Who Has the Advantage in Interleague Play?
by Stros Bro
on Jun 23, 2008 8:33 PM CDT
So I'm watching the Red Sox vs Diamondbacks game today(mainly because I turned on ESPN and was too lazy to change it) and they are talking about how the AL is owning the NL in interleague play this year. They said the split was something to the extent of 96 wins for the AL against 71 wins for the NL.
In my opinion, interleague play is tilted in favor of the American League... why you ask? Well the main reason being is, in the AL parks where the designated hitter is in use, the AL teams are set up exactly how they are for the regular season. Teams spend a lot of money on DH(David Ortiz - $13 million, Hideki Matsui - $13 million, Jim Thome - 15,666 million) in the AL to play a position that is not even a position in the National League. But when you take a NL team and put him in AL rules... they are at a huge disadvantage. So I'm watching the Red Sox and Diamondbacks and the Red Sox have future hall of famer, Manny Ramirez hitting DH who is hitting .293 on the season with an OPS of .914 with 15 dingers and 49 RBI's. The Diamondbacks have Chad Tracy as their DH hitter who is hitting .227 on the season and isn't even a regular starter for the D-backs... is that fair?
Some try to make the arguement that in the NL parks where the DH rule isn't in use that the NL teams have an advantage... really? How? NL pitchers can't hit for jack so it's not like their extra offensive production is going to be much if any factor... and most DH's can at least play enough 1st base to play a few games a year so if the DH is the best hitter on that team, then the AL team isn't losing their best player...
Now I'm not here to complain that the NL is at a disadvantage or anything like that... but I'm just at least a little annoyed that these "talking heads" on TV act like the NL is some scrub league compared to the AL.. the rules aren't the same... Give the NL and the AL the same rules for a few years and then come talk... until then...
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Right on
Maybe if the AL actually started playing baseball again, the games would be more meaningful! (I mean the World Series, of course, as long as I’m dreaming, Interleague goes away too.)
by Xan on Jun 23, 2008 8:43 PM CDT 0 recs
amen
God forbid a pitcher has to be something other than a one-trick pony. This is why I hate the AL.
by Mr. Imperial on Jun 23, 2008 9:35 PM CDT 0 recs
Right on
I mean seriously – the Wangster jacks up his foot rounding the bases and has to be helped off the field… come on.
There is a special place in my heart for guys like Mike Hampton – go out there, get 3 straight ground ball outs, put a batting helmet on, and go yard.
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by SOLIS on
Jun 23, 2008 9:47 PM CDT
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If A-Rod pulls a hamstring....
I suppose that means MLB should use designated runners for all starting position players. Oh, and Felix Hernandez sprained an ankle after hitting a grand slam in interleague play last night. But, guess what, the sprained ankle didn’t results from playing on offense, but rather from fielding his position (covering first base). I suppose that means pitchers should have designated fielders who stand out there next to them.
While I’m thinking about it, Felix Hernandez is starting on my fantasy team as a pitcher, but his grand slam doesn’t count toward points for my team. What a load of crap. :)
by clack on Jun 24, 2008 10:12 AM CDT 0 recs
NL Is Forever at a Disadvantage
Even if a NL team wanted to buy a super elite pinch hitter, they can’t ensure he’ll get regular playing time. So the NL will always be at a disadvantage in AL vs NL match-ups.
Whereas, the AL DH has three+ plate appearances every game he starts in for the vast majority of the season and only goes to pinch hitter status those relatively few times his team plays in a NL park.
Did I mention I hate the designated hitter?
by pel on Jun 24, 2008 8:11 PM CDT 0 recs
To be fair,
Tracy is only hitting .227 because he just came back from knee surgery a few weeks ago. He’s really our best lefty hitter. (As shown by the game last night, when he drove in all 4 of our runs)
We’re somewhat better off on the DH front because we have 3 players for 2 corner infield positions, and they’re arguably 3 of our 4 best hitters. (1B/3B Chad Tracy, 1B/LF Conor Jackson, and 3B Mark Reynolds, with 2B Orlando Hudson being the 4th)
Have the Dodgers lost yet?
by DbacksSkins on Jun 25, 2008 10:37 AM CDT 0 recs
What've you guys been looking at?
I’m an NL fan too but in all honesty, the AL has been kicking out a** for awhile now. For crying out loud, they were +54…that’s fifty-four games over .500…against the NL in ‘06. That’s ridiculous. The NL is incapable of beating them in the All-Star Game (losing 17 of the last 20) and even when they DO win the the World Series, it’s been considered an upset (D-Backs, Marlins and Cardinals). Right now the AL is something like +27 against the NL thusfar in ‘08. It ain’t close fellas. The pitching is a wash and the AL lineups, even without the DH, are simply better and deeper.
by Ishkabibble on Jun 26, 2008 4:00 PM CDT 0 recs
27 games
sounds like a lot… if you break it down… that just basically means that each AL team is 2 games over .500 against the NL… and AL teams SHOULD win when playing at home due to the DH advantage…
Go 'Stros!
by Stros Bro on
Jun 26, 2008 10:01 PM CDT
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...just the same
The AL has no more advantage w/ the DH in their home park than the NL has with experienced hitting pitchers at their home park. Let’s face it; AL pitchers are totally clueless with a bat in their hands. At minimum, the NL sends out pitchers that are reasonably familiar with swinging a bat, executing a bunt, etc… Then there are guys like Micah Owings, that can genuinely help an offense with their bat.
At no time SHOULD the AL have some kind of huge advantage over the NL. Home field, DH, no DH….it should be pretty much a wash, season in and season out. The RedSox are kicking NL butt with David Ortiz sidelined…so where’s the big DH advantage there? With having Brandon Moss in the lineup?
As of this morning, the AL is 40 games over .500 in interleague play in 2008. Same stuff we’ve been seeing for years now. I don’t like it either but anyone who denies the AL’s recent dominance is simply kidding themselves.
by Ishkabibble on Jun 27, 2008 8:59 AM CDT 0 recs
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago
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85 | 55 | .607 | 0 | Lost 5 |
| Milwaukee
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80 | 60 | .571 | 5 | Lost 4 |
| St. Louis
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(updated 9.5.2008 at 9:43 AM CDT)
