Thoughts on Interleague Play

[pikehunter]

I'm curious to see what everyone's thoughts are (for or against) interleague play. I've always enjoyed it. I like to see our guys up against players I normally wouldn't get to see all that much. Twins vs. Dodgers this weekend will be, I think, very fun to watch, because I've never gotten to see it in my lifetime.

That said, it needs some re-tooling. I like to watch the Yankees play the Mets, Cubs vs. White Sox and I'm travelling to Milwaukee in a couple weeks to watch the Twins play there. That said, I've long thought that the way they choose the opposition for teams can give one team in a division an unfair advantage.

This year was a case and point for Twins fans. The Sox played Colorado this week, while the Twins had to play the D-backs. Isn't three more games against a sub-.500 team a distinct advantage? Conversely, the Twins geographic rival is Milwaukee, a team that hasn't been good at any point in the history of interleague play - giving the Twins the advantage in many years, especially in the years in which the Cubs were actually pretty good.

In the NFL, NFC teams play AFC teams that had similar records the year before. I'd miss seeing those geographic match-ups, but isn't this the most fair way to do it? I guess no kind of scheduling is ever fair to every side, though, so does it really matter?

Just curious what everybody else thinks ...

[Eric Wettschreck]

I don't know about the scheduling, but I really enjoy interleague play.

Who knows, maybe our next series is a warm up for the world series??? Twins vs. Dodgers???? It could happen.

[rundrave]

Im all for it!

As far as the advantage baseball is different in some ways, in that everynight, regardless of who is playing etc. everyteam has a very good chance of beating the other team. In some situations you may be able to predict a win, but take example the cubs yesturday, rookie no namer against former cy-young holladay, you would think in this case holladay would be a sure win, but he lost.

I also like the match ups, sox/cubs, mets/yank, a's/giants, etc, there isnt gonna be a perfect match for arizona and toronto, etc. But boston cubs this week is kinda cool, lot of history there, possibly a torch being passed on to another long streak lol.

One other thing I think is great is watching AL pitchers bat, some guys are just all around great athletes and of course some stuggle. But ask yourself if you dont enjoy watching the big unit swing a bat, its classic.

On the other, watching Santana stand at the plate for 4 at bats last night, makes me a little nervous. One wild pitch is all it takes, and a broken bone could really alter the season.

[pikehunter]

I think I'm of the same thinking as you guys.

I was nervous with Santana hitting last night too until I realized; WAIT, the other league does this all the time!

I'm a purist, I think pitchers should hit in both leagues.

[Pig_sticka]

Santana can crush the ball also

Interleague play is great for fans and the game. I actually get sick of seeing the same old teams in our division atleast once a week. I am sure players like the change also.

[bigbucks]

I like it generally, the scheduling thing is too complicated to try to worry about, if you're good enough to win your division, you should win it. It's impossible to predict what teams will be hot or cold when you play them anyway.

[buzzsaw]

Love it!

[mechanictim]

I think interleague play has been really good for baseball. I like seeing the twins play in some of the different ballparks. I always wondered why some of the American League managers who were in contention at the end of the regular season didn't give thier pitchers a few at bats in games that were meaningless or they were well ahead in. Seemed like there was quite a long time when every American league pitcher was an automatic out in an away world series game.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Pike,

I think it is OK and it draws some new interest but I think that it favors the NL. When they play in the AL parks, all they have to do is plug in one of their bench players who is hottest at bat at that time. For the AL teams, it really hurts teams that do have DH's. I know it is hard for the Sox to sit Big Frank and/or Carl Everett for a week while we watch Buehrle and Garland flail away at the plate. Yea, I know that Santana got a hit but I think you would much rather see Lou up there instead of Lohse with the lumber in tow. It is nice to see the AL managers have to think a little with double switches and I don't think it will go away. I am torn between wanting to see some of the premier NL teams and risking losing vs. drawing the Rockies and pounding away. Oh well, I guess I am for it, for now. Later,

Windy

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES!

[genegodawa]

A definite maybe, Windy?

[SledNeck]

Lohse is good at hitting. Sucks rear end at Pitching, though.

[CNY Tim]

I like the interleague play but that's mostly because my Cardinals have the best record against American League teams in interleague. It was nice to watch them take 2 of 3 from the Red Sox and now we have the Yankees in for 3 this weekend following that road trips at Toronto and Tampa Bay.

[genegodawa]

Cardinal fans NEVER want to face the Cubs.

[CNY Tim]

gene - it's early but it's shaping up to be a two horse race in the National League Central. Good luck with the Sox this weekend.

[genegodawa]

Yep Tim, 2-horses, but I think yours are faster/stronger/smarter/.....

[pikehunter]

I agree with Windy that it favors the NL, but I also don't see that as any kind of problem - it's not like the pressure is on an AL team to have a better record than any NL team.

And, yeah, you never know who is going to be good a year in advance and some teams can get hot at the wrong time in baseball.

Current point: The White Sox really lucked out this weekend; they'll trot out Garland, Buehrle and Garcia against Padres starters Williams (2-3), Stauffer (1-2), and Lawrence (3-6) - three pitchers with a collective six wins for a team that has 35. A 3-game series without facing neither Peavy nor Eaton, you'll take that and run, won't you Windy?!

[bigbucks]

I would think it would favor the NL, but according to the numbers they gave when the Twins were on ESPN2 the other night maybe not. They said that the AL pitchers averages haven't been much worse then that NL pitchers, but they said the AL DH's have hit way better than the guys the NL teams have plugged in to DH.

[CNY Tim]

Gene- I don't know about you but the Cardinals really enjoyed the thumping your Cubs gave the Red Sox and returned the favor by the thumping the Yanks. Even Maddux got in on it with a home run, cool. I love Interleague play. Did you see Giambi last night that guy is just flat out embarassing without roids.