OK, I can't come up with a reason for this under ANY circumstances.
70's game, 3 game series vs 1 LHP and 2 RHPs.
HAL starts BATEMAN?!?!? over Bench in all 3 games. In the game vs the LHP, Bench plays DH?!?!?! wtf is HAL doing?
He's lost him mind.
Even if it is Bench's 4L card, he still is better then Bateman's best, and the defense is not even close, and they are both RH batters.
HUH???