Which is the better League, AL or NL?

[bigblueinsanity]

I would say AL.

[AverageJoesGym]

Here's some numbers to consider. I'm going to begin with the 1998 season since that is the first season that used the current alignment with Milwaukee in the NL and the inclusion of the Rays and the D-Backs.

 

Interleague Records by year:

American League's record vs. National League

2008 99-72 .579

2007 137-115 .544

2006 154-98 .611

2005 136-116 .540

2004 127-125 .504

2003 115-137 .456

2002 123-129 .488

2001 132-120 .524

2000 136-115 .542

1999 116-135 .462

1998 114-110 .509

Total 1389-1272 .522

 

All-Star Games

2007 AL 5-4

2006 AL 3-2

2005 AL 7-5

2004 AL 9-4

2003 AL 7-6

2002 TIE 7-7

2001 AL 4-1

2000 AL 6-3

1999 AL 4-1

1998 AL 13-8

Total AL 9-0-1

 

World Series

2007 AL 4-0

2006 NL 4-1

2005 AL 4-0

2004 AL 4-0

2003 NL 4-2

2002 AL 4-3

2001 NL 4-3

2000 AL 4-1

1999 AL 4-0

1998 AL 4-0

Total Championships: AL 7-NL 3 Total Games: AL 34-16 .680

[LRCW]

This kind of stuff usually runs in cycles, and the American League has definitely been the better of two leagues for the past 10 years or so.

[super]

I voted N.L.maybe I'm favoritism toward the N.L.and a Reds fan,really just don't like the A.L. that much and the DH thing is stupid.

[AverageJoesGym]

This kind of stuff usually runs in cycles, and the American League has definitely been the better of two leagues for the past 10 years or so.

 

:thumb: This has been a very dominant 10 years for the AL. The NL has almost been like the JV league for a good while now.

[Jim Schue]

:thumb: This has been a very dominant 10 years for the AL. The NL has almost been like the JV league for a good while now.

 

And before that it was what, 18-20 years of NL dominance in the AS game? Again, it's cyclical, and has absolutely nothing to do with the DH (or lack of use). And since the strike, the AL has won 8 of 13 World Series, which hardly qualifies as dominance.

[swamprat]

And before that it was what, 18-20 years of NL dominance in the AS game? Again, it's cyclical, and has absolutely nothing to do with the DH (or lack of use). And since the strike, the AL has won 8 of 13 World Series, which hardly qualifies as dominance.

Actually, the 20 WSCs that you're refering to, from 1997 throught 1977, the AL won 11 of them. The AL has won 7 of the last 10 World Series and 13 of the last 20. The 20 years prior to 1987 the leagues split 10-10. From 1947 though 1966 the AL took 12 of 20. Slice it up any way you want, but it doesn't get much better for the NL.

 

The fact is that the AL leads the NL 61-42 in World Series victories and has more wins in every decade except the first decade, the 60s, and the 80s. They tied in the 80s, so the NL has only won more championships in 2 of 11 decades. The only cycle I see is that the NL wins a decade every 50 years.

 

If that isn't dominance by the American League, it's awful darn close.

[Jim Schue]

Actually, the 20 WSCs that you're refering to, from 1997 throught 1977, the AL won 11 of them. The AL has won 7 of the last 10 World Series and 13 of the last 20. The 20 years prior to 1987 the leagues split 10-10. From 1947 though 1966 the AL took 12 of 20. Slice it up any way you want, but it doesn't get much better for the NL.

 

The fact is that the AL leads the NL 61-42 in World Series victories and has more wins in every decade except the first decade, the 60s, and the 80s. They tied in the 80s, so the NL has only won more championships in 2 of 11 decades. The only cycle I see is that the NL wins a decade every 50 years.

 

If that isn't dominance by the American League, it's awful darn close.

 

It's actually more like dominance by the Yankees; the AL just gets to take credit for it. And my use of the "last 20 years" or whatever was just shady memory on my part without looking it up, and probably had to do with the years after the strike where I all but ignored MLB. The fact remains that the NL won 22 AS games between 1962-87, and I recall for the longest time many announcers quoting that as the indicator that the overall talent level in the NL was greater than the AL (not that I believed it).

 

True, the AL has been the victor much more often than not in the WS. And while that is more an indicator of how dominant one particular franchise has been over all the others (AL included), you can't put the Yankers in their own league. And, it also is less of an indicator of how much better one league is over the other than it is of how much better the winning team was over the losing team.

 

Anyway, if I'm answering the thread question directly, and looking strictly at numbers, I'd have to say that the AL is better. But that doesn't make me think AL ball is more entertaining by a long shot.

[swamprat]

It's actually more like dominance by the Yankees; the AL just gets to take credit for it. And my use of the "last 20 years" or whatever was just shady memory on my part without looking it up, and probably had to do with the years after the strike where I all but ignored MLB. The fact remains that the NL won 22 AS games between 1962-87, and I recall for the longest time many announcers quoting that as the indicator that the overall talent level in the NL was greater than the AL (not that I believed it).

 

True, the AL has been the victor much more often than not in the WS. And while that is more an indicator of how dominant one particular franchise has been over all the others (AL included), you can't put the Yankers in their own league. And, it also is less of an indicator of how much better one league is over the other than it is of how much better the winning team was over the losing team.

 

Anyway, if I'm answering the thread question directly, and looking strictly at numbers, I'd have to say that the AL is better. But that doesn't make me think AL ball is more entertaining by a long shot.

I'm a computer geek. What do want?

[SvFan4life]

I think the NL is the better league. The NL is built more around situational hitting and small ball rather than just hitting homeruns. I just think hitters would prefer to play in the AL because of the DH. If you take out the DH I would believe that the NL would have an advantage over the AL simply because they are already adjusted to the style of play and certain situations.

[malachicrunch]

I think the NL is the better league. The NL is built more around situational hitting and small ball rather than just hitting homeruns. I just think hitters would prefer to play in the AL because of the DH. If you take out the DH I would believe that the NL would have an advantage over the AL simply because they are already adjusted to the style of play and certain situations.

 

They do takeout the DH when interleague games are played in NL parks. Does anyone know the interleague game record NL park specific? If SV is correct in his theory the NL should win the majority of their home interleague games.

[AverageJoesGym]

And before that it was what, 18-20 years of NL dominance in the AS game? Again, it's cyclical, and has absolutely nothing to do with the DH (or lack of use). And since the strike, the AL has won 8 of 13 World Series, which hardly qualifies as dominance.

 

 

I wasn't just talking about the All-Star Game. Look at those numbers. The AL has dominated the NL everywhere since going to the current alignment like the iPod has dominated digital music. The NL is definately the JV league on the field.

[malachicrunch]

I wasn't just talking about the All-Star Game. Look at those numbers. The AL has dominated the NL everywhere since going to the current alignment like the iPod has dominated digital music. The NL is definately the JV league on the field.

 

Got to agree.

[AverageJoesGym]

I knew we had a lot of homers on here but no way the poll should be 9-9-1. :lol::lol::lol: Talk about ignoring the obvious. Oh BTW the AL is just crushing the NL 124-84 .596 going into the weekend's interleague games.

[AverageJoesGym]

With one makeup game left to be played the AL has destroyed the NL in interleague action 149-102 for a winning percentage of .594--the 4th consecutive year of a .540 or better winning percentage and the 5th consecutive year that they have defeated the NL in total wins.