Below comes from RD published May 2001, page 54. Without proper background knowledge, I have difficulty in having a key to fully understanding meaning. Would you please explain to me?
Word Power (From the book "Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners").
15. I pinch hit Chili Davis with one out and the bases loaded.
Question: I think when three people died-three outs, the inning is changed from batting to defense, therefore here the coach "I" substitute the batter when one player died, and then the bases fully loaded with three runners. Is it correct?
ANSWER: You are right that one player died (or went out), but that out could have occurred before the bases became fully loaded. In any inning, the team at bat is the offensive and the team in the field is the defensive. It always takes three outs for the teams to exchange positions. Thus, at that point in time, the Yankees (up at bat) were on the offensive and the other team was on the defensive. The coach substituted (replaced) the regular player who was next in the lineup (the batting order of the players) with a pinch hitter, who is most often a switch-hitter by ability and who most often replaces a pitcher who is up to bat, because often pitchers are weak hitters. Sometimes, a designated hitter is referred to as a pinch hitter, but really its not exactly the same thing, because when a DH replaces a pitcher, that pitcher can not come back into the game, and the DH stays for the remainder of the game, and the coach sends in a new relief pitcher. Its called a defensive substitution. Thus, even though you are presently on the offense, you have the option of defensive maneuvers. Chili Davis served as both and I believe he was the first pro-ball player ever from Jamaica.
Incidently, pinch-hit, can be used as a noun, however it is most often used as an intransitive verb, i.e. a verb not requiring a direct object, but as you see, in this case, Joe Torre speaks "I pinch-hit Chili Davis..." Thus, Chili Davis serves as a direct object. This gives you the idea, then, that pinch-hit is a transitive verb that requires a direct object for the meaning. No, intransitive verbs can have direct objects, but do not need to, for the meaning to be fully understood and complete. Thus, in speaking or writing, its your choice to use a direct object with an intransitive verb, if you so wish.
I hope this makes things a bit clear rather than a bit confusing. If not, I'll expound further. "Ambiguous Bill"
