Opinions on interleague play.?

Question

Do you think that interleague play is good for Major League Baseball or do you think that it should go back to the way it was?

Answer 1

Don't like it in baseball. Let's just look at it for what it is, it's just another way to generate revenue. I also believe it takes something away from the play-offs. If you look at the match-ups they like to put rival teams in the same city together, or teams with the same history. Edge to Boston in the past few years playing a rebuilding Atlanta Braves team while the Yankees have to figure out what to do with the Mets. Let's go back to the way it was and put some real meaning into the world series.

Answer 2

I think it is an excellent idea and I enjoy watching these games every year. However, I do think it needs some tweaking from the current system. Chipper Jones had it right. It's not really fair for teams like the Braves to have to play the Red Sox, while another division rival may get to play the Royals or Devil Rays. If there is going to be interleague play, all teams from the same division should have to play the same AL or NL teams an equal number of times. Interleague play definitely doesn't need to be expanded as that would take away some of the flair of the World Series when the best of each league get to go head-to-head.

Answer 3

people who say it is bad live in cities where there is only 1 team. I live in NYC and when the mets and yankees play there is a great buzz around the city. Also its better to see the Yankees play some different teams that they don't normenly play. Also about it being unfair the teams in the division play the same teams in interleague as all the other teams in the division except for the 6 against ur rival. 6 GAMES OUT OF 162. It does not make a big difference.

Answer 4

Maybe what they should do is limit interleague play to natural, inter-city rivalries where those games are meaningful:
Yankees-Mets
Dodgers-Angels
Cubs-White Sox
Giants-A's
or even Cards-Royals
and let the other teams play their regular schedules.

It's not that big a deal when Toronto or Baltimore comes in to play the Phillies. To tell you the truth, I'd rather see more of the Pirates or Cubs than Cleveland. The Phils have some history with them, not with American League teams.

Answer 5

it's a necessity. of course there will be the hardcore fans.. but baseball is just doing okay (alot better than basketball or hockey though). they need this to spark interest in the game and hopefully create new rivalries and rekindle old ones. the NY/Chicago/LA series are great for their cities, and you can't have them played without giving everyone an interleague game. i think interleague games should be played the week before and the week after the all star game, so that it doesn't interfere with the season.

Answer 6

It has done wonders for small market teams revenue. Having interleague games is like a breath of fresh air. Baseball fans get excited about in general and they go and fill the stands.

Most fans are locked in on the current inner city rivalries that have come from it.
Mets vs. Yankees
Cubs vs. White Sox
Reds vs. Indians
Nationals vs. Orioles
Oakland vs. LA & SF
Anaheim vs LA & SF

Fans would not be happy if these were to stop from happening.

Is for going back to the way it was. Do you really want to see a ton more of the same divisional games year after year?

Answer 7

i too am from a two team city (NY)

interleague is amazing. it breaks up the monotonous flow of league play, seeing the same teams and pitchers over and over again. it also promotes strong rivalries (NY, Chi, LA) and lets possible World Series opponents play each other.

Harold Reynolds, former Seattle Mariner and current Baseball Tonight analyst, said during the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast of the Yankees vs Mets game that "I wish they had interleague play when I was playing."

Answer 8

I love it! I think it helps MLB. It creates interesting city and state rivalries that didn't really exist before interleague play. I can't think of a reason why you would go back. Its great for the game and its great for the fans.

Answer 9

You propose to tell me you dont like the assumption of seeing D-ok or Andy Petite taking an at bat? Are you kidding me? i like the way the guidelines are for the homestead to team to have its Leagues rules in play. My final interleague activity i became at became final year with the Giants hosting the Yankees and it became a visit to be certain the pinstripes on our container to start with, yet to furnish Chien Ming Wang a great boo while he got here as much as bat and pitch became great too. the guidelines are good and relatively they must stay an identical. an identical rules prepare with the All huge call activity and the international sequence, all IL acts as is a bridge between those activities.

Answer 10

Interleague is great. What ought to go back to the "way it was" IMHO, is to get rid of the designated hitter. As much as I adore Big Papi, Sammy Sosa and Jim Thome, if you're going to play baseball, you need to play both offense and defense.