I am having a "discussion" with another fan who says that a batter is apt to have better numbers ( batting average, home runs, rbis) while playing in the Al than if he was playing in the NL. I understand that from a team standpoint the numbers are bound to be better in the AL because of the DH, but, I don't agree an individuals stats are affected by that fact. Any thoughts? Anyone know of any articles or studies on the subject?
Thanks for your time.
2006-10-15 11:48:53 · 7 answers · asked by waitester2003 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Go to MLB.com. On the middle of the left colum it has league leaders. Go through the averages, and check which people are best in the different stats, and check if they're in the AL or NL. The AL's just hot right now. The batting stats in my opinion aren't directly effected by the league, it's just good people are playing in the AL.
2006-10-15 14:20:59 · answer #1 · answered by Bandit512 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The DH does a number of things, it has a better player in the lineup that theoretically will alter the way a pitcher faces a lineup. A batter before a DH (and this is based on the assumption that a DH is a better hitter than your average position players - aka Ortiz and Hafner) will see more strikes so as to get out before the DH comes up with a runner on base. A batter behind the DH might then get more RBIs than in the NL because the DH will walk or get on base more.
The only other way a player's stats could be influenced would be say he's hurt and can't play his position defensively, so the manager inserts this player into the DH spot while he's close to being done with rehab, so that this player will get his at bats without the necessity of playing defense.
But although this may happen, there's no reason to believe a player can take advantage of his situation to have better stats. It's not as dramatic a change as a pitcher moving from the AL to the NL where he can face the pitcher spot every 3 innings to inflate his K ratio and lower his ERA.
2006-10-15 11:57:52 · answer #2 · answered by badgerlicious03 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think stats PROVE anything especially how a player is going to do between leagues. That's like saying if Todd Helton played for an AL club would his numbers be better. There's other factors involved, like he plays in Colorado which hit balls travel farther because of the air and it's "hitters ballpark". Individual stats are that, they're individual stats for an individual player, in any given individual year.
2006-10-15 12:36:48 · answer #3 · answered by yblur 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know of anything to support this. In fact, if anything, I would think the opposite to be true. Since the NL has two more teams than the AL, there is more room for mediocre (or worse) pitchers in the NL. Also, bullpens get used more frequently in the NL because the pitchers bat. That would seem to allow for more opportunities for a player to hit against inferior pitching.
2006-10-15 12:21:11 · answer #4 · answered by jdbreeze1 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
wrong.. better stats in NL. They have less pitching than american league.
NL sees same pitcher more than AL.
AL reigns.
2006-10-15 13:46:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say only if he has played in both leagues.
2006-10-15 11:58:32 · answer #6 · answered by pmdan00 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it all depend on alot of things. i dont really think there is a way to prove it
2006-10-15 11:52:51 · answer #7 · answered by Chris L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