Thoughts on Interleague Play

So interleague play starts tomorrow. Big who cares. I mean, Yankees/Mets, White Sox/Cubs, Dodgers/Angels, and Giants/A's are nice series, but otherwise, it's all pretty dumb. Big build up for not a lot of show.


Really, interleague play should be shortened. Make all the geographical rivals play the home and home set of serieses. Create made-up rivalries for the last 5 or 6 matchups. Two weekends of play. Then end it. 6 games is all we need.

Also, interleague has a fundamental problem--the AL has a huge advantage when games are played by AL rules. National League teams don't carry a DH. So they just stick the best hitter on their bench in that slot. That creates a huge discrepancy as far as an even level of play. When playing by NL rules, it's a pretty even matchup. The AL teams just shift their lineups around to try and keep their best players on the field (David Ortiz plays first, shifting Youkillis, etc.).

If I had the time and the patience I'd go on a rant about why the DH is stupid, I'd do it. So I'll limit to 3 points: how absurd would it be in other 2-way sports (Basketball/Hockey/Lacrosse, etc.) if you could insert a better offensive player while you went on offensive possession. If the Suns could have sub Amare Stoudemire in for every offensive possession and got to take him out for defense, maybe they make the playoffs. He's also probably regarded as a much better player than he is right now. Also, it takes all the strategy out of the game. Willie Randolph is a perfect example of an AL guy who couldn't coach in the NL because he didn't understand the double switch, how to take advantage of a pitcher hitting in the 9 slot. Thirdly, I'm a baseball purist, I believe in pitchers duels, that steroids are bad for baseball, and that DH's are a violation of the beauty of the game.

MLB will never end the interleague play, at least not while Bud Selig is alive, but it should. It's a waste of time, creates unfair schedules, and further tips the level of fair play towards the AL. It sickens me. But I do love my Mets-Yankees.