Why is the American League so Much Better than the National League?

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F

Footwedge

Senior Member

9,265 posts
May 20, 2011 11:01 AM
Thought I'd stir the pot a tad now that the Reds are coming to town.

Discuss.
May 20, 2011 11:01am
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

The Biggest Boss

13,948 posts
May 20, 2011 11:04 AM
They're not.
May 20, 2011 11:04am
F

Footwedge

Senior Member

9,265 posts
May 20, 2011 11:06 AM
Thought I'd stir the pot a tad now that the Reds are coming to town.

Discuss.
May 20, 2011 11:06am
Laley23's avatar

Laley23

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29,506 posts
May 20, 2011 11:17 AM
DH, coupled with no pitcher hitter. It sounds as it is 1 in the same, but in reality, your DH is usually added to the middle of the order, and the 8 hitter can be a decent guy at #9. Seems like in the NL, you have the pitcher and then the #8 hitter is also shitty.

It hurts so much when you have to give up outs as well all the time, either by sacrificing or by having the pitcher try to hit, not as many chances for a big inning when the middle of the order is starting the inning because the automatic out comes up after 2 runs are in and the inning promptly comes to an end.
May 20, 2011 11:17am
like_that's avatar

like_that

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May 20, 2011 11:41 AM
se-alum;774862 wrote:They're not.

Interleague records the past 10 years disagree with you.
May 20, 2011 11:41am
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
May 20, 2011 11:53 AM
I much prefer the NL style of play.
May 20, 2011 11:53am
like_that's avatar

like_that

1st Team All-PWN

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May 20, 2011 11:59 AM
justincredible;774906 wrote:I much prefer the NL style of play.

I do too, much more strategy involved. Wish the AL would go back to it.
May 20, 2011 11:59am
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jordo212000

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10,664 posts
May 20, 2011 12:05 PM
like_that;774890 wrote:Interleague records the past 10 years disagree with you.

True.. but at the same time interleague play isn't a round robin. (You don't play everybody). So in my opinion, that stat is skewed a little bit. Which is why so many people are against interleague play to begin with.

I would definitely agree that the AL has been better recently, but I think the National League has been closing the gap over the past couple of seasons.
May 20, 2011 12:05pm
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BigAppleBuckeye

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2,935 posts
May 20, 2011 12:28 PM
Great question!

Signed,

The San Francisco Giants, 2010 World Champs
May 20, 2011 12:28pm
Tiger2003's avatar

Tiger2003

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15,421 posts
May 20, 2011 12:33 PM
Since 1995 the AL has won 9 World Series Titles while the the NL has won 7.
May 20, 2011 12:33pm
like_that's avatar

like_that

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May 20, 2011 12:35 PM
jordo212000;774923 wrote:True.. but at the same time interleague play isn't a round robin. (You don't play everybody). So in my opinion, that stat is skewed a little bit. Which is why so many people are against interleague play to begin with.

I would definitely agree that the AL has been better recently, but I think the National League has been closing the gap over the past couple of seasons.
Yeah, but using the past 10 years is a large enough sample size to come to that conclusion.
BigAppleBuckeye;774947 wrote:Great question!

Signed,

The San Francisco Giants, 2010 World Champs

lol, one series does not mean a whole league is better than the other league. By that logic, that means the pirates are better than the Reds since they just won their second series against them.
May 20, 2011 12:35pm
like_that's avatar

like_that

1st Team All-PWN

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May 20, 2011 12:39 PM
Tiger2003;774952 wrote:Since 1995 the AL has won 9 World Series Titles while the the NL has won 7.

See my response to big apple. A championship game/series is a horrible to argue that a certain league/conference is better lol. The top few teams of the NL can definitely compete with the AL. The NL just doesn't compete with the AL when it comes to depth.
May 20, 2011 12:39pm
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

The Biggest Boss

13,948 posts
May 20, 2011 12:42 PM
7 of the top 10 records this year belong to the National League.

Also, the DH is the natural answer.
May 20, 2011 12:42pm
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karen lotz

TuTu Train

22,284 posts
May 20, 2011 1:29 PM
The DH needs to go away.

There is also talk that Interleague play stopping for a few years. The interest isn't there like it was when it first started. I'd be fine with that, playing games with different rules should have no impact on who makes the playoffs in each league.
May 20, 2011 1:29pm
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justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
May 20, 2011 1:46 PM
karen lotz;775003 wrote:The DH needs to go away.

There is also talk that Interleague play stopping for a few years. The interest isn't there like it was when it first started. I'd be fine with that, playing games with different rules should have no impact on who makes the playoffs in each league.

I really do hope interleague goes away. I enjoy the Reds/Indians series' but don't really care for it otherwise.
May 20, 2011 1:46pm
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Azubuike24

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15,933 posts
May 20, 2011 1:47 PM
Lets list the REAL reasons the AL has dominated in the "crazy financial times" of the last 10-15 years.

1. Yankees - Crazy spending, nobody else comes close
2. Red Sox - Major spending, usually 2nd in MLB, combined with some top notch management
3. Angels - Major spending, taken advantage of the Dodgers struggles, great ownership
4. Better small market management/decisions - Oakland, Minnesota, Cleveland (at times)
5. White Sox > Cubs - Same market, look at the difference in success over this time...
6. Mid-market success - Detroit, Texas, Baltimore, Toronto...these teams have all had some great teams, all but Baltimore have made a World Series, Toronto won a couple.

