Yes. I'm from Philly, and when I played babe ruth, high school, RBI, legion (which I still play, at least until college next year), etc., we played with the DH. I'm pretty sure that it's like that all along the east and west coasts. All AABC divisions use the DH. I don't really care what your opinion is about the DH, since you present no facts to suggest that the DH detracts from the quality of the game. As far as I'm concerned, all it does is take inferior players out of the lineup. I prefer to see 9 competant hitters in a lineup (and I'm a pitcher). If you prefer watching Roy Oswalt run the bases, that's your business. Oh, and back to the original subject of AL vs NL, I checked team payrolls, and it turns out that the average NL team payroll (minus the Mets and the Marlins) is $79,586,844, the average AL team payroll (minus the Yankees and Devil Rays) is $78,056,695. Food for thought.
Are you kidding me? I thought that was well established; I didn't realize folks would need it spelled out. At any rate, you are incorrect that I present no facts to suggest the DH detracts from the quality of the game. It's completely fair if you do not agree with those points, but I have made them up and down this thread. Precisely. Removing the need to employ certain strategies which have been a part of the game for over 100 years, and which are still a part of the game for the senior circuit. So, you're another shallow fan who just wants to see offense, offense, offense, even though you're a pitcher. Check. (I know that's unfair and probably not true of you--but you have to realize that is what it *sounds* like. You've played on several levels; do you realize the strategy involved when the pitcher comes up to the plate? It's a beautiful thing.) Thanks, I much prefer to see Roy Oswalt bunting runners over and playing *all* of the game, not just *half* of it. Non sequitur. As far as the original subject of the thread, the AL is certainly outperforming the NL, due almost certainly to the crutch known as the DH. The DH, by the way, is the reason I prefer the NL to the AL, and evidently Texas little league baseball to little league baseball in Philadelphia.
I'm confused how the AL is beating the NL due to the DH? Half the games are played in the NL parks, where there is no DH. And because you don't have to pinch hit for pitchers in the AL, their middle relief is generally likely to be a bit less important and thus a weakness in NL parks. Besides that, this is the first year there has been this kind of discrepency. If it was primarily due to the DH, then I would think you'd see it year in and year out.
1) On the bench for the AL is a DH. On the bench for the NL is a scrub who is not in the lineup everyday because he can't hit like an everyday player. 2) AL pitchers are conditioned to pitch against stronger lineups. Andy Pettitte even commented on this. 3) There have been other reasons listed in this thread. I need to back off from sounding like the DH is the *only* reason, because it's not. But it's certainly part of it. Additionally, the discrepancy would certainly not be this heavy every year--it would fluctuate like everything fluctuates. But having an 80-RBI/.275 guy in your lineup instead of the pitcher is almost akin to having a "rover" in short left in terms of the advantage afforded--almost. Even if the DH doesn't afford the AL any real advantage (even if things aren't as they seem), I dislike it for all the other reasons listed.
Sure - it would fluctuate, but if it was something specific to the leagues (like the DH), then it would show up more often than not. In the 9 years of interleague play previous to this year, the NL won 4 of the 9 years (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003). The AL won 5 of the 9 years (in 2004, by 1 game - 126 to 125). The NL had an overall winning record (1,104 to 1,095). The AL dominated last year and even more so this year. This just strikes me as cyclical randomness, just like the NBA's West being so strong for a while or the NFL's AFC being so strong the last few years. In the grand scheme of things, it all averages out. http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/history/interleague/records.jsp
Totally agree with Major. In the late 80's and most of the 90's the NFC dominated the AFC in the NFL but now its the other way around. The talent differential between the AL and NL will eventually even out due to the draft and free agency.
As I recall, before this year, the NL had an advantage all-time in interleague play. Before last year, the advantage was significant. It's just taking a swing. The popular explanation among sportswriters is that everyone in the American League is chasing the Yankees and Red Sox, so they're over-spending. But the teams that have "overspent" to chase the Yankees and Red Sox (Blue Jays and Orioles) only have decent records against the NL. The teams that are the primary reason for the AL's dominance are the relatively low-budget AL Central teams. But the NL will win the All-Star game this year because of the Mike Piazza effect. Every time he leaves a team, it gets better. The NL is 3-8 in all-star games that he started, and is And the 7-7 tie is the only all-star game in years that he hasn't start.
