I've heard there's different rules for the AL and NL and i fail to see the point in the difference. Also, what happens in the world series when the AL and NL play eachother?
2007-05-22 15:45:19 · 10 answers · asked by dylpyl1014 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
The National League is the older of the 2 leagues, starting in 1876, thus also called "the Senior Circuit". The American League was a "johnny come lately" that didn't start until 1901. The American League went into towns the National League basically ignored in 1901 (with the exception of Chicago).
The 2 leagues never played against each other except for the World Series or exhibition games until interleague play started in 1996. Each team plays 18 games against teams in the other circuit. Some teams have natural rivalries due to geographic location. For example: Mets/Yankees, Angels/Dodgers, Cubs/White Sox, Giants/A's, Rangers/Astros.
The DH rule did not come into effect until 1973 when the American League implemented a rule allowing a designated hitter for the pitcher. The DH only bats, he does not play the field. The National League voted on the DH rule, but fell 1 vote shy of implementing it (the Phillies changed their vote last minute).
In All Star Games and World Series play, the game is governed by the league rules of the host team. Therefore, if the All Star game is in a National League park, National League rules prevail and vice versa.
Those are the main differences. Some will tell you scoring might be higher in the AL due to the extra batter or ERA might be lower in the NL. The 2 leagues no longer have their own respective presidents as the Commissioner's office oversees both leagues now. However, there has never been a formal merger of the 2 leagues.
2007-05-22 16:54:03 · answer #1 · answered by bubbabear 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the leagues play each other, they play each other using the home team's rules. If the game is an NL park, the pitcher has to bat. If they play in an AL stadium, they use a DH. The DH hits instead of the pitcher, and does not play the field.
The DH was adopted in the 70's by AL teams to increase scoring, which in turn would help attendance. Pitchers are usually not very good hitters, so the owners voted to replace a bad hitter with someone that specializes in hitting to increase offense.
They used to alternate the use of the DH in the World Series, but this rule was changed at some point to allow it only in AL parks. I assume this is because the AL had a distinct advantage in years that the DH was used because they already had a player to use as DH. Since NL teams do not use it throughout the year, they are not built around this strategy.
I don't like the use of different rules in different leagues, but I personally do not like the DH. I think it should be eliminated or used in both leagues. I'm not sure why the NL never adopted the rule. It is probably because of tradition.
2007-05-22 23:24:50 · answer #2 · answered by Sports Fix Chicago 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe the only difference these days is the DH. I prefer the AL and the DH. I don't mind that the the two leagues are different. So what? Each fan has a brand of baseball that he or she prefers. Nothing wrong with that. Personally, I don't think the "strategy" of pitching around the 8th guy in the lineup to then pitch to the pitcher is all that impressive. Or that the "double switch" takes the game to an all new level. The same "purists" that liked to see the pitchers bat, got to see a majority of NL games played on astroturf during the 70's and 80's. There was definitely nothing traditional about that.
Up until the 90's I believe, there was a AL rule limiting the amount of players that could meet at the mound during a visit. I think it was 4 (including the coach or manager) whereas in the NL the whole infield could gather to obviously discuss how to defend against the bunting pitcher. When MLB combined the NL Umpires and the AL Umpires together, I think they adopted the NL rule on the amount of players allowed on the mound.
2007-05-24 09:12:32 · answer #3 · answered by steve p 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's mostly a traditional game. That is why the AL and NL teams only play about 18 games against eachother in the summer.
2007-05-22 22:50:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
the only difference is the american league uses a designated hitter, where the national league bats there pitcher unless they want to pinch hit and take him out, in the world series whereever they play the rules apply, at american league they play designated hitter, national league, all batters including pitcher bat
2007-05-23 02:59:48 · answer #5 · answered by kakylale 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only difference is the DH, the pitcher hits in the AL
2007-05-22 23:13:16 · answer #6 · answered by mAD~mOD 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the american league has the designated hitter,so the pitcher hits for himself in the nl so that makes the strategy different,in the world series i believe every other year they use the dh or the team that has the best record they use their league rules
2007-05-22 22:54:03 · answer #7 · answered by thomasl 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
the D.H for one. the reason they are different is they were seperated for over 80 years they only meet in the all-star and world series before interleague play.
2007-05-22 22:48:57 · answer #8 · answered by Dodgerblue 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The N.L does not use a designated hitter and the only reason they have not implemented it is because the owners are to cheap to pay the big salary a DH requires.
2007-05-22 22:54:38 · answer #9 · answered by Ballzy 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
pitchers in the american league are wussies and are afraid of the ball so they refuse to hit. plus the american league needs to draw fans this way cause they don't score enough. and their wifes are ugly
2007-05-22 22:55:02 · answer #10 · answered by pooperscooper 2 · 2⤊ 3⤋