5.1 million

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm

Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km

Company%20Profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SCE%20Studio%20Cambridge%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sony%20Computer%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%2C%20PlayStation%204%20and%205%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

The specs

Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm

Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto

Price: From Dh139,995

On sale: now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Fixtures
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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De De Pyaar De

Produced: Luv Films, YRF Films
Directed: Akiv Ali
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jaaved Jaffrey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The%20specs
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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

ESSENTIALS

The flights 
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes. 
Where to stay 
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.

In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
  • Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 
  • Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000 
  • HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000 
  • Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000 
  • Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000 
  • Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000 
  • Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000 
  • Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
  • Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
  • Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.