Tigers' Catchers Makes Interleague Play Challenging For Manager Leyland

One more reason for Jim Leyland to dislike interleague play: he's almost as hamstrung about using his catchers without the designated hitter as he is when it comes into play.

Every other team in the American League at least gains a bench player when it plays in National League cities. Forced to let pitchers bat, the DH now becomes a useable member of the bench -- except if you're Leyland.

It's bad enough Leyland has to be careful in league games. His backup catcher, Victor Martinez, is his DH, so when both Martinez and regular Alex Avila are in the game at the same time, Leyland has to take care that his emergency catcher, Don Kelly, is either on the field or available and on the bench.

If he pinch-runs for Martinez or Avila in late innings, the manager would have to make sure Kelly is available for use.

But for games in NL cities, where there is no DH, very little changes for Leyland.

He has to choose between Martinez and Avila as his starting catcher. The other has to be available from the bench just in case the one playing gets hurt or gets pinch-run for.

That means the one who doesn't start can't be used as a pinch-hitter -- except in cases of extreme emergencies. Because if Leyland used the catcher not starting as a pinch-hitter at some point, it would leave him with a backup catcher should something happen to the starter.

Which is why Avila wasn't used a pinch-hitter in Detroit's 10-1 loss at Pittsburgh. In case something happened to Martinez, Leyland would need to have Kelly available for use.

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