INTERLEAGUE Games
Interleague games start in earnest
this week. The division matchups are: AL East plays NL East, NL Central plays AL
Central, and AL West plays NL West. There are some exceptions because of the
different number of teams in the two league and the “traditional” rivalry games
(Mets v. Yanks, etc.) will come up again later.
We publish records for IL play going back to 2000 on the chart. In the last six
years the American League is 4-2 in overall play, “winning” in 2000, 2001, 2004
and 2005, with the NL in ahead in 2002 and 2003, They are probably almost evenly
split overall in Interleague won-loss since the schedule was begun back in the
‘90s.
We think the AL has a smaller home
advantage and a larger road disadvantage because of the rule on the DH - no DH,
pitchers batting, if the game is in an NL park, DH if played in an AL venue. On
the road, NL teams get to improve their offense. At home, the opponent has a
weaker than usual offense.
This years matchups are about the same as the 2001 IL schedule. If ‘06 follows,
then the NL should win a few more, with the Diamondbacks, Braves, Astros and
Dodgers doing well. Of AL teams, the Red Sox, Angels and Yankees did well three
years ago. In the six IL seasons on the chart, the Yanks were winners in all 6,
the Angels, A’s, Mariners, Cardinals 5 years each.
My feelings are that records v. pitching types (left/right, ground/fly,
power/contact) are helpful, and that unfamiliarity is a small "evening-out"
factor, helping the weaker teams a bit. But some pitchers have worked in the other league,
and sometimes teams played each other often in spring training. So they are familiar:
In earlier ‘06 IL action, the NL went 22-20, seven teams winning 3-0 or
2-1, seven with losing records v. the AL.
PAST INTERLEAGUE RECORDS ... A.L.
| ALTeam | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 |
| Baltimore | 8-10 | 5-13 | 5-13 | 9-9 | 6-12 | 7-11 |
| Boston | 12-6 | 9-9 | 11-7 | 5-13 | 10-8 | 9-9 |
| Chicago | 12-6 | 8-10 | 10-8 | 8-10 | 12-6 | 12-6 |
| Cleveland | 15-3 | 10-8 | 6-12 | 6-12 | 7-11 | 13-5 |
| Detroit | 9-9 | 9-9 | 4-14 | 6-12 | 10-8 | 10-8 |
| KansasCity | 9-9 | 6-12 | 9-9 | 5-13 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| LosAngeles | 12-6 | 7-11 | 11-7 | 11-7 | 10-8 | 12-6 |
| Minnesota | 8-10 | 11-7 | 10-8 | 10-8 | 9-9 | 7-11 |
| NewYork | 11-7 | 10-8 | 13-5 | 11-7 | 10-8 | 11-6 |
| Oakland | 10-8 | 10-8 | 9-9 | 16-2 | 12-6 | 11-7 |
| Seattle | 10-8 | 9-9 | 10-8 | 11-7 | 12-6 | 11-7 |
| Tampa | 3-15 | 15-3 | 3-15 | 7-11 | 10-8 | 9-9 |
| Texas | 9-9 | 10-8 | 4-14 | 9-9 | 8-10 | 7-11 |
| Toronto | 8-10 | 8-10 | 10-8 | 9-9 | 8-10 | 9-9 |
| A.L. | 136-116 | 127-125 | 115-137 | 123-129 | 132-120 | 136-115 |
PAST INTERLEAGUE RECORDS ...N.L.
| N.L.Team | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 |
| Arizona | 8-10 | 6-12 | 11-4 | 11-7 | 7-8 | 6-9 |
| Atlanta | 7-8 | 8-10 | 10-5 | 15-3 | 9-9 | 11-7 |
| Chicago | 6-9 | 8-4 | 9-9 | 6-6 | 9-6 | 8-7 |
| Cincinnati | 7-8 | 5-7 | 7-5 | 2-10 | 4-11 | 7-8 |
| Colorado | 6-9 | 8-10 | 9-6 | 7-11 | 2-10 | 6-6 |
| Florida | 10-5 | 7-11 | 9-6 | 10-8 | 12-6 | 8-9 |
| Houston | 7-8 | 7-5 | 11-7 | 5-7 | 9-6 | 6-9 |
| LosAngeles | 5-13 | 10-8 | 11-7 | 12-6 | 6-9 | 6-9 |
| Milwaukee | 8-7 | 8-4 | 5-7 | 2-10 | 5-10 | 6-9 |
| NewYork | 5-10 | 10-8 | 5-10 | 10-8 | 10-8 | 9-9 |
| Philadelphia | 7-8 | 9-9 | 8-7 | 10-8 | 7-11 | 9-9 |
| Pittsburgh | 5-7 | 2-10 | 5-7 | 3-9 | 8-7 | 6-9 |
| St.Louis | 10-5 | 11-1 | 10-8 | 8-4 | 8-7 | 7-8 |
| SanDiego | 7-11 | 8-10 | 8-10 | 8-10 | 6-9 | 5-10 |
| SanFrancisco | 6-12 | 11-7 | 10-8 | 8-10 | 10-5 | 8-7 |
| Washington | 12-6 | 7-11 | 9-9 | 12-6 | 8-10 | 7-11 |
| N.L. | 116-136 | 125-127 | 137-115 | 129-123 | 120-132 | 115-136 |
Regular season Inter-league games, last 6 years