Clearly, it's more complicated than this, but as a whole, look at the absolute worst franchises over this time period and in the top 10 worst, you easily have Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Chicago and Washington/Montreal. You then have some major underachievers in the NL like Atlanta and St. Louis, who both have double-digit division titles over this time period and only account for 2 titles. You then bring into the discussions some epic spending failures by the Dodgers, Mets, Cubs and even at times, the Astros and Giants. Hell, Florida's 2nd title, St. Louis's title after winning 83 games and San Francisco's run last year were out of nowhere.
May 20, 2011 1:47pm
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Laley23

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29,506 posts
May 20, 2011 1:49 PM
Interleague play is stupid. But it has provided a large enough sample size to conclude the AL is better. Id love to see it go to a week long thing, as opposed to the length it is. Keep the "natural rivalries" with a home and home set (2 games each), since travel would be short, and then have one more series (match up with who finished the same as you the year before (like the NFL). I dont know if it would work since the leagues are uneven, maybe the worst 2 NL teams dont get to benefit from the crowds in interleague.

Please GTFO with the World Series as a measuring stick. Interleague might not be the best, but it is CERTAINLY a better guide than the World Series.
May 20, 2011 1:49pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
May 20, 2011 1:53 PM
My baseball league is better than your baseball league.
May 20, 2011 1:53pm
karen lotz's avatar

karen lotz

TuTu Train

22,284 posts
May 20, 2011 1:58 PM
Laley23;775034 wrote:Interleague play is stupid. But it has provided a large enough sample size to conclude the AL is better. Id love to see it go to a week long thing, as opposed to the length it is. Keep the "natural rivalries" with a home and home set (2 games each), since travel would be short, and then have one more series (match up with who finished the same as you the year before (like the NFL). I dont know if it would work since the leagues are uneven, maybe the worst 2 NL teams dont get to benefit from the crowds in interleague.

Please GTFO with the World Series as a measuring stick. Interleague might not be the best, but it is CERTAINLY a better guide than the World Series.
Not sure who it was but heard someone talking about the possibility of each team playing a 3 game series with EVERY team in the opposite league. This would do away with the unbalanced schedule where teams play 18 or 19 games against their divisional foes. It would also be stupid.
May 20, 2011 1:58pm
Laley23's avatar

Laley23

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29,506 posts
May 20, 2011 2:02 PM
karen lotz;775042 wrote:Not sure who it was but heard someone talking about the possibility of each team playing a 3 game series with EVERY team in the opposite league. This would do away with the unbalanced schedule where teams play 18 or 19 games against their divisional foes. It would also be stupid.

Yeah, just get rid of interleague all together. It is just dumb, and can completely turn a pennant race around based on the teams played.
May 20, 2011 2:02pm
A

Al Bundy

Senior Member

4,180 posts
May 20, 2011 2:23 PM
Azubuike24;775033 wrote:Lets list the REAL reasons the AL has dominated in the "crazy financial times" of the last 10-15 years.

1. Yankees - Crazy spending, nobody else comes close
2. Red Sox - Major spending, usually 2nd in MLB, combined with some top notch management
3. Angels - Major spending, taken advantage of the Dodgers struggles, great ownership
4. Better small market management/decisions - Oakland, Minnesota, Cleveland (at times)
5. White Sox > Cubs - Same market, look at the difference in success over this time...
6. Mid-market success - Detroit, Texas, Baltimore, Toronto...these teams have all had some great teams, all but Baltimore have made a World Series, Toronto won a couple.

Clearly, it's more complicated than this, but as a whole, look at the absolute worst franchises over this time period and in the top 10 worst, you easily have Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Chicago and Washington/Montreal. You then have some major underachievers in the NL like Atlanta and St. Louis, who both have double-digit division titles over this time period and only account for 2 titles. You then bring into the discussions some epic spending failures by the Dodgers, Mets, Cubs and even at times, the Astros and Giants. Hell, Florida's 2nd title, St. Louis's title after winning 83 games and San Francisco's run last year were out of nowhere.

It isn't just the last 10-15 years, the AL has historically dominated the World Series.
May 20, 2011 2:23pm
A

Al Bundy

Senior Member

4,180 posts
May 20, 2011 2:25 PM
justincredible;775030 wrote:I really do hope interleague goes away. I enjoy the Reds/Indians series' but don't really care for it otherwise.

I would like to see it go away too, but if it doesn't it should at least be reduced to a couple of series.
May 20, 2011 2:25pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
May 20, 2011 2:28 PM
The AL should dominate the NL when it comes to interleague play. They are at a very large advantage when games are played in AL parks. They have a dedicated DH that is paid just to hit. NL teams have to throw in a reserve, non-starter as DH or start a reserve at another position to move a started into the DH role. I don't think there is that big of an advantage for the NL when they play at home.
May 20, 2011 2:28pm
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Little Danny

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4,288 posts
May 20, 2011 2:38 PM
ESPN is a major reason why people believe the AL is better than the NL. Ever watch Sportscenter or listen to ESPN radio and see how extensively they cover the Yankees or Red Sox games. They basically cover every inning blow by blow. With everyone else they primarily show some of the highlights, and in some cases only one or two highlights. I was listening to Mike & Mike this morning and noted Greenie coverered the Yankees game extensively (ditto for the Red Sox). Every other game he just read off the winners of the games. In other words, you had no idea who played whom.
May 20, 2011 2:38pm
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The Boss

Senior Member

541 posts
May 20, 2011 2:43 PM
I love when people say they're just stirring the pot in the first post and provide no actual argument or evidence of what they're saying and people STILL get in a pissing match over it.

Who gives a shit which league is better.
May 20, 2011 2:43pm