The debate for what division is better is very simple and won’t take to much time for me to complete. The American League has been far and away the better division since divisions came into existence. I know what everyone will say about the AL having the DH, but I don’t know how many people know that a NL coach actually suggested it and it was backed by NL coaches before any AL coach ever made a push for it starting in 1906 and then again in the 1920’s. So that should put the notion to bed about the AL and the DH. But if it doesn’t, it still has no barring on the outcome of games between the two divisions. During inter-league play if it is in an AL park then both teams get the DH and if a game is played in a NL park, then both teams go without the DH. Same goes for the World Series, if the home team is NL then there is no DH for either team and if the home team is AL then there is a DH for both teams. Now, here are the reasons that the AL is more dominant and just a better division all around; out of the 106 World Series that have been played, the American League has won 62 of them compared to the NL’s 44. That alone should supplant the AL’s overall dominance. The American League also has the best rivalry in all of baseball between the Yankees and Red Sox (even though I hate both of these teams) and not to mention some of the most storied franchises ever. I am not here to harp on one particular team like I know the other person will do with the Atlanta Braves, but one team doesn’t make a league good, they can make it more interesting for you as a fan, but they don’t make the league better. I love the Tigers, but I honestly believe that the AL is a better league in all aspects except maybe pitching...overall our everyday players are far more talented than the AL. These are the points that I stand behind.
Much Love,
Lion
The MLB debate between the NL and AL will forever be linked to the designated hitter. It is fascinating that a billion dollar professional sports company would basically give the fans two different products. Simply put the DH has split the sport of baseball into two separate entities each vying for the same goal to be World Series Champions. The DH first hit the stage on April 6, 1973, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees became major league's first designated hitter. He walked against Luis Tiant of the Boston Red Sox with the bases loaded. The AL has since used the DH to replace the pitcher/worst hitter in your lineup for every game played under AL baseball rules. It is not baseball at its truest form. The NL on the other hand is played traditionally with the pitchers batting because they are on the field and in the lineup. I like the idea of both but there needs to be unity in the sport with or without the DH. As for the debate the NL may not be as flashy with all the hitting but its the little stuff in where the NL succeeds. The pinch hitting, base-running and management of the game is much more intricate and important. The NL is Americas Pastime.
Enough about the DH, it has been thought for many years that the AL is better than the NL. There were stretches of AL dominance but for the past few years the shift of power has swayed. In the past few years the interleague splint has shown the NL steadily closing in on taking over and this year may be the time it happens. For years the AL had the upper hand on pitching , but with the addition of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Zach Grienke along with the already stellar pitchers and rising stars the NL has taken over. It is difficult to compare stats of batters in the opposing leagues due to the DH spot giving the AL batters more opportunities for success. So you have to look at which league has the best players which is a near wash. For debate purposes here is my list of the top players by position.
NL / AL
1st Base - NL > AL Miguel Cabrera had a statistically better year than Pujols but he is thought of as the best player in baseball and with Joey Votto, Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder the NL is superior
OF - NL < AL Overall the AL simply has a better crop of OF
2nd Base - NL> AL This is NL destruction Robinson Cano is the best 2nd baseman in baseball but he is the only one of the top 10 in baseball that resides in the AL
SS - NL > AL Once Again not even close Jeter is old Hanley and Tulo are the best and so is the NL.
3rd Base - NL < AL Chipper Jones is my favorite player all-time but the AL has more talent no question.
C - NL = AL This is kind of a cop out but if Buster Posey has another big year i don't see much separation in the leagues.
Overall all NL > AL
NL is Best
Go Braves,
R. Duke
+1 for Darren. NL requires better in-game and roster management.
ReplyDeleteThis debate was doomed from the beginning with me being an AL fan and everyone in the South being a Braves fan. Basing everything off the DH is all you have to bicker about even though a NL manager was the one who wanted it to happen. All college teams use the DH as well as High School...it seems that the DH has taken far more recognition over the years and is being adopted everywhere because it is more entertaining for the fans and everyone else. You can say you think it is the "real" game, but times change and so do people...its just the facts. Better hop on the bandwagon soon. The fact still remains that the AL has won more World Series so the AL is a better and more dominant league bar none.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you bitching about how was I supposed to debate it with the obvious statistical landslide. The Yankees have won what 27 of those world series so its not like all these AL teams were whoopin ass.
ReplyDeleteI'm not bitching...far from it. I am just pointing out the obvious. I am just pointing out more facts about the DH. Why would I bitch anyways, I knew what I was getting myself into debating the AL...not bitching so just relax yourself champ.
ReplyDeleteyou guys gonna let any of your readers comment?
ReplyDeleteAnd Yes, i'm going to talk about the DH - but here's a different perspective.
The bone i'm picking with the DH is that American League teams pay millions of dollars for that 9th hitter, which most certainly gives them an advantage in interleague play - concerning the depth of their roster. the average salary for a DH is 6.7 million, making it the highest paid position in baseball on average by at least 1 mill. 1st base is second highest with 5.3 mill.
