Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
June 30, 2008
Interleague Wrapup (Almost)

The AL and NL wrapped up interleague play yesterday (with the exception of the Yankees-Pirates make up game) and the AL dominated. The American League took the series 149-102, a .593 winning percentage. As one of the commeters to an earlier post pointed out, that winning percentage represents a 96 win season, which usually gets a team in the playoffs. The AL outscored the NL by nearly a run, 4.97 to 4.02 per game. Home field tells the same story, as the AL went 79-47 at home, a .627 winning percentage and the NL went 55-70 at home, a .440 winning percentage. Anyway you slice it, the National League was simply dreadful.

The Twins, at 14-4, wind up with the best record in interleague play as the Royals fall back to second with losses to the Cardinals over the weekend. Both KC and Detroit finish 13-5. San Diego keeps the Phillies from finishing in the cellar as the Padres go just 3-15 against the AL, and Philadelphia compiles as 4-11 record. With the Marlins doing poorly also, the NL East became a tighter race, especially with the Mets tying the Reds for best NL record at 9-6.

The biggest loser, however, were the Cleveland Indians. While their division rivals were racking up lots of wins, the Indians won just six of eighteen, and are now tied for last in the AL Central.


Posted by David Pinto at 08:07 AM | Series | TrackBack (0)
Comments

2008 was the second-best season ever for the AL in the twelve years of interleague play. Their winning percentage this season was second only to their .611 in 2006.

The AL has romped the past four years in interleague play, with winning percentages of .540, .611, .544 and (depending on the outcome of the titanic Yanks-Pirates encounter) .593. The total for the four years is 576-431, or .572 for the AL.

After a while you can't write this off to chance. The AL is just better from top to bottom. With so much player movement between the leagues, this advantage won't last, of course. But it's been there for four years now.

Posted by: Casey Abell at June 30, 2008 10:01 AM

By the way, my pet theory on interleague play is that NL teams have gotten too complacent about their pitching. The lack of the DH makes their staffs look artificially good. It's a lot easier to pitch against seven-and-a-half hitters than nine.

Once interleague play rolls around, those less than swell NL staffs get a rude awakening. They coughed up five runs a game in a year when overall offense has tumbled to its lowest since 1992.

Some NL teams have tried to improve their pitching, like the Mets getting Santana. But by and large, I think the same thing is happening that Bill James (and others) noted on ballpark effects.

You know, teams in hitter's parks think their hitting is better than it really is, etc. The lack of the DH has lulled too many NL teams into thinking their pitching is better than it really is.

Posted by: Casey Abell at June 30, 2008 10:14 AM

Hey wait - that's my pet theory - overall level of competition is better in AL and has been for some time.

Posted by: Bandit at June 30, 2008 01:26 PM
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