And to hit on 2 more topics - an NL manager wanted the DH?! Seriously... I would expect more from you Lion - this point is, as they say, pointless.
Lastly the Yankees are an outlier. We learned this statistical calculation in school. They should be thrown out based on their relationship to the standard deviation. Or some shit like that. They've won 8 rings since the DH was put in play. That's absurd.
NL dominance!
and hopefully nobody brings up the All Star game.
sorry just checked my facts. They've won 7 rings.
ReplyDeletestill absurd
Brian, you can bring up the DH like everyone else, but the fact remains that it has no baring when the teams play each other. In inter-league play, if its in a NL park, there isn't a DH and if it's in an AL park then both teams get a DH and the same goes for the World Series. How can you just throw out the Yankees b/c they have won so many more World Series than everyone else? They were just better teams that year than say...the Cubs or Braves. If you are going to say that the NL doesn't have a bench player they go throw in at DH during inter-league play is ridiculous. Sure our DH is a better hitting than a NL pitcher, but we also will end up having a pathetic power hitter somewhere else. The DH, whether you all like it or not, doesn't have barring that much on the game. The Angels are an AL team and are talked about as being the best "small team" in both leagues and they use a damn DH...so that goes out you Darren and Greg saying you have to think more as a NL manager...thats nonsense. An AL manager has to think just as much as a NL manager regardless if there is a DH or P hitting.
ReplyDeleteIt most certainly does have a baring. NL teams don't employ a DH for millions of dollars. Therefore in AL parks, the AL team has one extra really good hitter who will most assuredly be better than any pinch hitter for an NL team. In NL parks, it's even... Two crappy pitchers hitting.
ReplyDeleteIt does make a difference. Maybe not a HUGE difference, but it deserves metioning and therefore I respectfully disagree with you.
I'm glad to see you didn't continue to bloviate on the old school NL manager whose idea it was. We all know where that was going...
I, like you, will have to respectfully disagree yet again. I see your logic in the fact that we have a better hitter than your pitcher since we employ the DH, but it would only make since that if we have better hitters then you all have better pitchers. So in theory it would a wash correct? Since you say the AL stresses so much on the DH, the NL also stresses that much on Pitching, that's why Johan ended up a Met and Cliff Lee ended up a Philly...the need for superior pitching is a necessity in the NL. But I still believe that if you believe we spend so much $$ on the DH is absolutely has an effect on one of our position players. The AL might have a great DH and a crappy position player where as the NL would have have to above average position players. Everything evens out between the leagues, so I just don't see you all crying out the DH so much, it is your only argument against us.
ReplyDeleteOnly if there was a salary cap would it be a wash
ReplyDeleteDo not even bring the salary cap into this sir...i deliberately left it alone b/c I knew everyone in the NL would go bat shit crazy b/c the Yankees can do what they want. Don't have the AL, hate Bud Selig for having no backbone in this issue.
ReplyDeletewhy do you decide what we can and can't talk about? Is this not a debate? I didn't go apeshit crazy, I have a perfectly valid point where it would only be a wash if there were a salary cap. That would create the assumption of equality therefore causing a trade-off - something you suggested.
ReplyDeleteI'm just saying the trade-off can only exist if they had equal spending power. I'm right on this I promise.
I know what you are saying. But the fact remains that it's up to the the powers that be about a salary cap being instituted and not us. Until that time, it's just hearsay and isn't really a valid point. I agree with you about it giving the assumption of equality, but when it comes to the almighty dollar bill...good luck trying to get rid of the Yankees spending a crazy amount of $$ each year. The money they pay the league in luxury taxes has to astronomical. Not to mention that the 2011 payrolls aren't that outlandish; AL is $299.9M and the NL 282.8M....17M is not that huge of discrepancy.
ReplyDeletegood talk
ReplyDeleteOk, heres my .02 cents...
ReplyDeleteThe American League plays a different type of baseball which has probably been noted. For the most part they are driven by the home run and power pitching.
The National League is a more fundamental form of baseball but, not necessarily better. Their focus is more on manufacturing runs, small ball, and mostly the philosophy that pitching and defense wins championships. (which in my opinion is true) Scoring 7 or 8 runs a game doesn't hurt also.
Which brings me to the DH. Typically a pitcher is the worst hitter on the team. Yes, there are exceptions but if an MLB club wanted them as a hitter they would have been drafted and signed as a hitter. The DH is meant to protect a pitcher from injury and also to boost the offense of an AL team. Honestly, do you really want a Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay facing a Tim Lincecum or Josh Johnson? I especially don't want those guys running the bases where injuries are most likely to happen. How often do you think pitchers practice sliding? My guess is not often if ever. Take Chien Min Wong from the Yankees a few years back. He injured his foot scoring a run at home plate. It arguably costed the Yankees a chance at the World Series.
Scott,
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone is debating the fact that the pitcher is the worst hitter on a team. Personally, I think everyone in the NL wants a the DH also...why wouldn't they? Because its not true to the game..blah blah blah. If it was an option, they would do it in a heartbeat for no other reason than what you stated about keeping them from unnecessary injury.